Posted on 05/22/2019 8:19:30 AM PDT by Ennis85
Arkansas' state network of PBS member stations did not air the season premiere of "Arthur" on its main channel over concerns that it showed a same-sex marriage.
Arkansas Educational Television Network spokeswoman Julie Thomas said in a statement that the network made the decision after previewing the episode in April. The episode had been scheduled to air May 13.
"While ideally parents watch our programming with their children and discuss it with them afterwards, the reality is that many children, some of them younger than age four, watch when a parent is not in the room," the statement says. "In realizing that many parents may not have been aware of the topics of the episode beforehand, we made the decision not to air it."
In the episode, titled “Mr. Ratburn and the Special Someone," Arthur's teacher Mr. Ratburn marries his partner Patrick. Arthur and his friends attend the wedding.
Not everyone is on board with AETN's decision.
"I don't think they should be banning it. I think it's good for them to see on cartoons and shows it's just a part of normal life," said parent Kim Bhama.
Clinton Kelly may not support same-sex marriage but he also doesn't support the state network of public broadcasting dictating what can and cannot be aired.
"For them to do that, I can't say that I really agree. It's kind of positioning yourself to be a judge and I just feel like that the kids are going to learn about it one way or the other."
For parents Cassie and Kole Magby, the news aligns with their own beliefs.
"I strongly agree with them. Way to go Arkansas and Alabama," Cassie said. "We believe in the bible that marriage is between a man and a woman but also that God loves everybody."
"I think it's the parents' job to teach their kids about what they believe as opposed to somebody else trying to impose their beliefs onto their children," Kole said.
Arkansas is at least the second state that refused to air the episode on its public television network. Alabama Public Television aired a rerun of the show, saying that "parents trust that their children can watch APT without their supervision."
PBS has said its programming is "designed to reflect the diversity of communities across the nation" and that "it is important to represent the wide array of adults in the lives of children."
"Arthur" is in its 22nd season.
According to AETN, you can still watch the episode on an alternate channel, AETN-3, on the following dates: Thursday, May 30 at 6:30 a.m.; Thursday, May 30 at 8 p.m.; Friday, May 31 at 4 a.m.; Sunday, June 2 at 6:30 a.m.; Monday, June 24 at 8:30 p.m. and Tuesday, June 25 at 4:30 a.m.
Children don’t need to find out from cartoons about the other kind of “slippery slope”.
“Diversity” is an agenda
Well, he is a ‘Rat’.....................
whoever is promoting this kind of moral rot to little children should be tried and imprisoned ASAP! then, throw the key away
Bravo to Arkansas for this.
(for the clinton scum, not so much )-:
PBS no less. Remarkable.
Maybe their last season ???????
Good. / RIP grumpy cat
Arkansas is creeping up to the top of my retirement list.
PBS is the source of the propaganda.
The local stations decided it would be bad for them to air it.
The local AR and AL educational television networks are dependent on local donations.
They don’t want those donations to dry up.
Gayness is an affective state.
Homosexuality is a fictitious thing.
They are actually homoerotic.
I’m still floored that states have their own “public television” divisions.
Why?
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