Many people have vented their frustration and outrage about the “bathroom bill” called HB2 in North Carolina. It is so pointless since no one knows what is under someone’s clothing below the belt.
But what if HB2 is a Trojan Horse? What if it was a fake front for something else?
Dan Mahoney says that the second section of the bill is what really matters: It strips localities of the power to improve working conditions. He predicts that Governor McCrory and the legislature might repeal the LBGT section and leave intact section 2, which almost no one has noticed.
The real meat of the bill is in section 2 and prohibits any local or county govt. from enacting any rules about wages or working conditions. It also re-instates Jim Crow. The LGBT part is bad but a shiny object to distract us from the real purpose of the bill. Read the bill here: http://www.ncleg.net/Sessions/2015E2/Bills/House/PDF/H2v1.pdf – See more at: http://www.thomhartmann.com/users/dan-mahoney/blog/2016/03/nc-hb2-koch-brostrojan-horse#sthash.3gMXkLRk.dpuf
Diane Ravitch's blog 
How does the bill reinstate Jim Crow?
I had the same question.
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It doesn’t reinstate Jim Crow against black people. However, it puts GLBT people in the same position as black people were under Jim Crow.
Perhaps Diane should weigh in on what she meant.
Please stick to education issues. It is offensive to compare sex-segregated restrooms to Jim Crow. It is outrageous that ignorant people, wanting to be “inclusive” and “tolerant,” are willing to destroy women’s rights and protections. Being in favor of male infiltration of women’s spaces is akin to advocating for lynching of blacks. Men can’t be women–ever–regardless of what they say they are. This is a public safety issue.
Stick to education issues, Diane, please.
“Being in favor of male infiltration of women’s spaces is akin to advocating for lynching of blacks.”
Horse manure. That is offensive to this male. What, women are so delicate that they have to have their “safe spaces”? That’s certainly not the attitude I raised my daughter to have.
“Men can’t be women–ever–regardless of what they say they are.”
Quite correct, wouldn’t want to be! Two different sides of the same coin, though.
“This is a public safety issue.”
NO!, No it’s not.
Although I often agree with Susan…this is clear and a non issue. A transgendered student who lives as a girl at her own choice, is a girl.
In Oxnard California a few years ago, this issue became deadly when a child was murdered on campus by another student for being transgendered. The law of the land transcends the religious positions.
If all bathroom stalls have locks, as they do, and everyone in a stall has privacy, then bathrooms might as well be gender-neutral. It really is a non-issue.
I agree, this has nothing to with education. It does not belong here. In the past highly unsavory comments have been made in this blog by the owner and commenters. It is time put a stop to this nonsense. It only shows the crassness of these people.
It is my blog and I can write what I want is a poor response by the owner of this blog.
There is also a bill to raise teacher pay by 5%. Will they fail this under the distraction?
Raj…as too often happens…you are off on your own planet. Diane, who is highly respected, is the arbiter and the final voice on HER blog site. She is so tolerant that even you and other trolls are welcome. Your comment it totally inappropriate IMO.
Oh, and as if this will not hugely impact transgendered students in the schools?
It certainly will. Attempt to learn something about the varieties of sexual orientations and gender identities that exist. This has nothing to do with “women’s rights.” It has to do with human rights.
BTW, this is Diane’s blog, and she can write about any damned thing she wants to. If you do not agree, you can stop reading this blog, and start one of your own.
Raj, you don’t have to frequent this blog, nor does anyone else. We don’t always agree, but you hit the nail on the head with:
“In the past highly unsavory comments have been made in this blog by the owner and commenters. It is time put a stop to this nonsense. It only shows the crassness of these people.” You are one of the crassest people here. Period. End. Go away, and don’t come back if you can’t stand what the Rock is cooking, and take Virginia with you.
It comes up in schools. If a student is disciplined for using the “wrong” bathroom, then the law seems to prohibit local schools from addressing gender identity. Why Republicans are so obsessed with other people’s anatomy or bedroom activities is bizarre and rather disturbing.
If someone cannot restrain himself from expressing open contempt toward the owner of this blog and many of its commenters—
Then he should pay attention to his own most sacred and inviolable principle.
