While Republican Doug Mastriano’s recent remarks supporting the barbaric quackery that is conversion therapy deservedly drew public outrage and media scrutiny, one aspect of his comments on conservative talk radio last week largely fell under the radar. When the Pennsylvania Gubernatorial candidate accused elementary school teachers of showing kids “graphic pornographic books” and intentionally trying to hurt children, he effectively put targets on teachers’ backs.
“This is disgusting to me, where bureaucrats and Tom Wolf — and Josh Shapiro — thinks it’s okay to come in and threaten parents and therapists because their kids might be confused and confused because of what’s going on in the schools where they have graphic pornographic books laid out in elementary schools, teachers…or some who are out of control there and they’re using their platform to confuse kids on gender,” Mastriano told 103.7 FM out of Chambersburg, PA, in response to Governor Tom Wolf’s executive order restricting the use of “conversion therapy.
To be clear, the executive order does not threaten parents or therapists.
READ: Conversion therapy is a barbaric abuse of LGBTQ youth and it’s legal in PA
This idea that teachers and librarians are “grooming” kids is part of a Republican-led national campaign made popular in recent years by disciples of the QAnon conspiracy theory that there is a global Satanic cannibalistic pedophile ring led by Democrats coming after your children. Mastriano campaigned at an event promoting QAnon in April, and as Media Matter pointed out, promoted QAnon on Twitter over 50 times before recently scrubbing his feed.
“It is shameful that he would spread such vicious and dangerous lies about elementary school teachers who are focused on teaching kids how to read and write, add and subtract, how to get along with each other, how to be respectful,” Chris Lilienthal, spokesperson for the Pennsylvania State Education Association, a union representing 178,000 teachers and staff, told the Bucks County Beacon.
Mastriano is not alone in making these dangerous and irresponsible accusations. As the Bucks County Beacon reported in April, the right-wing Pennsylvania Family Institute started actively recruiting informants to infiltrate public schools because according to them, “Activists in schools are working overtime to proselytize children into sexual and other ideologies.” And in Central Bucks School District, current school board member Debra Cannon believes “there are demonic adults recruiting, brainwashing, and participating in unconscionable behaviors with children,” a sentiment shared by fellow Republican parents who have accused teachers and librarians at school board meetings of “grooming” district students.
“I think what Mastriano is saying is willfully dangerous. This is an intentional motivation to deceive,” Katherine Semisch, a recently retired Central Bucks School District English teacher from Doylestown told the Bucks County Beacon. “If he cared at all about kids he wouldn’t be telling these disgusting lies.”
These types of attacks on educators is one of the many reasons why the teacher shortage in Pennsylvania, like across the nation, has become a “crisis.” And we have seen how lies and conspiracies like “Pizzagate,” “Stop the Steal, and the “great replacement” theory lead to violence.
“Public school educators work hard to foster inclusive learning environments so that every student in every classroom understands that they are accepted and welcomed just the way they are,” added PSEA’s Lilienthal. “These are lessons we should support in every school setting across the state, especially at a time when cyberbullying is a major problem in our society and so many youth are experiencing mental health crises like never before.”
Read More Bucks County Beacon Doug Mastriano Coverage:
Doug Mastriano’s Education Plan Would Gut Bucks County’s Public Schools
The Christian Right And Its Top Crusader Seek To Conquer Pennsylvania
Doug Mastriano’s Disdain For The Press Is A Threat To Democracy
The Future Of Public Education In Pennsylvania Rests On The Governor’s Race
Doug Mastriano Would Be A Disaster For Public Education
Doug Mastriano Is A Clear And Present Danger To Democracy
Pastors For Doug Mastriano? Somebody Call The IRS
Doug Mastriano Refuses To Answer Tough Question From Conservative Media Outlet: Why Are You Running?
Democrats: Mastriano’s Pursuit Of Extremist Voters Makes Him Unfit To Serve As Governor
Doug Mastriano And The Cult Of The Gun
DJOP Calls Out Mastriano For Trying To Walk Back Extremist Anti-Abortion Stance
Ron DeSantis And Doug Mastriano: For Fans Only
