If virtue signaling actually solved problems, Democrats would be the saviors of America. Unfortunately, virtue signaling does nothing more than help politicians appeal to their base.
Nevertheless, Reps. Mark Takano (D-CA) and Barbara Lee (D-CA), and Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI) have introduced a resolution to support the Rise Up of LGBTQI+ Youth in Schools Initiative. According to the National Education Association (NEA), the initiative is intended to push back against legislation that bars biological males from competing in girls’ sports, and efforts to remove sexually inappropriate materials from K-12 classrooms and school libraries.
Rep. Takano said in a press release:
“As a former teacher, I know that school shouldn’t be about just surviving — it should be about thriving. We need to protect LGBTQ student’s right to thrive, to find joy in learning, to discover their passions, and to embark on the rest of their lives in educational settings that support and affirm them.”
Rep. Lee also chimed in.
“With the rise of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation in the last year, it is clear that queer youth need our help. GOP extremists are using the lives of this vulnerable population as political tools at the expense of their mental health and well-being,” she remarked. “For the sake of our children’s lives, it is imperative for my colleagues to support this resolution to ensure their safety and success in school.”
Schatz asserted that “[e]very child should feel safe at school,” and said that “we need to take action to protect these students and fight back against the discriminatory policies that harm them.”
The resolution supports the goals of the Rise Up for LGBTQI+ Youth in Schools Initiative by vocally affirming the necessity for educational environments free from bias and discrimination. It argues that “young people, teachers, school staff, families, and communities must be free from transphobia, homophobia, racism, sexism, and ableism in K-12 schools.”
It also cites the specific challenges these students face, explaining that “LGBTQI+ young people frequently experience bias-based bullying and harassment, discrimination, and punitive discipline that increases the likelihood they will enter the school-to-prison pipeline.”
Of course, no leftist initiative would be complete without lashing out at red states that passed bills related to LGBTQ issues in government-run schools. It notes that “over 200 anti-LGBTQI+ education bills have been introduced each year in State legislatures across the country, the majority of which specifically target transgender and nonbinary young people.”
Finally, the proposed measure calls on the nation to commit to protecting the rights of LGBTQ children. “We must all demand the best possible future for all young people in schools, particularly those who identify as LGBTQI+, without exception,” the proposed resolution reads.
Other than pretending that keeping sexually inappropriate material out of schools and protecting female athletes constitutes a form of discrimination, there isn’t much wrong with the resolution. Nobody wants to see any children being bullied, harassed, or discriminated against. However, passing a resolution isn’t going to do anything to stop this. There are already rules and laws in place aimed at preventing the mistreatment of children in schools, as there should be.
This resolution will be about as effective at stopping the mistreatment of LGBTQ kids as a screen door on a submarine. But, it is a marvelous way for these lawmakers to show their progressive base that they care.