Choice.
He doesn’t have to come to this blog. He doesn’t have to comment on its threads. If he does come and comment, he can show by example what behavior he (apparently in theory only) thinks is appropriate, exercising a modicum of that grit and rigor that rheephormistas claim to have in exclusive abundance. Or he can view other blogs. Or he can make his own blog.
But of course, “choice” for those all in for corporate education reform means, in standard English, “choice but no voice.” Only his choices matter. Rheeally! And with a most Johnsonally twist at that. Because what’s important is for the meritorious select few aka ‘only sane people who comment on this blog’ to make choices for the vast majority aka the rest of us lowly hewers of wood and drawers of water.
His remarks evoke something an old dead French guy observed:
“Ridicule dishonors a man more than dishonor does.” [François de la Rochefoucauld]
What would he have said about self-ridicule?
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The “pee in peace” issue has nothing to do with schools?
Hmmmmm…
Just a very recent and very public example.
LATIMES. 4-20-2016. “Santee community rallies in support of a gender-neutral bathroom after fight.”
Link: http://www.latimes.com/local/education/lausd/la-me-edu-santee-gender-neutral-bathroom-lausd-protest-story.html
Rheeality Distortion Fields do not Trump reality.
Reality trumps Rheeality Distortion Fields.
Really!
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To a begrudged, disgruntled R-poster
It is free speech. I can say whatever I want no matter how the blog owner and readers across the nation feel or don’t feel is–without a doubt– the dumbest opinion I ever saw in this blog.
This is an issue in education because teachers have to deal with the consequences of the abuse of GLBT students caused by politicians and conservative preachers as well as the parents that lap them up and punish or reject them for who they are. It is the same as the teachers being given gun training and being expected to arm themselves. Teachers should not have to tell a child who is discovering who she or he is who they have to behave as just as they should not be expected or even asked to take gun training.
Transwomen are women by the way. Genetically they may be either men or XXY but you are what your heart and mind says you are regardless of what a small piece of flesh that society has placed massive importance on since Bible times indicates. There have been cases of baby boys who were accidentally mutilated during their circumcisions and were raised as girls. However, they always knew they were boys. Transgendered people often “play the role” for many years before they realize what the issue is. Many transwomen do not realize what is going on until their 40s or 50s and have kids and grandkids and were in marriages where they loved their wives.
There is no “male infiltration of women’s spaces”. There are women born with a difference in women’s spaces, much like a white person who sees himself as African-American and joins the NAACP because that where he feel right.
Girls are safe, by the way. No man is going to put on a dress in order to go into a public restroom around a variety of people and molest little girls. Almost all instances of child molestation is a family member, relative, or family friend who makes sexual advances to little girls. The others are conservative religious leaders (usually Catholic or Baptist) who invade the bodies of young girls or boys. It is about power and control as are all sex crimes. Gay people are not child molesters. That is not a characteristic of the GLBT community.
One of the biggest lies of the so-called Religious Right is that gays are child molesters. This is a political stance designed to create enmity between Christians and the GLBT community, the former being rabid conservatives and the gay community being mostly moderate to liberal. I say mostly because I know several gay Republicans. They are conservative in all areas except gay rights because they cannot legislate against themselves unless they are a closeted congressman already.
Uh, NAMBLA?
Rhonda..thanks for bringing up the rarely mentioned issue of gender ‘mosaics’ in which your use of XXY is correct. The aberrant extra X chromosome is the problem in this discussion about who should use the Girls bathrooms.
Suggest everyone read up on the science behind this ‘in vitro’ condition, for a deeper understanding of not only gender confusion, but also XYY which many scientists claim causes sexual aggressors (i.e. rapists) whereby the extra Y chromosome is the problem.
Harlan…NAMBLA is a totally different issue and reaches the realm of criminal behavior…but I see your point. Possibly more on point would be the Log Cabin Society (of Right Wingers) who finance elections of candidates like Cruz and Trump who parrot hatred of the gay community including the transgendered community in the name of religion.
http://krbcnews.com/dallas-transgender-woman-caught-taking-pictures-of-underage-girls-at-target/
LGBT group in Dallas defending pedophilia as a sexual orientation? Not good press.
