James Talarico Questions Republican Bill Replacing School Counselors with Untrained Chaplains

[@mariuscommodore849]

"Trained by whom?" That was devastating.

[@GoIggles92]

Trained by crikets apparently because that's all I heard

[@Thedreadedflutist]

🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉 PRAISE HIM!!!!!!!!! Call this man out

[@sharondavid-melly1498]

Texas is fortunate to have this young man in government, and so are we.

[@mbords01]

James Talarico is 34; I hope he stays this way....

[@donnaloconteribot9992]

He gives hope in our future

[@mitchellmeyer293]

No real Christian would support this insanity

[@-Subtle-]

Texas Republicans really, really hate the Constitution, the USA, and the founding fathers.

[@riptaylorswig4653]

Calm. Direct. Unflappable. Thank you, Rep. Talarico for showing the world how to dismantle the right's warped worldview one question at a time. This country needs more representatives with your mettle! Keep on keepin' on! Peace.

[@tygrahof9268]

Yes! He made that republican look like a high school drop out!!

[@prefersoxygen9373]

What is a woman?

[@luvitluvitbaby]

@@prefersoxygen9373 What is a woman? A woman…..duh

[@scoot4348]

​@@prefersoxygen9373 According to far right Christians that's a person that deserves no rights or agency.

[@CarbonMonoxxide]

@@prefersoxygen9373someone you’ve never encountered in your life.

[@justing307]

Sexual predators know where to move if this republican bill passes.

[@EattheApple666]

I was thinking same thing, now the predators have more children to choose from to abuse.

[@smokyquartz5817]

They're already around where it's hard right believe me. I'm from there.

[@MusicAsWeMakeIt]

Where the heck can we imagine the defrocked priests are going.

[@gee6887]

No lies told here

[@Ryukioses]

... and serial killers..... psychopathic groomers..... Just to name a few

[@jvcyt298]

I am always pleased to see good Christians calling out the hypocrisy of bad ones.

[@George-f8h]

This "lawmaker" is clueless about a law that he was proposing. What a joke.

[@jednick]

I wonder how much of it he wrote.

[@johnthec]

It is always amazing how ignorant they are about a bill that they are so committed to.

[@brianwilliams4570]

Ridiculous move to remove counselors and replace them with chaplains.

[@earthsystem]

And replace them with “chaplains” not even Chaplains in’s approved by any accrediting organization

[@jvcyt298]

Yes, ridiculous, but more so dangerous in a form more malicious than negligent.

[@jackrockwell6698]

It’s Christian nationalism

[@powers1217]

Oklahoma did it too. As a Licensed Professional Counselor it straight up pisses me off. I had to work my butt off to get my license and now someone “ordained” online can just come in and somehow do my job? Give me an effin’ break! 1. I had to: Pass 63 hours of masters level coursework, including 2 semesters of unpaid practicum/internship, and pass a comprehensive exam. Do 3000 hours of supervised counseling (and I had to pay my supervisor). Pass a licensing exam, that I had to pay for. 2. Now I have to: Do 20 hours of continuing education every year, including 6 hours of ethics, that I pay for. Pay a licensing fee every year. These clowns holler “Praise Jesus!” and they’re considered qualified!

[@CarbonMonoxxide]

@@powers1217it’s even worse considering republican chaplains exclaim “praise Jesus ” but probably don’t even mean it in the first place.

[@cheryllunn2827]

There is no way in hell, I would allow one of these "chaplains", to talk to my kids! Holy crap.

[@Jsweeneylawimmigration]

as a man of faith who is also progressive politically this man is my new favorite politician...well...him and Katie Porter.

[@TheBartomon]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 Katie Porter LOL - cuck much ?

[@gerardgmz]

I have faith in cultural marxism, too.

[@Quinntus79]

@@gerardgmzYou realize Cultural Marxism is a concept made up by the Nazis, right?

[@scoot4348]

​@@gerardgmz Like God there is no such thing as cultural Marxism.

[@MLM68]

@@gerardgmz seriously how stupid are you? You know you got through high school by cheating right?

