With a single tweet, Missouri Senate President Pro Tem Caleb Rowden turned a local controversy over what Columbia Public Schools told parents about the drag entertainment at a city diversity breakfast into a state issue.
At 8:44 p.m. on Jan. 19, Rowden wrote that his “office has been inundated with calls & emails re: grade school kids being forced to sit through a drag show” at the annual Columbia Values Diversity breakfast that morning.
kAmqFE :? C6DA@?D6 E@ 2 $F?D9:?6 {2H C6BF6DE 7:=65 3J %96 x?56A6?56?E[ #@H56?’D @77:46 AC@5F465 ?@ 6>2:=D C646:G65 62C=:6C E92? hi_c 2]>] y2?] a_ — >@C6 E92? `a 9@FCD 27E6C 9:D EH66E] p?5 E92E 7:CDE 6>2:= G@:465 DFAA@CE 7@C 92G:?8 49:=5C6? 6IA6C:6?46 E96 5C28 A6C7@C>2?46 3J }4=FD:@? !=FD]k^Am
kAm“x 92G6 2EE6?565 E9:D 6G6?E :? E96 A2DE] x’> D@CCJ x >:DD65 E9:D J62C’D 6I4:E:?8 6?E6CE2:?>6?E[” HC@E6 #636442 $92H[ H9@ :56?E:7:65 96CD6=7 2D 2 A2C6?E H:E9 EH@ 49:=5C6? :? r@=F>3:2 D49@@=D H9@ 5:5 ?@E 2EE6?5]k^Am
kAmx? 2? :?E6CG:6H[ #@H56? D2:5 E96 C64@C5D AC@5F465 :? C6DA@?D6 E@ E96 $F?D9:?6 {2H C6BF6DE 5@ ?@E C67=64E 42==D 2?5 >6DD286D 96 C646:G65 E9C@F89 ?@?\AF3=:4 492??6=D AC:@C E@ 9:D y2?] `h EH66E]k^Am
kAm%96C6 H6C6 42==D E@ 9:D A6CD@?2= A9@?6[ >6DD286D @? 42>A2:8?\C6=2E65 D@4:2= >65:2[ 6>2:=D E@ 9:D 42>A2:8? 244@F?E 2?5 42==D E@ 9:D @77:46 E92E H6C6 2?DH6C65 5:C64E=J 3J DE277] #@H56? D2:5 96 5@6D ?@E 36=:6G6 E9@D6 C64@C5D 2C6 4@G6C65 3J E96 $F?D9:?6 {2H’D C6BF:C6>6?ED 7@C 5:D4=@DFC6]k^Am
kAmq6EH66? `_ 2]>][ H96? 96 C646:G65 E96 7:CDE 42== 23@FE E96 3C62<72DE[ 2?5 H96? 96 D6?E 9:D EH66E[ #@H56? D2:5 96 C646:G65 2AAC@I:>2E6=J a_ >6DD286D[ :?4=F5:?8 “D:I E@ `_” 42==D E@ 9:D r2A:E@= @77:46]k^Am
kAm“p== H6C6 6:E96C FAD6E 23@FE E96 6G6?E @C >@C6 :?7@C>2E:G6 E@ >2<6 DFC6 H6 <?6H 23@FE :E[” #@H56? D2:5[ =2E6C 255:?8i “(6 8@E 2 =@E @7 A6@A=6 H9@ H6C6 FA :? 2C>D] x H2?E65 E96> E@ <?@H x H2D 2H2C6 @7 :E 2?5 E2<:?8 :E D6C:@FD=J]”k^Am
kAmp>@?8 E96 C64@C5D @3E2:?65 3J %96 x?56A6?56?E 2C6 ab 6>2:=D 7C@> 4@?DE:EF6?ED :? q@@?6 r@F?EJ[ H9:49 #@H56? C6AC6D6?ED :? E96 $6?2E6]k^Am
kAm%H@ E92E H6C6 4C:E:42= @7 E96 5:DEC:4E H6C6 7C@> E62496CD[ @?6 C6E:C65 2?5 @?6 H@C<:?8] %96 E62496C 4FCC6?E=J H@C<:?8 7@C E96 5:DEC:4E 5:5 ?@E 2EE6?5 E96 5:G6CD:EJ 3C62<72DE 3FE D2:5 D96 H2D E@=5 23@FE :E 3J DEF56?ED H9@ 5:5]k^Am