This is a fake. http://www.snopes.com/transgender-arrested-target-photos/
thanks
Too much wrong on Snopes, but other readers went to About Us at the website and is apparently fake news. I tried to get there but the site is blank now. There a TV station with the same call letters Apologies to all.
Precisely. The governor keeps saying state has no power to regulate the private sector. If you want to do mischief, alway do it after the first section of a bill.
Here is my take. Section two seems to apply to private contractors who want to do work for a county. They are free to bid without prior “restraints” regarding pay and so forth. Section 2 does not apply to some existing state laws and federal regulations bearing on employment and contracting.
It is conceivable that section two will invite private contractors to offer county governments various “deals” on public services –think schools, firefighting, policing, water and sewer provision, energy, corrections. Best bid gets the job. Nobody looks at fairness for workers.
The language in Section two sounds a lot like some language from the American City County Exchange (ACCE). ACCE has right to Work Model Legislation for municipal government (city, county, district, village, town) that supplements state “right to work” legislation. https://www.alec.org/model-policy/local-right-work-ordinance/
ACCE also has model legislation making it impossible for municipal governments to pass laws bearing on recycling containers, and another making it impossible for municipal experts to object on bids involving water and waste water projects. This has gained importance since the Flint lead in the water pipes fiasco and the legacy infrastructure issues all over the country. That model legislation is called “The Open And Fair Competition Act For Water And Wastewater Projects.”
In any case, Section 2 takes power away from cities that may have an ounce of independent concern about fairness in contracting.
I was in Raleigh last Monday demonstrating and the consensus was that the Governor wanted to take power away from the cities especially to raise minimum wage. Of course the discrimination portion took the spotlight as it should. But in Raleigh the chant was repeal all of it!
However, I would hope that the companies leaving will hold off until November when we elect Roy Cooper Governor and change North Carolina once and for all!
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/60-minutes-harvard-transgender-swimmer-schuyler-bailar/
What bathroom should he use? Frankly, if his story doesn’t touch you, you’re heartless.
You’ve already used a bathroom with a transgendered person; you just didn’t know it.
Will crime increase? Will pedophiles don dresses and hang out in ladies rooms looking to abduct little girls? Perhaps the solution is single toilet bathrooms with locks on the door and people don’t have to mingle with others. I don’t know.
“Dan Mahoney says that the second section of the bill is what really matters: It strips localities of the power to improve working conditions. He predicts that Governor McCrory and the legislature might repeal the LBGT section and leave intact section 2, which almost no one has noticed,”
except for the brilliantly insightful and influential owner of this blog. Localities unable to improve local conditions?! So people will have the “right to work” for pennies alongside rats and roaches scurrying over lead paint and asbestos, and public schoolchildren will be right there with them. Lovely.
Gee, Leftie…sounds like some of our LAUSD schools.
Thank you Diane, for this political heads up. I knew nothing about it until this post…. but am now doing my homework. As a public policy educator/writer, shall focus on reporting on this potentially devious Trojan Horse bill.
Well, Ellen, we had a Trojan Horse superintendent or two, and a Trojan Horse board member or two, three, four, a score… Sure, we have vermin and lead. That’s because we have Walmart Breakfast in the Classroom and wi-fi for MiSiS and SBAC instead of custodial and maintenance. I think we Angelenos can stop calling them Trojan Horses and start calling them what they are, Broad Horses. I must say, though, I wouldn’t trade places with my family in North Carolina right now.
Pal…you left out that classic photo in the LA Times of Deasy sitting with the kindergarten kids of color as they ate the outdated WalMart crap food.
It also allows businesses to discriminate against LGBT. Sorta like the lunch counters
It’s not a bill. It’s a law.
My concern is about locker rooms in schools. Most schools have open shower and changing areas. If transgendered persons have had the operations to change physically, there is no trouble.
However, as a grandparent, I wouldn’t want my grandchildren showering and changing in open spaces with persons with the physical traits of the opposite sex.
