An anti-LGBT tea party senator from Texas is lashing out at watchdog sites for reporting on her horrifying new legislation aimed at LGBT students. This week, Republican Konni Burton attempted to file legislation in the Texas Senate that would effectively force schools to “out” LGBT students to their parents.
In Burton’s bill any public school teachers and other employees who fail to disclose a student’s sexual orientation or gender identity to their parents could face discipline. The punishment would be invoked even if the student requests that the information be withheld.
Several websites received news of Burton’s bill, and warned that if it became law, the bill could invite abuse and mental anguish for youth in a conservative state such as Texas. The statewide LGBT-advocacy group Equality Texas quickly condemned the measure. Policy expert Daniel Williams read the bill and was quick to sound the alarm:
“In a press release Burton says she filed the bill in response to a policy adopted by Fort Worth ISD on how to sensitively and reasonably accommodate transgender students. Her stated intent in filing the legislation is to out queer youth.
And that will get kids killed.”
When Burton read this criticism, she decided to throw a little hissy fit.
https://twitter.com/KonniBurton/status/799761688719425540?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Website The New Civil Rights Movement, who first broke the story, strongly denied that they neglected to contact sources. They cited phone calls to Burton’s office and spoke with her legislative director. Burton’s camp never got back to the author of the story.
Several people inquired about Burton’s anti-LGBT measure on Twitter, which prompted Burton to lash out.
https://twitter.com/KonniBurton/status/799738371228700672?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
She even threw a few barbs at ordinary citizens asking about the bill:
https://twitter.com/KonniBurton/status/799742387673124864?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Except that’s exactly what the effect would be if passed. And when the cited motivation for the legislation in the first place is transgender bathroom bills, it is kind of hard to claim the bill is entirely free of anti-LGBT motivation.
That darn media, reporting on things and messing up your nefarious plans. The First Amendment is always getting in the way, am I right Konni Burton?
Featured image from YouTube video.
