Pa. GOP lawmaker apologizes for questioning a 12-year-old about pornography at civics event

[RandySF]

A Republican lawmaker has apologized to the mother of a 12-year-old Schuylkill County girl for an inappropriate question about pornography at a school civics event.

In an email to PennLive, Sen. David Argall on Thursday apologized to the student’s mother, Erin Anderson, who took him to task for what she said was a misuse of power and inappropriate questioning directed at her daughter during Wednesday night’s Civics Bee at Penn State Schuylkill.

The Schuylkill County Republican, who served as a judge, confronted Anderson’s daughter, Mary, after she finished her essay presentation on the dangers book bans — particularly the removal of books with diverse viewpoints or characters from marginalized communities.

“Senator Argall asked Mary, ‘Do you think we should allow pornographic magazines in Kindergarten classrooms?‘,” Anderson said. “Mary looked confused and had to ask, ‘What does that mean?’ Instead of rephrasing or redirecting the question, the senator explained to her, in front of the entire audience, that it meant ‘naked pictures of people in books and magazines.’”



https://www.pennlive.com/news/2025/04/pa-gop-lawmaker-apologizes-for-questioning-a-12-year-old-about-pornography-at-civics-event.html

[RockRaven]

1. Fucking GOP perverts can't look at or talk to a child without thinking about sex.

Apologies are empty from these depraved ghouls.

[Skittles]

2. it has become difficult for them to behave like normal human beings

he gets some points for not doubling down but JFC, WTF

[IcyPeas]

3. The girl has more common sense than the senator. Her reply:

.....

Mary asked the senator for clarification: “What does that mean?”

Argall replied, “Pictures of naked people.”

Mary said that she doesn’t believe such materials should be allowed in kindergarten, and clarified what she meant by her topic of book banning.

“I don’t think certain things like that should be allowed in schools for younger people, but that’s a big difference than other books about … other people — people trying to be themselves — books like that getting banned,” she explained. “But I do agree that books like that should not be in elementary schools and kindergarten.”

He's not sorry.

[Hekate]

4. Don't accept his apology! Never let him live it down!

He and his ilk are hate-filled fanatics, and they really do not give a rip if kids are hurt as long as they, the fanatics, get their way.

Very much like the claim that trump wants to root out antisemitism from universities — he and his admin do not give a damn about Jews.

[orleans]

5. way to go sen. David Argall of pennsylvania -- you fucking perv

[Maraya1969]

6. I think it is very weird that he questioned a 12 year old about sex. Personally I would not feel

Comfortable saying anything like that to a young child. It makes me wonder why he felt comfortable saying it. He was engaging in sex talk with her. I think that alone is perverted.