John McCroskey Commentary: Keep the Adult Material Out of the Classroom; Liberal Ideology Destroying Us

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My wife and I just had the good fortune to spend a few days in some sunshine without cellphones or news. There was nothing about the border crisis, nothing about drag queens performing in some school (supposedly without school officials knowledge), nothing about sex education for kindergarten through through third grade and nothing about inflation, gas prices or any other significant problems that continuously seem to come every day.

Ah — the bliss of it.

But then we returned to reality, which sadly included rain.

Like many, I was shocked and dumbfounded about Disney’s position on the Florida law titled Parental Rights in Education. First, it’s sad to have to pass a law that prohibits the kind of sex-gender material for kindergarten through through third grade anyway. It is often hidden from parents. But actually needing a law that should be common sense in the first place is sad.

That Disney officially opposed the law, and vowed to fight it, made no sense. One would have to ask: why? Why would a company about magical imaginations of kids and families oppose teachers sharing their sex and gender ideas with kids that young? Their stock has taken a tumble as a result.

Back in my days as a student at Olympic Elementary School — not sure the grade — one afternoon I recall the boys — and we were boys — being sent out to recess and the girls — and they were girls — going to the gym for a special class. I am not sure what they were talking about but I am certain it had nothing to do with gender fluidity, or that doctors may have declared you a girl but you don’t have to be and can change all that if you want to.

Parents shouldn’t have to worry about this being taught to a captured young audience and certainly should know about issues their child might have to get them help if that’s what they need.

There are lots of things kids can’t do like drink, smoke and drive a car, so confusing them with all this is just crazy and wrong.

One of the best stories recently in The Chronicle was about a program called “Scooter Town.”  As I looked at the photos of the kids enjoying whatever this is, smiling and playing parts, it put a smile on my face.

This is what kids should be doing; playing and being kids. Their innocence will be gone soon enough.

Keep the adult material out of their classroom.



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Lately in the news, violent crime has spiked all across the country and the response, especially in more liberal cities, has been baffling. Some no longer require bail for even violent offenses. Some have determined stealing carts full of property isn’t a crime. One place requires the prosecutor’s office to consider the economic circumstances of the suspect before charging.

In Ohio, the state Supreme Court ruled that the public’s safety couldn’t be a consideration in setting bail. That’s just crazy. But then again, judges are making crazy rulings seemingly all the time.

In Oregon, Gov. Kate Brown has granted clemency to Kyle Hedquist, who at 17 lured a 19-year-old woman, Nikki Thrasher, and executed her, apparently fearing she might tell police about burglaries he’d committed.

He was convicted and sentenced to life without parole. But as we know, life without parole sometimes isn’t. She compared her actions to those of President Joe Biden granting clemency to 78 non-violent inmates. This was coldblooded murder.

In her defense, she said, “Teenagers, even those who have committed terrible crimes, have a unique capacity for growth and change. We are a nation of second chances.”

Not for that kind of crime.

We are a nation of laws that are now routinely being ignored by the government, in some cases at every level, and the results have not been good. This liberal ideology is destroying us.

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John McCroskey was Lewis County sheriff from 1995 to 2005. He lives outside Chehalis and can be contacted at musingsonthemiddlefork@gmail.com.