[@anvilgames2421]

This is a man that embodies the best qualities of democracy. This is what america needs and its a breath of fresh air. Ive never been deeply involved with politics due to my own disenchantment with my representatives, but Talarico is a man i would actively campaign for.

[@charliemurphy3529]

I agree - let's encourage him to run for Governor !!!!

[@deepea2867]

ladies and gentlemen, the truly honorable James Talarico

[@Idela905]

This is hilarious!! When they start with “I’m not advised” repeatedly, you know this is going down.

[@seeking.harmony]

Good on you for asking the questions that should be asked. 👍🏼

[@differentdestiny]

They don't even trust the school system to pick their own books, wtf does he mean "he trusts the school system"?!? Love how they can pick and choose where they trust them It's astounding how ill-advised and unaware he is on absolutely everything....... Rather that he has the audacity to say that he is. He is aware or he's woefully incompetent

[@StopWhining491]

How much would he trust those school districts that didn't meet his personal religious standards?

[@SpicyRamenCo]

Thank you for your representation James, we Texans need more leaders such as yourself.

[@DianaEriksen]

All states need such repugnant doctrines called out by represenatives everywhere!

[@YT4Me57]

"The gentleman's time is expired." The moment he submitted that bill, his time was expired. 😡😡😡

[@kcjd8659]

I. Glad he was able to get that last question in before the gavel though.

[@n.e.c.6389]

@@kcjd8659 Me too! That last one REALLY HIT HOME.

[@StopWhining491]

"I don't recall." "I don't remember." Sound familiar? [Hint: look up Jeff Sessions.] What Republicans say when they've been cornered.

[@n.e.c.6389]

And Bill Barr when he was cornered also.

[@polygon-viewer]

That was a 5 minute complete dismantling of a bill and its author. Genius!!!

[@nickrouse8426]

That was DEVASTATING. Sir. You are an expert communicator. Well played.

[@newmove4378]

Theocracy here we come??????? sue them all, get them out of schools

[@gerardgmz]

Cultural marxism is a better religion

[@tashaburgess3753]

Absolutely agree!!

[@Jessica-gy6kr]

One year later and it's only gotten worse.

[@raymondgranda201]

American taliban, saudi moral police. Careful what you wish for.

[@newmove4378]

​@@raymondgranda201 Always the threat, if we don't accept this version of the taliban we'll get another. OOoohhhh!

[@CBM-tr3yx]

Amazing. Thank you James.

[@Creaserunner]

The founders are rolling over in their graves. Separation of church and state is a foundation of our nation. Rule of law.

[@gerardgmz]

Separation of state and economy is also a valuable principle pf liberalism

[@Creaserunner]

@@gerardgmz true but unrestrained capitalism, as in the boom and bust economy from 1865-1945 (and arguable from 1990-now) is unhealthy for a majority of citizens.

[@gerardgmz]

@@Creaserunner "unrestrained" and unhealthy" is all in the eye of the beholder.

[@Creaserunner]

@@gerardgmz eye of beholder seems to imply an ‘opinion’. Opinions are not facts but history and data are facts. And not if you study the data and the economy from 1865-1945. Are you familiar with standard oil, robber barons, the labor movement, women’s suffrage, and oh, slavery and Jim Crow? Currently we have ‘free markets’ and capitalism when times are good and socialism for corporations when the economy m=bombs. Why does the economy bust? Because of greedy unregulated speculators, corporate buy backs, and hedge funds. I get that the world economy we dominated from 1945-1980 but we also had a tax structure that allowed us to do great things;arguably the small part of how America was great 👍🏽 well now we are approaching the status of a third world country; yes we are plutocracy and oligarchy.

[@gerardgmz]

@PaulVoas I can see how turning America into a ghetto province of the third world is systematic and deliberate. In Mexico, we have no excuse to be poor. But our government is DEDICATED to impose poverty. I'm familiar with standard oil, the robber barons, etc. As a liberal I'm opposed to abuse of state muscle to achieve monopolies and power, that is not capitalism. I couldn't blame batman for the misdeeds of the joker.

