'Grooming': The ubiquitous buzzword in LGBTQ school debate

Proponents of restrictions on how U.S. public schools address sexual orientation and gender identity say their ultimate goal is to allow parents more involvement in their children's education and ensure classroom materials are age-appropriate.

But in heated debates at school board meetings and in statehouses across the country, the argument they repeatedly put forth is that they are trying to prevent children from being “groomed” — the same term commonly used to describe how sex offenders initiate contact with their victims.

The use of such rhetoric, opponents of the new laws argue, underscores a nationwide push by conservatives to make education a political wedge issue by equating certain teaching materials and educators with pornography and even pedophilia. This latest trend is another volley in the country’s ongoing culture wars, during which conservative lawmakers also have opposed the teaching of “critical race theory” and proposed bills requiring schools to post all course materials online so parents can review them.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, an ascending Republican and potential 2024 presidential candidate, has been at the forefront of the movement. On Monday, DeSantis signed a bill into law that forbids instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade. While doing so, he railed against “liberal politicians” and activists who fought against the law, saying, “They support sexualizing kids in kindergarten."

“They support injecting woke gender ideology into 2nd grade classrooms,” he added. "They support enabling schools to ‘transition students’ to a ‘different gender’ without the knowledge of the parent ... without the parent’s consent.”

DeSantis never uttered the word “groom,” but his press secretary, Christina Pushaw,...