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Republican lawmakers have increasingly targeted teachers, school board officials, and other educators with hysteria over critical race theory, COVID-19 protocols, and transgender students.
Far-right Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas further fanned those flames in a recent Fox News segment.
Cotton discussed Democratic Virginia gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe's final rally before election day on Tuesday. Present at the rally was American Federation of Teachers president Randi Weingarten.
Cotton proceeded to blast Weingarten for appearing at the rally and for her work as an educator.
Watch below
Randi Weingarten doesn’t even have children—what does she know about raising and teaching kids? https://t.co/7v5HpntFJU— Tom Cotton (@Tom Cotton) 1635861251.0
Cotton said:
"Isn't it amazing that Terry McAuliffe ends his entire campaign with the head of the teachers' unions? Randi Weingarten is a joke. Randi Weingarten does not even have children of her own. What in the hell does she know about raising and teaching kids? That's probably why she was perfectly fine to shut down schools for two years and force kids to wear masks, because she didn't have to deal with it at home."
The Senator seemed blithely unaware that childless people have been teaching children for centuries. What's more, Republican lawmakers have repeatedly emphasized the line between teacher and parent—saying that vaccinations, sex and gender education, and history on racism in the United States should be left for the parents to decide.
Weingarten soon responded by pointing out the blatant fallacies in Cotton's dig.
Wait…Did I misread this or did Tom Cotton just say any teacher who is not also a parent shouldn’t be able to teach?… https://t.co/vihRBIBsvP— Randi Weingarten (@Randi Weingarten) 1635873274.0
I guess Sen Cotton hasn't done his homework and doesn't know I have step-children, grandkids & nieces and nephews. They would certainly be surprised by his comments. As would the many students I taught ( and loved) at Clara Barton High School in Brooklyn.
— Randi Weingarten (@rweingarten) November 2, 2021
Millions of people who raise and teach and care for America's children are not parents. Parents everywhere rely on their expertise. Parents everywhere rely on the profound commitment we all must have to other people's children, their health, well-being, and potential.
— Randi Weingarten (@rweingarten) November 2, 2021
We owe them- teachers who are parents, and teachers who are not parents- our thanks, not insults.
— Randi Weingarten (@rweingarten) November 2, 2021
Parents and educators are partners, and must work together to help our kids thrive… stop the dog whistles Tom and help us help our kids recover
— Randi Weingarten (@rweingarten) November 2, 2021
Cotton delivered an analysis about as astute as the one he blared on Fox, dismissing Weingarten's defense as "faux outrage" and berating her for supporting school closures during a fast-spreading pandemic that's killed over 700 thousand Americans.
Unlike you, most young teachers, nuns, and others without kids don’t try to close schools down. So spare me the fak… https://t.co/niK8811ELv— Tom Cotton (@Tom Cotton) 1635875915.0
People offered their support to Weingarten.
@rweingarten @sfpelosi Some of the best teachers I know do not have their own children. This is insane.— Kimberly Zanetti Purcell (@Kimberly Zanetti Purcell) 1635874459.0
@rweingarten The BEST teacher my daughter ever had was not a parent!— Gwen Hargrove (@Gwen Hargrove) 1635877897.0
@rweingarten 12 years of Catholic school, and only 5 lay teachers. The nuns were smart, dedicated women who had MAN… https://t.co/AsminUjjmG— Deb (@Deb) 1635877577.0
@rweingarten @atrupar Apparently he's never heard that it takes a village. I would argue that there are some teache… https://t.co/Hh8CKeKpjn— #Resistance - 2022 midterms coming up #FBR (@#Resistance - 2022 midterms coming up #FBR) 1635877553.0
Others decried Cotton for the absurdity of his case.
Well you can't get pregnant yet you feel qualified to determine appropriate treatments for that 🤷🏻♀️
— living life as a host body (@angryamaggdyla) November 2, 2021
I don't trust cardiologists unless they've had a bypass or three.
— Andrew Tompkins (@AndrewBTompkins) November 2, 2021
@SenTomCotton Hi! I'm a former elementary school teacher & I don't have kids either, yet I'm a child development ex… https://t.co/Iao6hP7Z8U— SusannaDW (@SusannaDW) 1635861702.0
Tom Cotton doesn't even have experience as a teacher––what does he know about educating kids? https://t.co/8KcpcJjaW6— S Faust (@S Faust) 1635882038.0
Shame on you @SenTomCotton https://t.co/liygpjcKEF— Sari Beth Rosenberg (@Sari Beth Rosenberg) 1635881677.0
Cotton remains unapologetic.