[@markhaney2884]

Is dumb the main requirement of being a right wing conservative??????

[@CherylGarner-i8h]

Yup

[@akita96th]

Yes.

[@sportingdirector1]

I think being submissive is, dumb is just a benefit for them

[@tomlund4951]

No…. but damn does it help!

[@jujjuj7676]

Yep

[@jrasicmark1]

Never ceases to amaze me when legislators are asked questions they just can't answer (because they haven't bothered to think it through) about their own bills! Maybe, just maybe, you should try to consider these kinds of questions when you write the bill. But then, it was probably some extreme evangelical think tank that wrote the bill for this doofus and he never even bothered to read what they gave him.

[@damonkatos4271]

Not thinking it thru … hmmm must be a republican

[@prefersoxygen9373]

​@@damonkatos4271what is a woman?

[@bobsurface908]

​@@prefersoxygen9373"I'll take Whataboutism for 300, please" What if a trans or Church Of Satan chaplain went into Texas schools? How about: "What is a chaplain?" because this Christofascist doesn't know.

[@LD-bv1pm]

Holy moly that guy was embarrassingly unprepared. He completely humiliated himself.

[@tygrahof9268]

"I AM NOT AWARE, and I AM NOT ADVISED" are like saying "I plead the fifth. HE KNOWS how corrupt and Horrifying the bill is. Any yahoo could get access to children. Proof they don't care for them.

[@prefersoxygen9373]

All of those sayings are used by all sides especially in front of Congress... Name one thing in the bill that is horrible without generalization please

[@marypresnell7035]

And Texas continues to dance backward toward the dark ages.

[@debraderoos5225]

It's one backwards state, for sure

[@linaa8793]

“It’s preposterous that members would rather have people fully dressed in public and reading books to kids while being upset that we want to have random people under no regulatory body alone in rooms with children.”

[@CoreyAWalton]

God bless you, Mr. Talarico.

[@Tenkin211]

Man... stumbled on James Talarico. Wish we had more people like him running this country.

[@Lastielion]

On the plus side, there is nothing on the proposed bill that should deter a school district from employing a drag performer as a school chaplain as long they rush their online training.

[@linaa8793]

Okay. I laughed.

[@varionhatchett4330]

@@linaa8793me too 😂

[@charliemurphy3529]

Logic - don't you love it... 🤓🤓

[@bobsurface908]

Or a Satanic Chaplain who has been a chaplain with the Department of Defense.

[@johnkim1043]

The level of incompetence that reaches the legislative branch.

[@mentalhealthmamacita6946]

Thank you for your support of mental health workers as well as minds of our students who go trough so much

[@MsMsmak]

Its unbelievable that you must have to deal with such despicable cretins.

[@maggiemurdoch5698]

The people of Texas sure are lucky to have Mr Talarico!

[@meganmactaggart5540]

Rep Talarico , you are a breath of fresh air! Thank you

[@RG-qn2qm]

Well done James.

[@mattfox2716]

Trained by whom? Best line of questioning.

[@sp-zs2no]

Thank you from NC. We all need you. Keep going

[@user-sr6qp6fg6k]

just found this guy he is fantastic rep for you folks in Texas you need more like him, and get rid of the indoctarateing fools

[@skehleben7699]

My nephew got an internet minister certification as a lark. Now he's a very bright young man, an epidemiologist actually, but that by no means qualifies him as a youth counselor!. I wouldn't be surprised if the bill supporters are part of the quiverfull bunch.

[@prefersoxygen9373]

If a school counselor does not have children of the ages of the school that they work in, would you say that they are or are not qualified enough? Especially 8th grade and up...

[@rodshop5897]

@@prefersoxygen9373 In what way do you think that having or not having children is relevant to the discussion?

[@prefersoxygen9373]

@@rodshop5897 gee Rodslop, the OP on this thread mentioned youth counselor... that's how it's relevant. No children,no experience raising children, not qualified

[@craigrussell7542]

You can see that as soon as someone whispers in his ear, the bearded-man's answers suddenly include a lot of "I don't recall" nonsense.

