JEFFERSON CITY A Republican lawmaker on Wednesday announced he is gay and called on his colleagues to drop a bill that would restrict discussions about sexual orientation in public schools.

The so-called "don't say gay" bill appears unlikely to pass this legislative session, but Rep. Zach Wyatt of Green Castle in northeastern Missouri said he wants supporters to withdraw the bill.

"I just couldn't be silent anymore," Wyatt said. "I really hope they step back and look at the whole situation."

The bill would prevent any class, classroom material or extracurricular activity from "discuss(ing) sexual orientation other than in scientific instruction concerning human reproduction."

Wyatt and other opponents say it would outlaw gay-straight alliance groups and send a negative message to confused teens.

The proposal has been skewered on cable television and it has left national gay rights activists questioning Missouri lawmakers' priorities.

Rep. Steve Cookson, a Republican from Fairdealing in southeast Missouri who is sponsoring the bill, gave no indication he would withdraw the measure. Cookson said detractors are distorting its "true intent."

"In a time when our public schools continue to struggle financially, we want their focus to be solely on core education issues such as math, science and reading; and not on topics that are better left for discussion in the home at the discretion of parents," he said in a statement.

He said the bill would not prevent kids who are struggling with their sexuality from speaking to school counselors in private.

"My bill does not target a particular sexual orientation but instead says instruction or materials related to any sexual orientation should not take place in our public schools," he said.

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Missouri lawmaker announces he is gay, denounces school bill