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‘Don’t Parents Have A Right?’ Wallace Pressures Psaki On Florida Bill Wrongly Labeled ‘Don’t Say Gay’

CNN+ host Chris Wallace pressed White House press secretary Jen Psaki on Florida's parental bill of rights [Twitter Screenshot Tommy moderna-vaX-Topher]

[Twitter Screenshot Tommy moderna-vaX-Topher]

Brianna Lyman News and Commentary Writer
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CNN+ host Chris Wallace confronted White House press secretary Jen Psaki during an interview Wednesday about whether Florida parents have a “right” to be concerned over young children being taught about sex education.

Wallace first played a recent clip of Psaki crying about Florida’s parental rights bill that has been labeled by some on the left as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill. Psaki said she became emotional because as “a parent, and a mom, and somebody who wants all kids to be treated equally” her reaction was simply because she is a “human being.”

Wallace then suggested that parents have a legitimate concern over what their young children are being taught.

“I just want to drill down a little bit here, though, Jen, because look, I understand that it’s an emotionally fraught issue. I understand that some of the supporters of the bill have used inflammatory language, saying that opponents of the bill want to sexualize children or groom children,” Wallace said. “On the other hand, don’t parents have a right to have concern? I mean, we’re talking specifically here about teaching about sex in kindergarten through third grade. I have to say as a parent, I would have problems with that.”

Psaki said the law is “not about teaching sex education” but rather “gender identity.” (RELATED: Chris Wallace Presses Psaki On Why Biden Is ‘Sheltered From The Press’)

“And so what do you do if a parent or a kid, should I say a kid, in one of these elementary schools says, ‘What about Sally? Sally has two moms,’ or ‘I’m not sure if I’m a girl or a boy.'”

“I mean, these are kids who are experiencing, you know, these moments in their lives,” Psaki continued. “I also think that these are not, there is not a big record of there being either sex education or extensive gender identity education in these schools. And this is creating a problem, or a political cudgel, about an issue that I don’t think exists.”

Florida’s bill, which Psaki has previously referred to as “hateful,” prohibits educators from discussing sexual orientation and gender identity in grades K-3 and requires school districts to notify parents of any changes to their child’s physical, mental or emotional health, except in cases of child abuse.