FL Republican state rep says Common Core turning kids gay. No, not a joke.

[madfloridian]

From Think Progress:

Rick Scott Must Condemn Rep. Van Zant’s Bigoted, Homophobic Remarks

Today, in response to the bigoted and absurd remarks by Republican Representative Charles Van Zant, Florida Democratic Party Chair Allison Tant released the following statement:

“These bigoted and outrageous remarks should have no place in Florida politics. All of Florida’s children have the right to grow up, go to school, and earn an education without fear of being judged for who they are. Anti-gay bullying has no place in the classroom, let alone in the Florida House.

“Rick Scott has a duty to all of Florida’s children to make it clear that they can go to school without fear of being bullied. Rick Scott and the Republican House leadership must condemn these hateful remarks,” Chairwoman Tant added.

Background:

Florida Lawmaker: Common Core Will Turn ‘Every One Of Your Children’ Gay. VAN ZANT: “These people, that will now receive $220 million from the state of Florida unless this is stopped, will promote double-mindedness in state education and attract every one of your children to become as homosexual as they possibly can. I’m sorry to report that to you.” (Think Progress, 4/19/14)

Here is the AIR website.

Not at all sure what section to which he refers.

[FloriTexan]

1. Kick for the Crazy...

Common Core might drive everyone crazy but turn them gay? I doubt it.

[madfloridian]

11. Ha. Good point.

[valerief]

2. To be expected. It's Florida. nt

[madfloridian]

13. He sounds like he's rambling.

Really makes no sense.

[valerief]

19. But don't they all? They string neutral words between their

coded phrases to feed some warped dreams of power by the powerless.

[TreasonousBastard]

3. Here's the problem...

this idiot is obviously too stupid to breathe and is making such an incredibly ignorant statement in public but we counter it with yer basic "this bigoted sounding..." claptrap spoken as if our Democrats have a flagpole up their collective arses. He gave us some great material that even his supporters can't believe.

You've got to get some serious comedy writers on the team. Forget even John Stewart and his posturing-- everyone from Amy Schumer to Louis C. K. would have any audience screaming for this guy's head in no time at all. Just think what George Carlin would do with this guy!

He's the perfect opening for Letterman and the perfect closing for Bill Maher. Get their writers on the team no matter what it costs and hit the campaign trail with hilarity. Humiliate him with his own words and make it a circus with him as the head clown.

Look, if someone really believes his bullshit it doesn't make any difference what we say because their heads have shit filters. But, everyone else with a bit of common sense should see this guy as the fool he is.

[countryjake]

4. Double-mindedness?

What definition of the word is he referring to?

I always thought that was like being a Libra.

[madfloridian]

5. I had to look that one up.

I think it is very weird terminology.

http://www.gotquestions.org/double-minded.html

[countryjake]

7. I only knew it cause it's what my pastor called me...

fifty years ago, after I was confirmed but then refused to take communion.

[madfloridian]

9. lol my Southern Baptist pastor had words for all of us during teen years.

We could never please him. Their support for the Iraq invasion as a holy war was the final straw for us, and we left.

[countryjake]

10. Yeah, mine was a Lutheran who was at wit's end...

with what to do with me (nothing he tried ever worked). The guy was pretty progressive, too, for way back then; we used to have great discussions but I knew he was full of it after he told me that I shouldn't read so much. I sassed him back with, "So you want me to give up knowledge for a sip of grape juice?" That was basically the end of my association with organized religion.

[madfloridian]

14. Our church said I could not go see Elvis when he came to our town.

But my parents let me anyway...and my dad was chairman of deacons.

[lark]

24. The principal of my school in FL. referred to me as "those kind of people"

As in your kind of people doesn't respect authority, has loose morals, skip school, do drugs and influence others to do the same. So, even though I passed the test at college level for all subjects, and qualified for a diploma immediately, he made me attend classes there. I'm a bad influence, and will lower the stds. at the school, yet have to attend as punishment for being a hippie? Bigotry is so stupid.

