Sally Kern


Sally Kern is a former Oklahoma state legislator, and former schoolteacher from Oklahoma City. Kern, a member of the Republican party, represented House District 84 — including parts of Bethany, Warr Acres, Oklahoma City, and Woodlawn Park until leaving office on November 16, 2016, after being term-limited. A former schoolteacher, she graduated from the University of Texas at Arlington and East Texas State University. She is known nationally for her opposition to equal rights for LGBT people. She is married to Steve Kern, pastor of Olivet Baptist Church in the Oklahoma City area.

Political career

Kern authored a bill, which passed the Oklahoma House of Representatives in March 2008, mandating that students who believe in Young Earth creationism still receive passing grades in Earth science classes. After being passed in the House, it was voted down in a Senate committee without reaching the floor for debate.
Kern co-authored the Religious Viewpoints Antidiscrimination Act that included the provision "Students shall not be penalized or rewarded on account of the religious content of their work", which was vetoed by Governor Brad Henry.
In 2011, she published her memoir, The Stoning of Sally Kern: The Liberal Attack on Christian Conservatism – and Why We Must Take a Stand.

Statements on homosexuality

In March 2008, Kern made national headlines when she stated, in part:
Studies show that no society that has totally embraced homosexuality has lasted more than, you know, a few decades. So it's the death knell of this country. I honestly think it's the biggest threat our nation has, even more so than terrorism or Islam – which I think is a big threat, okay? 'Cause what's happening now is they are going after, in schools, two-year olds... And this stuff is deadly, and it's spreading, and it will destroy our young people, it will destroy this nation!

After receiving attention for the remarks, Kern said "I said nothing that was not true" and refused to apologize. She received a standing ovation from fellow Republican legislators in a private meeting a few days later. In response to Kern's comments, hundreds of gay and lesbian rights supporters protested at the Oklahoma State Capitol. Over 1500 people later turned out at the Capitol to support her.
Kern claimed to have received death threats that caused her to hire a bodyguard. The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation officer who reviewed Kern's emails said, "I wouldn't characterize them as death threats."
Kern authored an op-ed counterpoint piece in the June 24, 2009 issue of the Oklahoma Gazette in which she argued, "Granting marriage status to homosexuals who comprise little more than 3 percent of the population would be like granting all applicants admission to a prestigious college just because a few meet the qualifications. That school's status would fall. Likewise, the status of marriage will fall if same-sex marriage is legalized."
In late June 2009 Kern authored the "" implicitly blaming gay marriage and President Barack Obama's official acknowledgment of Gay and Lesbian Pride Month for the economic crisis which was then ongoing.
During her 2010 re-election campaign, Kern faced Democratic candidate Brittany Novotny, a lawyer and transgender woman. Controversy arose when a supporter from the Oklahoma Conservative Political Action Conference, an organization not officially affiliated with Kern's campaign, included derogatory, transphobic remarks about Novotny in an email. Kern condemned the remarks, and denied charges that her campaign had otherwise sought to make an issue of Novotny's gender identity.
In an interview on the eve of the 10th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, she correlated homosexuality with HIV/AIDS, and reiterated her claim that homosexuality is a greater threat to the United States than terrorism, saying "It's more dangerous... because it will tear down the moral fiber of this nation."
In January 2015, she introduced three bills in the state legislature which would permit businesses to deny goods, services, or other forms of public accommodation to lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender people; prohibit the state from interfering if parents put their children through so-called "conversion therapy"; and to fire any state employee who grants a same-sex marriage license.

Statements on minorities and women

On April 27, 2011, while debating in favor of SJR 15, a proposed constitutional amendment that would eliminate Affirmative Action in Oklahoma, Kern said:
We have a high percentage of blacks in prison, and that's tragic, but are they in prison just because they are black or because they don't want to study as hard in school? I've taught school, and I saw a lot of people of color who didn't study hard because they said the government would take care of them.

During the same debate, Kern also stated that
Women usually don't want to work as hard as a man... women tend to think a little bit more about their family, wanting to be at home more time, wanting to have a little more leisure time.

On May 2, 2011, The Oklahoma State House of Representatives publicly reprimanded Kern for the comments she made which some people interpreted as unflattering to blacks and women during a debate on affirmative action. Rep. Mike Shelton, D-Oklahoma City, made the motion to reprimand her. A member objected, and the House voted 76–17 to reprimand Kern.

Election history

NameVotesPercentOutcome
Sally Kern, Rep.8,815 67.65% Won
Ronald E. Wasson, Dem.4,215 32.35% Lost

NameOutcome
Sally Kern, Rep. Won

NameVotesPercentOutcome
Sally Kern, Rep.7,230 57.95% Won
Ron Marlett, Dem.5,247 42.05% Lost

NameVotesPercentOutcome
Sally Kern, Rep.5,717 65.90% Won
Brittany M. Novotny, Dem.2,958 34.10% Lost

In 2012, she was opposed in the Republican primary by small business owner Curtis Moore, but defeated him by 1500 votes to 507 for Moore; she was unopposed in the general election.
In 2014 she was unopposed in both the primary and general elections.
In 2016 she was term-limited and did not seek re-election.