Playwright David Mamet claims teachers have a ‘inclination’ towards pedophilia
Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright David Mamet has plunged headlong into the classroom culture war by claiming that teachers are “predisposed” to pedophilia and that students are being “prepared” for sexual abuse. education – while providing no evidence to support his allegation.
Drawing on offensive rhetoric that Republican politicians have been late to using to push for legislation banning discussions of sexual orientation or gender identity in the classroom, Mamet stressed “we must control again.”
“What we have are children who are not only taught but groomed, in a very real sense, by people who are, whether they know it or not, sexual predators,” Mamet said. Sunday in an interview with FOX News. “Are they abusing the kids physically? No, I don’t think so. But they are abusing them mentally and using sex to do so. This has always been a problem for the education industry. Teachers tend to be, especially male, because men are predators, pedophiles.”
Mamet, who is making waves to promote her new book, “The Break: The Death of Free Speech and the Cost of a Free Lunch,” does not cite any sources in support. His claims as well as his assertions are challenged by Host Mark Levin.
Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, called Mamet’s remarks “a heinous cruelty to the very people who were once a lifeline for our kids.”
“This disregard for teachers is dangerous for our educators and for their students, and it must stop,” Weingarten said in a statement. “In the meantime, teachers will continue to do their job to create opportunity and joy for every child in this country, while addressing anger, fear, and gross misinformation.” anytime, anywhere.”
NBC News has reached out to Mamet through his attorney for further comment.
David Finkelhorhead of the Center for Crime Against Children at the University of New Hampshire, says that “there is clear evidence that the majority, but not all, sex offenders against children are male. .”
“However, schools are not particularly high-risk environments for adult sexual abuse,” Finkelhor wrote in an email. “Many adult sexual abusers in a child’s life come from family, family friends, acquaintances and neighbours.”
Additionally, Finkelhor added, “providing sex education in schools based on professionally designed curriculum is not a typical ‘grooming’ scenario.”
“Grooming occurs when adults attempt to create an intimate encounter between a person and a child,” Finkelhor writes. “Sex education in schools including information about appropriate and inappropriate behaviors is very important to prevent sexual abuse because many families do not do this well.”
Mitchell GarabedianAttorneys for “Spotlight,” who led charges against predatory Roman Catholic clergy in Boston, also weighed in on Mamet’s assertions.
“Pedophiles are present anywhere, whether it’s in the neighborhood, school, boy scouts, religious organizations or any neighborhood,” Garabedian said in an email in response to a question from NBC News. any other sector or organization”. “The fact that a child is prone to sexual abuse primarily does not belong in any profession. And that is why thorough adult supervision is so important.”
Mamet, whose classic play “American Buffalo” returns to Broadway with an all-star cast, is just the latest right-wing thinker to use the same bogus claims to build public support for the with bills like the one recently signed by the Governor of Florida. DeSantis that detractors have called “Don’t say gay” bill.
DeSantis press secretary Christina Pushaw went as far as to call the bill an “anti-grooming” law last month on twitter.
That Florida bill includes a explicitly prohibit the teaching of sexual orientation or gender identity for children in kindergarten through third grade and place limits for older students on materials that are “not age appropriate or developmentally appropriate for the student according to state standards.”
at Blogtuan.info – Source: nbcnews.com – Read the original article here