It would take a lot of money to provide private spaces for all students. My concern is also about private gym facilities, too.
What about section 3? Section 3 of the bill strips all North Carolina citizens of the right to sue for discrimination in state court. Before HB2 anyone fired for age, race, religion, or other protected categories could sue in state court. Now they cannot. North Carolinians can still sue in federal court, but this is costlier and more difficult. Why would a state have laws against such discrimination but then not have an adequate, state-level enforcement mechanism? In effect, North Carolina’s state government, is no longer opposed to such discrimination. This is the effect and the message of section 3.
Governor McCrory initially said that section 3 did not strip such rights, but he had to backtrack because he was obviously lying.
Section 3 makes North Carolina one of the most backward state in the nation. Section 3 is opposed by a huge majority of North Carolinians.
Finally, the bathroom portions of the law are relevant to education because of the existence of transgender students in schools. The 4th federal circuit court just ruled in favor of a transgender student on this issue. It was all over the news. Pay attention people.
There is a school of thought that there is only so much bandwidth in the media… and every time a story like this bill sucks up space it pushes out space for coverage of, say, Moral Monday protests or articles on the woeful underfunding of public schools in, say, NC. Oh… and it diverts everyone’s attention from the economic divide that is widening. Mission accomplished….
Hence the Trojan horse description.
I see it more like a tar baby, which is apt from the Tar Heel State.
Politicians and their donors are promoting a lot of laws like this. I saw one in Florida that was targeted toward barring municipalities from enforcing wage theft sanctions (cities- any political subdivisions).
It’s heartening in a weird way- they must be pretty scared of Fight for Fifteen if they’re taking such draconian measures to keep wages low and worker protections weak 🙂
I saw the North Carolina governor interviewed on television. I don’t live there and am not familiar with him, but boy HE’S embarrassing. He sounds like he’s being held hostage or something, like he’s reciting from a script lobbyists gave him to read. I almost felt sorry for him. He’s so CLEARLY not actually running that state.
Today, in the NY Times, the top editorials about the use of ‘trojan horses’ to sneak GOP nonsense into bills that have nothing to do with the amendment.
http://www.opednews.com/Quicklink/Appropriations-Trickery-in-in-General_News-Congress_Congress-Legislative-Failures_Congress-Republican-GOP_Congress-Senate-Legislation-160502-317.html#comment594941”
Says the NY Times in the intro: “It is an old congressional ritual: loading up vital spending bills that are meant to keep the government running with dangerous amendments aimed at satisfying ideological causes and benefiting special interests. The Republicans have become adept at this practice in recent years, and this year is no different. Legislative riders attached to appropriations bills would undermine the Iran nuclear deal, weaken highway safety and reduce the Food and Drug Administration’s authority over tobacco products. Thankfully, Democratic lawmakers and public interest groups are calling attention to these stealth attacks. In the Senate, Democrats managed on Wednesday to block a vote on a water and energy spending bill after Senator Tom Cotton, Republican of Arkansas, tried to attach a provision that would have dealt a severe blow to the Iran nuclear deal.”
I added Diane’s post in my comment which has embedded links to her post.
Speaking of Trojan Horses, look how they tried to sneak an amendment into the HB2 in North Carolina (about ‘gender & Bathrooms”) that would prohibit any local or county govt. from enacting any rules about wages or working conditions!
“It also re-instates Jim Crow. The LGBT part is bad but a shiny object to distract us from the real purpose of the bill.
“Many people have vented their frustration and outrage about the “bathroom bill” called HB2 in North Carolina. It is so pointless since no one knows what is under someone’s clothing below the belt,” says Diane ravitch who posted this GOP chicanery: Is HB2 a Trojan Horse?
She asks: “What if it was a fake front for something else? Dan Mahoney says that the second section of the bill is what really matters: It strips localities of the power to improve working conditions. He predicts that Governor McCrory and the legislature might repeal the LBGT section and leave intact section 2, which almost no one has noticed. The real meat of the bill is in section 2 and prohibits any local or county govt. from enacting any rules about wages or working conditions.”