As lawmakers debated a proposal to prevent charter schools from discriminating against applicants based on sexual orientation and gender identity, one representative suggested that adult sexual attraction to children is a sexual orientation like homosexuality.

During the debate, Republican Rep. Paul Stam, R-Wake, said pedophilia, masochism and other illegal sexual practices are sexual orientations like homosexuality and he questioned the role adults who are sexually attracted to children might have in schools.

Several lawmakers called those comments offensive. After the House session, Twitter lit up with criticism of Stam's comments from other lawmakers and left-leaning advocacy groups.

The amendment from Rep. Susan Fisher, D-Buncombe, would "prohibit a charter school from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity."

In response, Stam handed out a sheet listing what he said were 30 sexual orientations. He argued the definition of sexual orientation must be narrowed; otherwise it would include masochism, sadism, pedophilia, along with homosexuality and heterosexuality.

"Sexual orientation is not defined anywhere," he said. "Many, many sexual orientations are not the ones you want to have teaching kids in schools. You may think you know what you mean by this but you don't."

Stam asked Fisher to take a question, and she refused. No one else in the chamber would either.

"Well I think the response speaks for itself," he said.

The House approved the changes to the charter school law, including making them subject to state open records law, allowing them to grow one grade level per year.

It also removed a provision prohibiting charter schools from discriminating against applications on the basis of ethnicity, national origin, gender or disability.

Cotham said the amendment to add sexual orientation and gender identity to that list has been tabled and likely will not be revisited since it does not have the votes to pass.

The bill also allows schools with single gender missions to limit admission on the basis of boys and girls, which the previous version had banned.