[@donnaloconteribot9992]

He doesn't even know what a chaplain is in his own bill.

[@catherinesanchez1185]

When you need a lawyer to whisper in your ear , you’re already falling off the cliff. There are good chaplains out there but the issue is that anyone can call themselves such and do a lot if damage . School counselors can’t . They have to get certifications and trained by others first .

[@greatestshopper1077]

Even child abusers can be chaplains. How many priests have harmed children? I want to know that data. Do school have funding for background checks into potential “chaplains”? Who is overseeing these hirings, if not the state board then they can’t be around children.

[@samlee7420]

Get em James!!!

[@johnkim1043]

Rep Talorico, I admire how you addressed the issue of maintaining a separation of Church and State.

[@hopebless4697]

Thank you James Talarico. From you one can learn that although religion can be weaponized love and acceptance cannot.

[@jonjimihendrix]

Brilliant challenge. Make no mistake - these “Counselors” will just be the Thought Police, focusing more on the books and curriculum than on student well-being.

[@notbornagainbornright5046]

This is so scary and crazy

[@Hide.the.Salami]

MAN that ending slam, I could not have heard a better cross examination on Law and Order.

[@snnetteachexnayder63]

He’s Really Really Good 👍🏻 Representative James Talarico Thank You!!!

[@JaNouWatIkVind]

I love reruns of the Handsmaid’s Tale. So gripping.

[@jrasicmark1]

They should have given him extra time for the time wasted on the tangent of drag shows that had nothing to do with the bill.

[@XxQozEMotoxX]

How you gonna put up a bill and obviously not know what the hells in it? What a joke…

[@RevLeigh55]

He knows. He just doesn’t want to own it. Much like republicans running away from Project 2025, which they themselves created.

[@Shytot-1]

It's happening in the USA, so what can we expect?

[@alizzia11]

James you are fantastic!

[@jesmarina]

For shame Texas....for shame.

[@elhior23]

These people have no shame. Their lack of shame is only trumped by their lack of even the most basic of understanding of what they actually believe in. It is disgusting that these people serve the public.

[@bonniewiggins1168]

Get the church out of government!

[@BluePhoenixFireandIce]

That bill is totally bogus and he never answered the definition of Chaplain. He totally evaded the question, because he's absolutely sickening and lying! No thanks!

[@tooslevy]

You’re a fucking G up there my guy. Appreciate the due diligence with or without you getting headlines.

[@d14925]

Wow, I just happen to run across Representative Talarico on a reel on Instagram and looked him up here on KZbin. What an impressive representative for the state of Texas which is much needed in the state of Texas and every state for that matter. What a methodical, intelligent fact-based takedown of the abhorrent right and the bills they try to sneak through. Well done, sir you have my full support.

[@weston.weston]

Yes, yes, yes! ❤ Representative Talarico.

[@aikotoba99]

This is why we cannot allow ourselves to be represented by ignorant people.

[@topaz1558]

this is quite refreshing to witness. thank you and stay safe.

[@Renegade_2023]

That was great, thank you!

[@GRIMREAPER5289]

The one that got me and it’s cause he did it so smoothly was the question about not requiring parental consent to talk to one of these chaplains. You know he said it just to show the hypocrisy of the right there. They want parental consent for everything, but if it’s to talk to an untrained potentially dangerous person nope you are good screw the parents.

[@thorsteinelstadolsen2005]

James James James what amazing calm and relax take down!! I am glad too see what you are doing!! go for it

[@benjaminchisolmjr7863]

Dam this kid is good .

[@chriscorcoran2603]

TARLARICO for V.P ,,,this man is sharp

[@lesleymcmullen961]

James Talarico is a legend...give him a follow...

[@AlBGood]

God Bless you,Sr.

[@OldMotherLogo]

I wish we had more people like you, Mr. Talarico.

[@sebastian123N]

Wow…does this guy introducing the bill have knowledge of what a bill is and what the requirements are for educational professionals? Sad, these are the people who are blindly wanting to make changes and has no clue how things actually work.