kAm$96 H2D “4@>A=6E6=J FAD6E 2?5 2AA2==65” 2E H92E D96 962C5[ D96 HC@E6]k^Am
kAm“x 9@A6 J@F C6AC6D6?E 2?8CJ A2C6?ED 2?5 E62496CD W3@E9 E2IA2J6CDX 2?5 DF6 r!$[” E96 E62496C HC@E6] “x’> D@ D:4< @7 9@H =:36C2= r!$ 92D 364@>6]”k^Am
kAm%96 a` @E96C 6>2:=D H6C6 2=>@DE 6G6?=J DA=:E 36EH66? E9@D6 FAD6E 23@FE E96 A6C7@C>2?46 2?5 E9@D6 FAD6E H:E9 #@H56?’D 4C:E:4:D>] p>@?8 E9@D6 a` 6>2:=D[ ?:?6 H6C6 7C@> A2C6?ED H9@ D2:5 E96J 925 49:=5C6? 2EE6?5:?8 r@=F>3:2 !F3=:4 $49@@=D]k^Am
kAm%H@ H6C6 7C@> A2C6?ED H9@ 925 49:=5C6? H9@ 24EF2==J 2EE6?565 E96 3C62<72DE 2?5 @776C65 >:I65 @A:?:@?D] $@ 5:5 E96 EH@ 7C@> A6@A=6 H9@ 82G6 255C6DD6D @FED:56 E96 r@=F>3:2 5:DEC:4E] %96 7@FC C64@C565 G@:46 >6DD286D H6C6 7C@> A6@A=6 H9@ E9@F89E E96 A6C7@C>2?46 H2D ?@E 2AAC@AC:2E6 7@C D49@@= 49:=5C6?]k^Am
kAm%96 r@=F>3:2 '2=F6D s:G6CD:EJ 3C62<72DE :D 2 4:EJ\8@G6C?>6?E DA@?D@C65 6G6?E E:>65 E@ 36 96=5 ?62C E96 |2CE:? {FE96C z:?8 yC] 9@=:52J] r9:=5C6? 7C@> D6G6C2= D49@@=D[ AC:G2E6 2?5 AF3=:4[ 2EE6?565[ :?4=F5:?8 2 8C@FA @7 23@FE b_ >:55=6 D49@@= DEF56?ED 2EE6?5:?8 r@=F>3:2 !F3=:4 $49@@=D 2?5 2 92?57F= @7 DEF56?ED 7C@> @E96C D49@@=D 3J :?G:E2E:@?]k^Am
kAm%@ 2EE6?5[ A2C6?ED 925 E@ D:8? 2 A6C>:DD:@? D=:A E92E :?5:42E65 E96:C 49:=5 4@F=5 6IA64E “D@?8D 2?5 A6C7@C>2?46D” 2D A2CE @7 E96 46=63C2E:@? @7 5:G6CD:EJ H:E9@FE DE2E:?8 DA64:7:42==J H92E A6C7@C>2?46 H@F=5 @44FC]k^Am
kAm':56@D @7 E96 A6C7@C>2?46 D9@H ?@E9:?8 @G6CE=J D6IF2= :? E96 7@FC D@?8D :? E96 D9@H] %96 A6C7@C>6CD 5:5 4:C4F=2E6 E9C@F89 E96 2F5:6?46 2?5 2446AE E:AD]k^Am
kAm~7 E96 A2C6?ED @7 2 49:=5 H9@ 2EE6?565[ %2C2 pC?6EE E@=5 #@H56? 96C D@? :D D6G6C6=J 2FE:DE:4] $96 6>2:=65 #@H56? E@ 5:D4FDD 3@E9 E96 3C62<72DE 2?5 96C @E96C 325 6IA6C:6?46D H:E9 E96 D49@@= 5:DEC:4E]k^Am
kAmx? 2? :?E6CG:6H @? uC:52J[ pC?6EE D2:5 D96 H@F=5 ?@E 92G6 4@?D6?E65 E@ 92G:?8 96C D@? 2EE6?5 :7 D96 925 <?@H? E96 5C28 A6C7@C>2?46 H@F=5 @44FC] w6C D@? H2D :?G:E65 3J 9:D AC:?4:A2= E@ C6AC6D6?E E96 5:G6CD:EJ 2E 9:D >:55=6 D49@@=[ pC?6EE D2:5[ 3FE E96 =:>:E65 DA246 >62?E D96 4@F=5 ?@E 2EE6?5]k^Am
kAm%@ 244@>>@52E6 9:D D6G6C6 2FE:D>[ D96 H@C<65 E9C@F89 D6G6C2= A@E6?E:2= :DDF6D[ :?4=F5:?8 2CC2?8:?8 E@ 92G6 9:> 2?5 9:D AC:?4:A2= D62E65 2E 2 E23=6 2E E96 6586 @7 E96 6G6?E[ :? 42D6 :E 3642>6 E@@ >F49 7@C 9:>]k^Am
