Today the New Jersey Senate Education Committee is meeting for a full day of hearings on thirteen bills. (See list below.) InsiderNJ is reporting that  S-2781, sponsored by Dick Codey, ignited a “fierce debate” late this morning, “with members expressing fear about a sexual agenda creeping into the public bloodstream and the committee’s chair firing back with an emotional closing speech.”

According to the bill summary, S-2781 “requires school districts to provide instruction on diversity and inclusion as part of New Jersey Student Learning Standards in Comprehensive Health and Physical Education.” In addition, the bill would “encourage safe, welcoming, and inclusive environments for all students regardless of race or ethnicity, sexual and gender identities, mental and physical disabilities, and religious beliefs.”

What’s not to like?

Plenty. InsiderNJ reports, “opponents of the bill said they detect an effort by the forces of secular humanism to undermine Christianity.”*

Here’s a sampling of comments from NJ residents and lobbyists during the public comment portion of the hearing.

Rafael Franco of the Family Advocate Network: “My rights are being threatened when you plan to educate my children on gender identity. This is not about bullying. It is a bill that will undermine the basis of reality.”

NJ resident Louis Albo: “You guys don’t have the right to teach homosexuality. I’m frustrated by how the government is trying to control every aspect of our lives. The LGBT comes in there and gives you their bills, and you do it. Yous are looking to ridicule a Christian or a catholic. I know yous all are in cahoots with each other.”

Shawn Hyland, director of advocacy for Family Policy Alliance of New Jersey: “When this bill is going to be applied, that’s when it becomes very troubling; forcing students to agree with the sexual beliefs of state government. Government does not have a right to impose a sexual framework.”

But things really got heated when Senator Mike Doherty spoke out, saying, “we’re going to expose four and five-year-old’s to some of these teachings…we’re going to destroy these children…This bill is highlighting and exacerbating our differences. These folks have an agenda. We’re going to make people of religious faith second class citizens. We need to bring people together. I vote no.”

At that point, Senator Ruiz said, “mute his microphone!” The gallery erupted in protestations of “Tyranny!” and “Censorship!” She responded by thanking Codey and announcing she was adding her name as a sponsor of the bill.

Sheesh. They haven’t even gotten to the hard stuff yet.

*In case you’re counting, 67% of NJ residents are Christian, 6% are Jewish, 3% are Muslim, 3% are Hindu, and there is a smattering of Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses. 19% are atheists or unaffiliated.