[MisterP]

29. maybe it's like when people say "doublethink" to mean "brain's big enough to have more than

two ideas in it at a time"

[NightWatcher]

6. Jeb is a big supporter of Common Core

I can't wait to watch all these pukes who hate it today get on board with it next year

[madfloridian]

8. Actually except for vouchers, Jeb's views are about the same as the Democrats.

Mostly Dems do not yet support vouchers, just charter schools and more and more testing.

Actually Jeb went on TV to publicly praise Obama's attacks on the teachers' unions.

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/5046

All the people who tell me I am wrong about the attacks on public schools should watch this video carefully.

[madfloridian]

12. I have yet to see anything at the AIR website about what he talked about.

Here is the link to the education page there:

http://www.air.org/topic/education

I see nothing.

[William769]

15. kick & recommended.

[madfloridian]

16. Thanks. I see nothing at the AIR link that he could be referring to.

I worry about our FL reps, I really do.

[William769]

17. Me too.

After these past couple of years I worry about our whole State.

[madfloridian]

18. Van Zant's educational history.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Van_Zant

History

Van Zant was born in Jacksonville and attended Stetson University before graduating from the University of Florida with a degree in architecture in 1968. Upon graduation, he founded Van Zant Associates, an architecture firm, which he continues to own. Van Zant attended the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, where he received a Master of Divinity degree, and the Western Baptist Theological Seminary, where he received a Doctorate of Theology degree. In addition to working as an architect, he has served as the pastor of multiple churches, included the First Baptist Church of Keystone Heights and Trinity Baptist Church. Van Zant was appointed to the Clay County School Board in 2007 by Governor Charlie Crist, and served as its Vice-Chairman.

Not one of Crist's wiser appointments.

[JCMach1]

20. My current State Rep.

[madfloridian]

23. My sympathy.

[gollygee]

21. It's MAGIC!

Who knew teaching math in a different way could have so much power?

[awoke_in_2003]

31. It all starts with geometry

why do you think they use a triangle?

[Android3.14]

22. About as inaccurate as other criticisms

I sure wish folks like Van Zandt would educate themselves on Common Core and education best practices before spouting off criticism that they are obviously basing on one-sided, biased, and patently uninformed sources.

[reformist2]

27. Crazy, funny, scary - not sure in which order.

[TrollBuster9090]

28. He's a standard Republican Teanut. The question now is whether or not JEBBY will RENOUNCE

his crackpot comment. SOMEBODY SHOULD ASK HIM.

[Smarmie Doofus]

30. Actually he's got it exactly backwards.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/113717710

There's NO mention of lgbt people anywhere in the NYS version of Common Core.

At least there wasn't as of two years ago.

[AlinPA]

32. The entire GOP is crazed. It seems that every day one of them comes out with this crazy stuff.

[madfloridian]

33. Politifact rates this "half-true". They appear to miss the point.

http://www.politifact.com/florida/statements/2014/mar/24/florida-stop-common-core-coalition/florida-stop-common-core-coalition-says-education-/

Our ruling

The Florida Stop Common Core Coalition said that the American Institutes for Research promotes the identification of homosexual lifestyles in young children.

It is true that AIR does research on LGBT youth issues and offers advice to organizations that request it on how to assist these children. This is one piece of the group’s initiatives, which also include work on disease management and student assessments.

AIR does not advocate a homosexual lifestyle for children, nor is it an advocacy group at all. There is no indication that the organization or the state will have a homosexual agenda in its state testing.

The statement is partially accurate but leaves out important details and takes things out of context. We rate the statement Half True.

Van Zant responds and stands by his statement.
http://www.news4jax.com/news/Van-Zant-responds-to-homosexual-remark/26082088

[blkmusclmachine]

34. Wow, the GOP really has <<NOTHING>> to offer this Country in terms of policy, infrastructure, debt,

defense, just about anything you can name. Just a weird, leering, creepy OBSESSION with what you're doing in your bedroom. Sick!

[madfloridian]

35. Here is the AIR web page he's talking about.

http://www.air.org/topic/social-development/lgbt-youth

And he is standing by his remarks proudly. I have never used the expression the stupid it hurts....but now I am. That kind of stupid is just plain painful.

[mwooldri]

36. Remind me again what planet he lives on....

Sure sounds like he's not on my planet.