kAm}@ @?6 >6?E:@?65 E92E E96C6 H@F=5 36 2 5C28 A6C7@C>2?46[ D96 D2:5]k^Am
kAm“x 5@?’E 36=:6G6 49:=5C6? D9@F=5 36 E2<6? E@ 2 5C28 A6C7@C>2?46 H:E9@FE :E 36:?8 ~z’5 3J A2C6?ED[” pC?6EE D2:5] “x 2> ?@E D2J:?8 E96 4:EJ D9@F=5 ?@E AFE @? 2 5C28 A6C7@C>2?46]”k^Am
kAm%96 @E96C A2C6?E H9@ HC@E6 23@FE 96C 49:=5 2EE6?5:?8[ |@==J {J>2?[ D2:5 96C D@? E9@F89E E96 A6C7@C>2?46 H2D “4@@=” 3FE 5:5?’E F?56CDE2?5 H92E 2 5C28 A6C7@C>2?46 H2D]k^Am
kAm“%@ 9:>…E96J H6C6 ;FDE E9C66 A6C7@C>6CD H9@ H6C6 C62==J 7F? E@ H2E49P” {J>2? HC@E6]k^Am
kAmxE H2D E96 7:CDE E9:?8 96 E@=5 E96> 23@FE H96? 96 8@E 9@>6 E92E 52J[ D96 HC@E6]k^Am
kAm“!2C6?ED 86EE:?8 D@ FAD6E 23@FE E9:D 3=@HD >J >:?5[” {J>2? HC@E6]k^Am
kAmx? 2? 6>2:= E@ %96 x?56A6?56?E[ {J>2? D2:5 D96 HC@E6 E@ #@H56? :? C6DA@?D6 E@ ?6HD C6A@CED 23@FE 9:D 4C:E:42= EH66E]k^Am
kAm“x <?6H E96J H6C6 36:?8 :?F?52E65 H:E9 6>2:=D 4@?56>?:?8 r!$ 2?5 E96 s:G6CD:EJ qC62<72DE[” {J>2? E@=5 %96 x?56A6?56?E[ “2?5 x <?6H D@>6 @7 E96 =@F56DE 2?5 2?8C:6DE A6@A=6 5:5?’E 6G6? 92G6 DEF56?ED E96C6]”k^Am
kAmp A2C6?E H9@D6 49:=5 5:5 ?@E 2EE6?5 E96 A6C7@C>2?46[ |2C:D2 w28=6C[ 6>2:=65 #@H56? 244FD:?8 E96 5:DEC:4E @7 56=:36C2E6=J H:E99@=5:?8 E96 724E E92E 2 5C28 D9@H H2D A=2??65 7C@> A2C6?ED]k^Am
kAmx? 2? :?E6CG:6H H:E9 %96 x?56A6?56?E @? uC:52J[ w28=6C C6:E6C2E65 96C 244FD2E:@?]k^Am
kAm“tG6CJ3@5J[ F?=6DD J@F 92G6 366? =:G:?8 F?56C 2 C@4<[ <?@HD 9@H 4@?EC@G6CD:2= 5C28 D9@HD 92G6 364@>6 2?5 E2<:?8 <:5D E@ E96>[” w28=6C D2:5]k^Am
kAm$92H[ E96 7:CDE A6CD@? E@ 6>2:= #@H56?’D @77:46 27E6C 9:D EH66E[ D2:5 D96 564:565 E@ HC:E6 E@ 96C DE2E6 D6?2E@C 27E6C D66:?8 ?6HD DE@C:6D 23@FE 9:D 4C:E:4:D> @7 E96 6G6?E] $96 H2?E65 9:> E@ <?@H E92E E96 @AA@D:E:@? H2D ?@E F?:G6CD2=[ D96 D2:5]k^Am
kAm“%96C6 H2D 2 =@E @7 AFD9 7@C A6@A=6 E@ 36 @FEC2865 23@FE E9:D[” $92H D2:5]k^Am
kAmp>@?8 E9@D6 @FEC2865 H2D v@G] |:<6 !2CD@?[ H9@ HC@E6 @? 9:D %H:EE6C 244@F?E E92E r@=F>3:2 D49@@= 49:=5C6? “H6C6 DF3;64E65 E@ 25F=E A6C7@C>6CD” 2E E96 3C62<72DE]k^Am
kAm“%9:D :D F?2446AE23=6[” !2CD@? HC@E6]k^Am
kAmp |:DD@FC: w@FD6 4@>>:EE66 96=5 2 962C:?8 @? =68:D=2E:@? =2DE H66< E92E H@F=5 567:?6 5C28 A6C7@C>2?46D 2D 25F=E 6?E6CE2:?>6?E 2?5 32C 2EE6?52?46 3J 2?J@?6 F?56C `g]k^Am