[@richardhaley3347]

There should always be parental consent involving anything extracurricular involving students.

[@CheaterzEye]

"I am not aware." "I was not advised." How about now. Answer now that you have been advised.

[@masewoods8337]

Freedom TO religion is not the same as Freedom OF religion. This is literally against the rules.

[@Erin-Thor]

So if a kid is thinking about ending their time on earth, needs a real councilor who knows how to recognize and respond to this crisis, but instead meets with the school Chaplin who might just say to the child “ending your life is a sin, don’t do that.” 😳 “Is there anything else?” 😳 “Say three hail Mary’s and have a blessed day.” And me as a parent have no say on this, no clue my child was depressed, being bullied, or what they were considering… until it’s too late.

[@DianaEriksen]

Way to call out the lack of competency requirements by those who wish to make public schools fail & widen the gap btw the rivh & the poor!

[@Giitzerland]

James is a Lone Star when it comes to what a true patriot is, and represents what I was taught to be true Christian values, inclusive, compassionate, and law abiding!

[@citizengaines5414]

This lawmaker has a bad memory and a lack of advisement.

[@bikebudha01]

"Faith" is defined as "belief without evidence".... "Moron" is defined as "person of faith"...

[@nmdakini358]

Oh man, their answers are SO weak! These people are a joke. 🌊💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙❣️

[@NAFO_Badger_Brigade]

Ha ha ha! He is utterly hopeless at defending his own bill!

[@annfedorchak6297]

He is no aware of anything in HIS bill. Poor excuse. He has not been advised of separation on church and state.

[@DawnCummins-lv2gg]

He is lieing ...OMG. A convicted felon on drug smuggling and they are leting him to pick chaplains .

[@WackGoneLoco]

As soon bc as they repeatedly say, “I don’t recall” that’s when you know they’re lying and back pedaling to get away.

[@PeterPerez.]

😂 I'm impressed by your ability Mr Talarico, I'm from the UK but I believe with the state of politics in the USA the people need you

[@weevilsnitz]

"trusting the school districts" just boils down to letting schools fail because you don't give them guidance to run as effectively needed.

[@RevLeigh55]

I am a hospice chaplain. I had to have a master’s degree in ministry/divinity from an accredited seminary to get my job. I also received specialized training in a public hospital for 18 months. I am forbidden to evangelize for any particular religion. I meet people where they are spiritually and respect everyone’s beliefs, including atheists. Still, chaplains have no business in our public schools, particularly untrained evangelists.

[@ricknorris1466]

A Christian who does not wish to force his religion on others is so rare these days.

[@RevLeigh55]

I’m one of them. I have a seminary degree, am ordained and work as a hospice chaplain. I would be fired if I evangelized anyone. I have been properly trained to respect everyone and meet them where they are. I provide listening, compassion and spiritual care according to what people believe, or none at all if they don’t want it.

[@Shoobster]

Hospice chaplain sounds like a really intense job. Keep up the good work Leigh :)

[@miclovin9927]

You got to keep the priest out of the schools man c'mon

[@ralphperry3576]

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂stay out of Texas don’t buy from them or any Republican!

[@bjb7587]

Well, I'm convinced. Pass this bill post haste! 🙄

[@BrentRyley]

Had to watch twice So good

[@skhuxinwa2888]

Put Talarico on the White House ticket for 2028.

[@Elizabeth-mp6tr]

Well done Sir!!!

[@jimmunro2136]

I am an athiest, and I love this guy

[@HelloIamBen]

Sweet Jesus. Talk about a contrast in preparedness.

[@JP-zt7md]

Buddy is not advised or doesn’t recall a lot of questions

[@maryanderson9191]

What the H*ll is wrong with Texas.

[@monicaluketich6913]

Cancun Cruz, Hot Wheels Abbott, Paxton, and the list goes on. I moved to Texas from another state and can't teach here, even with a doctorate in science education and a certification from the other state, because I haven't had Texas History! Luckily, I was able to write training materials and certify instructors for the astronauts at NASA. 😊

[@tigerbunny6778]

Brilliant! ❤