WASHINGTON — Congressional hearings often involve heated debates, but usually not personal attacks. However, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., crossed that line during a House hearing last week on pandemic-related school closures when she targeted teachers’ union leader Randi Weingarten. This issue continues to spark strong emotions, and Greene’s comments were “very homophobic,” according to Weingarten.
The exchange between the two took place during a hearing held by a subcommittee of the Republican-controlled House Oversight Committee, which is responsible for investigating the nation’s response to the coronavirus pandemic. Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), was the sole witness.
During the hearing, Greene repeatedly mentioned that Weingarten is not a “biological mother,” seemingly referring to the fact that Weingarten is married to a woman who is a rabbi at the largest LGBTQ synagogue. These comments were an attempt by Greene to dehumanize Weingarten, who said she felt rattled by the exchange.
Unfortunately, this is not the first time Weingarten has faced such attacks. She revealed that since November of last year, when former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called her “the most dangerous person in the world,” she has had to travel with a security guard. Furthermore, the exchange with Greene has resulted in a flood of “vile” emails, many of which have been homophobic or antisemitic.
Weingarten’s presence at the hearing was to discuss whether the AFT unduly influenced Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines on school reopenings. Although emails had shown Weingarten’s request for amendments in the guidelines, she argued that it was a normal part of the process and one of many inputs considered by the CDC.
This explanation did not satisfy Republicans, particularly Greene, who accused Weingarten of not having any say in the reopening guidelines due to her lack of medical, biological, and teaching qualifications. Greene even went as far as implying that Weingarten’s experiences as an LGBTQ parent were invalid.
As the hearing concluded, Greene reiterated her claim that Weingarten is not a true mother, stating that she is merely a “political activist” rather than a teacher, mother, or medical doctor. Democrats attempted to remove Greene’s attacks from the Congressional Record, but house rules prevented it.
However, there was one point of agreement between the two. Both Greene and Weingarten recognized the need for increased accountability of tech companies, as there is growing concern that social media platforms are negatively affecting children’s self-esteem.
The controversy surrounding this hearing highlights the ongoing debates surrounding the pandemic, school closures, LGBTQ rights, and the influence of tech companies on children.
