'I did this thing called journalism': Minnesota writer debunks Megyn Kelly's smear of Walz
For the past several days, many Trump supporters have claimed that Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz signed a bill mandating that schools place women's sanitary products in both boys' and girls' school bathrooms to accommodate transgender students.
The claim was also spread this week by former Fox News host Megyn Kelly, who claimed that Walz "forced 4th grade boys to have tampons in their school bathrooms."
However, Minneapolis Star-Tribune editorial writer Jill Burcum did some digging into this claim and found out that it simply doesn't hold water.
"So I did this thing called journalism (Megyn should give it try) where I did interviews, research," she wrote in response to Kelly on Twitter. "Turns out MN's new law does NOT mandate menstrual products in boys' bathrooms."
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She then linked to an editorial at the Star-Tribune that explained exactly what the law in question does.
"The law’s actual language provides considerable flexibility for school districts to implement it, according to Deb Henton, the executive director of the Minnesota Association of School Administrators," the editorial notes. "That might mean making these products available for free in various locations for all who need them, such as unisex bathrooms, girls’ bathrooms, the school nurse or the front office, but not necessarily in boys’ bathrooms. Henton, in an interview, lauded the 'local control' the law provides for implementation, and said she’s fielded no concerns about its rollout."
A spokesperson for the state's largest school district explained to the Star-Tribune that tampons and other free feminine hygiene products "are not found in traditional male-only bathrooms... But they are provided for free to all in 'nongendered bathrooms,' girls’ bathrooms or from health staffers."