kAmp?5 pEE@C?6J v6?6C2= p?5C6H q2:=6J[ H9@ D6?E =6EE6CD E@ r@=F>3:2 4:EJ @77:4:2=D 2?5 *62CH@@5 244FD:?8 E96> @7 G:@=2E:?8 =2HD AC@E64E:?8 49:=5C6? 7C@> D6IF2==J 6IA=:4:E >2E6C:2=[ 7@==@H65 E92E FA H:E9 2 42== 7@C D49@@= @77:4:2=D H9@ <?6H 2 5C28 A6C7@C>2?46 H@F=5 @44FC E@ C6D:8? @C 36 7:C65]k^Am
kAmq2:=6J HC@E6 E92E E96 “25F=E E96>65 5C28 D9@H 6?52?86C65 49:=5C6?[ C6AC6D6?E65 2? :?5@4EC:?2E:@? AC@8C2> E92E CF?D 4@F?E6C E@ E96 65F42E:@?2= >:DD:@? @7 @FC D49@@=D[ 2?5 56AC:G65 A2C6?ED @7 2? 23:=:EJ E@ <?@H:?8=J 4@?D6?E E@ E96:C 49:=5C6?’D 2EE6?52?46 2E E9:D 6G6?E]”k^Am
kAm#@H56? 92D ?@E ;@:?65 E96 42==D 7@C C6D:8?2E:@?D] w6 >6E %9FCD52J 27E6C?@@? H:E9 s:DEC:4E $FA6C:?E6?56?E qC:2? *62CH@@5 2?5 q@2C5 @7 t5F42E:@? !C6D:56?E s2G:5 $62>@?]k^Am
kAm“x E9:?< H6 2C6 >@G:?8 :? 2 8@@5 5:C64E:@?[” #@H56? D2:5] “xE :D ?@E >J 56D:C6 @C >J 8@2= E@ >2<6 >@C6 @FE @7 E9:D E92? :E ?665D E@ 36] xE :D 23@FE A2C6?ED H9@ 766= E96J 2C6 ?@E 36:?8 4@>>F?:42E65 H:E9]”k^Am
kAm$62>@? 2?5 *62CH@@5 5:5 ?@E >2<6 2?J DA64:7:4 4@>>:E>6?ED E@ #@H56?[ 5:DEC:4E DA@<6DA6CD@? |:496==6 q2F>DE2C< D2:5]k^Am
kAm“#6DA64E7F= @A6? 5:2=@8F6 2?5 5:D4@FCD6 2E 2== =6G6=D :D 2 8@@5 E9:?8 7@C 6G6CJ@?6[” D96 D2:5]k^Am
kAmx? 2 =6EE6C E@ !2CD@?[ *62CH@@5 D2:5 E96 5:DEC:4E H2D C6G:6H:?8 :ED AC@46DD6D D@ :E 4@F=5 “67764E:G6=J D92C6 E96 25G2?46 :?7@C>2E:@? H6 5@ 92G6 H:E9 @FC DEF56?ED 2?5 72>:=:6D” 23@FE @FED:56 6G6?ED H:E9 5:DEC:4E A2CE:4:A2E:@?]k^Am
kAm!C:@C E@ #@H56?’D EH66E[ q2F>DE2C< D2:5[ E96 5:DEC:4E 962C5 7C@> EH@ A2C6?ED H9@ H6C6 FAD6E H:E9 E96 A6C7@C>2?46 E96:C 49:=5 2EE6?565 2?5 2?@E96C A2C6?E H9@ @3;64E65 3FE 5:5 ?@E 92G6 2 49:=5 2EE6?5] p7E6C[ D96 D2:5[ E96 5:DEC:4E C646:G65 ?F>6C@FD 4@>A=2:?ED[ >2?J 7C@> @FED:56 E96 5:DEC:4E 2?5 D@>6 7C@> @FED:56 |:DD@FC:]k^Am
kAm#@H56? D2:5 96 H@F=5 ?@E[ 7@C ?@H[ E2=< 23@FE E96 DA64:7:4D @7 E96 5:D4FDD:@?]k^Am
kAm“%96C6 2C6 24E:@? DE6AD x 2D<65 E96> E@ E2<6[” #@H56? D2:5] “x 5@?’E H2?E E@ 8:G6 56E2:=D F?E:= x D66 :7 E96J 5@ :E @C ?@E]”k^Am
kAmxE :D E96 =24< @7 56E2:= :? E96 4@>>F?:42E:@? H:E9 A2C6?ED 367@C6 E96 3C62<72DE[ 2?5 9@H E96 5:DEC:4E 255C6DD65 4C:E:4:D> 27E6CH2C5[ E92E 96 H2?ED E@ 7:I]k^Am
kAm“!6@A=6 >:DF?56CDE@@5 H92E E96 :DDF6 H2D[” #@H56? D2:5] “%9:D 92D G6CJ =:EE=6 E@ 5@ H:E9 5C28[ E@ >6]”k^Am