# NEW Stupid Republican Idea of the Day (Part 2) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 7, 2022, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-2/959018 "2022-02-07T00:52:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 435
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2023, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-2/959018/8687 "2023-03-21T11:15:06Z")
Proverbs 12:15 or 14:7? Not prayers, admittedly, but good advice. " **Leave the presence of a fool, for there you do not meet words of knowledge**. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2023, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-2/959018/8688 "2023-03-21T11:45:11Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > I like the idea of a volunteer collecting anonymously submitted reports of self-administered abortions still being practiced in Arkansas and periodically updating the number on that marker in Sharpie or something Plus an addendum on the number of women who have died because they couldn’t get a medically necessary abortion. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2023, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-2/959018/8689 "2023-03-21T11:53:03Z")
> [@Toxgoddess](#): > > And what kind of criminal charges will fifth-grade girls face for discussing these personal issues with their friends? And what if one in need of an emergency product, say, asks a (female) teacher for assistance? How many years are we going to give the bunch of them for daring to be…uh…biological entities? I know the headline implied that no one is even allowed to discuss these things, but what the bill says is that they’re banning teachers from instructing students under 6th grade about them. I don’t think two kids talking to each other about these subjects will result in either of them going to jail. Regarding the emergency need for a product, since that may not be considered ‘instructing’, I don’t know. But I suspect it would be met with the student being sent to the nurse’s office and/or a call to their guardian. I imagine that’s the case now, as well. ---
**Author:** ![Sylvanz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Sylvanz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sylvanz)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2023, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-2/959018/8690 "2023-03-21T14:51:53Z")
You know I’m 64 years old, and we (the girls) had, “The Talk” at school about menstruation when I was in 4th. grade. The boys had some other instruction, but I don’t know what it was about. There was no out cry, no gnashing of teeth, no rending of garments. Just the basics, and instructions to talk to the teacher if it started at school. That was about 1968 and I was apx. 9. ---
**Author:** ![abcdefghij](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/43a26b/32.png) [@abcdefghij](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/abcdefghij)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2023, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-2/959018/8691 "2023-03-21T15:13:52Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > I know the headline implied that no one is even allowed to discuss these things, but what the bill says is that they’re banning teachers from instructing students under 6th grade about them. Then why does the Bill’s author think otherwise? ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2023, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-2/959018/8692 "2023-03-21T15:19:54Z")
> [@abcdefghij](#): > > Then why does the Bill’s author think otherwise? Because he knows how it will be enforced, regardless of how it is written? ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2023, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-2/959018/8693 "2023-03-21T15:48:51Z")
> [@abcdefghij](#): > > Then why does the Bill’s author think otherwise? Does he _think_ otherwise, or does he _say_ otherwise? For the same reason that a timeshare salesperson will tell you what a great deal you are getting. ---
**Author:** ![Toxgoddess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Toxgoddess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toxgoddess)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2023, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-2/959018/8694 "2023-03-21T16:03:36Z")
He [specifically said it would prohibit the girls themselves from talking about it:](https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2023/03/19/florida-republican-bill-girls-periods-school/11504099002/) “So if little girls experience their menstrual cycle in fifth grade or fourth grade, would that prohibit conversations from them since they are in a grade lower than sixth grade?” McClain confirmed that the bill’s language would do exactly that: “It would” McClain responded. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2023, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-2/959018/8695 "2023-03-21T16:05:24Z")
> [@abcdefghij](#): > > Then why does the Bill’s author think otherwise? The bills author or the news article’s author? ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2023, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-2/959018/8696 "2023-03-21T16:07:08Z")
> [@Toxgoddess](#): > > “So if little girls experience their menstrual cycle in fifth grade or fourth grade, would that prohibit conversations from them since they are in a grade lower than sixth grade?” > McClain confirmed that the bill’s language would do exactly that: “It would” McClain responded. And who are those conversations between? ---
**Author:** ![Toxgoddess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Toxgoddess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toxgoddess)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2023, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-2/959018/8697 "2023-03-21T16:09:14Z")
“Conversations from them” indicates to me that the girls themselves cannot talk about it, whether to a teacher or to each other. It suggests that they cannot approach a teacher for assistance if needed. This is absolutely indefensible. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2023, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-2/959018/8698 "2023-03-21T16:11:41Z")
> [@Toxgoddess](#): > > It suggests that they cannot approach a teacher for assistance if needed. Okay, so what does that have to do with your question? > [@Toxgoddess](#): > > And what kind of criminal charges will fifth-grade girls face for discussing these personal issues with their friends? ---
**Author:** ![abcdefghij](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/43a26b/32.png) [@abcdefghij](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/abcdefghij)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2023, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-2/959018/8699 "2023-03-21T16:16:38Z")
> [@k9bfriender](#): > > For the same reason that a timeshare salesperson will tell you what a great deal you are getting. Timeshare salesmen are not noted for trying to convince you that their deal is even worse than it appears. ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2023, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-2/959018/8700 "2023-03-21T16:22:41Z")
If they didn’t want to deal with gross menstrual cycles, they should have chosen to be born male. /s ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2023, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-2/959018/8701 "2023-03-21T16:23:39Z")
Worse for who? _We_ are not the intended audience. ---
**Author:** ![Toxgoddess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Toxgoddess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toxgoddess)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2023, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-2/959018/8702 "2023-03-21T16:24:21Z")
My question is that since the bill apparently criminalizes these conversations, what kinds of charges will fifth-graders face for talking about their periods? The whole thing is insane. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2023, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-2/959018/8703 "2023-03-21T16:34:19Z")
> [@Toxgoddess](#): > > My question is that since the bill apparently criminalizes these conversations, what kinds of charges will fifth-graders face for talking about their periods? Can you quote that part of the bill? From what I’ve read\* it does not ban conversations between friends. It bans instruction (presumably from teachers) and even then, it bans the teachers from teaching it, it doesn’t ban kids from hearing it. > [@Toxgoddess](#): > > The whole thing is insane. I entirely agree, however, there’s a lot of great reasons to hate this bill, you don’t have to make up new ones. All that does it make it easier for the other side to undermine your argument. \*ie “…such instruction may only occur in grades 6 through 12…”. I haven’t seen anything addressing kids talking amongst themselves nor anything suggesting the kids on the receiving end of said instruction would also be breaking the law. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2023, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-2/959018/8704 "2023-03-21T16:35:20Z")
> [@Sylvanz](#): > > You know I’m 64 years old, and we (the girls) had, “The Talk” at school about menstruation when I was in 4th. grade. The boys had some other instruction, but I don’t know what it was about. There was no out cry, no gnashing of teeth, no rending of garments. Just the basics, and instructions to talk to the teacher if it started at school. That was about 1968 and I was apx. 9. And see what a mess your generation has made of the world! No further evidence needed. Wars, inflation, poverty, _pandemics_, FFS! You can’t tell me there’s no connection. Shoulda kept those girlies in the dark! The less they know about Things, the better off we’ll all be. 🧐 /big-time sarcasm ---
**Author:** ![Sylvanz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Sylvanz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sylvanz)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2023, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-2/959018/8705 "2023-03-21T16:39:36Z")
Ah, I’ve been so blind. This is the true reason for the collapse of American society. ---
**Author:** ![Toxgoddess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Toxgoddess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toxgoddess)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2023, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-2/959018/8706 "2023-03-21T16:43:58Z")
Apparently you didn’t read the part where the bill’s author specifically said it would do exactly that. I quoted it and posted a cite. Ignoring that and pretending they didn’t actually say what they in fact actually said makes you appear to be arguing in bad faith. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-2/959018.md?page=434) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-2/959018.md?page=436)