School Board denounces gay lifestyle as 'sin' (yup, you read it correctly)

All five Bay District School Board members on Tuesday denounced homosexuality, with three of them calling it "a sin," in response to parental concerns about gay and lesbian issues in schools.

School Board member Ron Danzey called homosexuality "a sin" during a School Board meeting Tuesday. School Board Vice Chairman Johnny Brock and member Mike Jones agreed, saying that although there is no specific issue before them, they would oppose any curriculum that promotes or condones a homosexual lifestyle.

Jones said that if an issue were to come before the board, he would listen, but he would not agree with any curriculum that supports homosexuality.

"We are morally, ethically and Christian based," Jones said during the meeting. "We stand tall, we stand firm and we will not support any homosexual (issues)."

School Board Chairman Thelma Rohan and board member Mike Gavlak did not condemn homosexuality during the meeting, but when contacted after the meeting both said they agreed with their colleagues.

Gavlak, a former Navy commander, said he had always followed the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy, and that he felt that policy was appropriate in a school setting. When contacted after the meeting, however, Gavlak and Rohan said that they, too, condemned homosexuality.

"We have to be ever vigilant that whatever we think is morally right and true comes through in our children's curriculum," Rohan said.

Parents spoke Tuesday and at a prior meeting about their views on homosexuality, saying that it has no place in schools. They were responding to publicity about National Education Association guidelines on gay and lesbian issues.

The guidelines include "increasing respect, understanding and sensitivity towards individuals and groups in a diverse society, including ... gays, lesbians and transgendered people and eliminating discrimination."

Local union members said the NEA policies that spawned the debate are only suggestions.

"We're still not sure what (the parents) are after," said Tom Wazlavek, a spokesperson for the Association of Bay County Educators and a member of the NEA. "It seems to me that they think there is some hidden gay agenda that's going to corrupt America. We don't have a position because we don't know what the issue is."

Current policy regarding discrimination in schools is consistent with union views, Wazlavek said.

Karen Baber, a parent of three children in district schools, said she would like to see the School Board take preventative measures to keep homosexual issues out of schools. Those issues, however, were not specified.

She said she would like to meet with Rohan to have the issue added as an agenda item for the next meeting.

Whether or not an action item formally reaches the board depends on the outcome of Rohan's and Baber's meeting, and on state law, Rohan said.

I received this E-mail recently. Don't know how true it is but let me share it with you anyway.

This is a very interesting (and sad) commentary on television programming. Please pass it on! Jim Neugent is a coach in Childress, Texas.

Jim writes: My name is Jim Neugent. I wrote to ABC on-line concerning a program called "THE PRACTICE". One of the lawyer's mothers decided she is gay and wanted her son to go to court to help her get a marriage license to marry her 'partner'.

I sent the following letter to ABC yesterday and really did not expect a reply, but I did get one.

My original message was: ABC is obsessed or should I say abscessed) with the subject of homosexuality. I will no longer watch any of your attempts to convince the world that homosexuality is OK. THE PRACTICE can be a fairly good show but last night's program was so typical of your agenda. You picked the 'dufus' of the office to be the one who was against the idea of his mother being gay and made him look like a whiner because he had convictions. This type of mentality calls people like me a "gay basher."

Read the first chapter of Romans (that's in the Bible) and see what the apostle Paul had to say about it.... He, God and Jesus were all 'gay bashers'. What if she'd fallen in love with her cocker spaniel? Is that an alternative lifestyle? (By the way, the Bible speaks against that, too.) Jim Neugent

Here is ABC's reply from the ABC on-line webmaster:

How about getting your nose out of the Bible (which is ONLY a book of stories compiled by MANY different writers hundreds of years ago) and read the: declaration of Independence (what our nation is built on) where it: says "All Men are Created equal" - and try treating them that way for a change!? Or better yet, try thinking for yourself and stop using an archaic book of stories as your lame crutch for your existence. You are in the minority in this country and your boycott will not affect us or our freedom of statement.

Jim Neugent's second response to ABC:

Thanks for your reply. Evidently, I hit a nerve from your harsh reply. I will share it with all with whom I come in contact. Hopefully, the Arkansas Democrat Newspaper will include it in one of their columns. And I will be praying for you. -Jim Neugent

Note: Wouldn't Satan just love it if people stopped using the Bible for a crutch? Please resend this to everyone in your mailbox. Thanks, Jim

I wonder if the person from ABC considered how many people would read this e-mail!!

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