Earlier this week a PBS tax-funded children’s cartoon series featured a homosexual "wedding" for its season premiere episode. On Monday, May 14, 2019, the beloved animated series revealed that one of its longtime main characters and Arthur’s teacher, Mr. Ratburn, was gay and getting married.

In the season 22 premiere, “Mr. Ratburn and the Special Someone,” the students see Mr. Ratburn speaking to an uptight lady, voiced by guest star Jane Lynch. They fear she is the person Mr. Ratburn is going to marry, and they devise a plan to stop the wedding and prevent a life of misery for their teacher. But the kids chicken out when they get to the wedding and don't stand up to object to the marriage. They learn the uptight woman is just Mr. Ratburn's sister, who is officiating the nuptials. When Mr. Ratburn walks down the aisle, he is arm in arm with a man. Both grooms grin and all the guests smile in celebration of the same sex marriage. The third-grade students are happy for their newlywed teacher. Their praises further normalize and glorify the gay marriage.

Later in the episode at the wedding reception, Arthur and his pals discuss the wedding and their disbelief that Mr. Ratburn is married. Francine tells the group, “Yep, it’s a brand new world,” perhaps a nod of approval to the changing cultural times. Then both grooms are shown dancing together at the reception.

The program is broadcast on PBS Kids, and its educational purpose is purportedly to interest children in reading. However, this episode is a flagrant indoctrination and promotion of the homosexual lifestyle upon our impressionable young children and a gross misuse of our tax dollars. Discussion of such controversial topics and lifestyle choices should be left up to parents.

TAKE ACTION

Sign our petition to PBS Kids today urging the network to pull this episode, “Mr. Ratburn and the Special Someone,” immediately, and no longer air it or future episodes featuring same sex couples.