Posted on 05/13/2002 3:10:36 AM PDT by kattracks
(CNSNews.com) - A St. Louis, Mo. mom is suing the public high school that blocked her from observing a school-sponsored assembly conducted by the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN).
Debra Loveless had told school officials she considered the event inappropriate, but was trying to view it herself on Oct. 24, 2001 when she was escorted out of the assembly, according to Loveless' attorneys, who have filed the federal civil rights lawsuit in U.S. District Court in St. Louis. Loveless' daughter attends Metro High School.
GLSEN bills itself as the country's largest network of parents, students and educators aimed at preventing "discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender/identity expression in K-12 schools," according to its website.
GLSEN did not return phone calls to CNSNews.com.
The group conducted two assemblies at Metro High School, Oct. 17 and Oct. 24 of last year, both of which Loveless' daughter was exempted from attending because of the family's religious beliefs, according to the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ), the public interest law firm representing Loveless.
However, when, at the urging of a school board member, Loveless attempted to attend the Oct. 24 event, she was ejected by an armed security guard, the ACLJ stated.
Francis J. Manion, senior counsel for the ACLJ, said parents should be able to participate in activities at a public school to see if it is appropriate for their children.
"This case is about protecting the rights of parents to participate fully in the education of their children," he said. "Parents do not abandon their rights as parents once their children go to school. Parents have a right to know what a school is teaching their children, and should not be punished for exercising their parental responsibilities. That's exactly what happened in this case."
The ACLJ lawsuit contends that school officials deprived Loveless of her parental right to be fully informed of the content of her daughter's education. The suit also claims Loveless' constitutional rights of free speech and equal protection was infringed.
Manion believes there were ulterior motives to blocking Loveless from attending the assembly.
"The real reason we believe our client was not permitted to observe the school assembly is because the school did not like her religious objections to the assembly," said Manion. "The only thing our client wanted was an apology and a change in the school policy governing the rights of parents to observe school assemblies.
"After Mrs. Loveless was ejected from the assembly, she had no choice but to file suit - to ensure that no other parent in St. Louis is treated in the same manner," he added.
The lawsuit names as defendants the superintendent of St. Louis Public Schools and the principal of Metro High School.
CNSNews.com attempted to contact Metro High School Principal Dr. Pamela Randall, but she was away from the campus and unavailable for comment. The Metro High School Instructional Coordinator refused comment Friday, saying she was unaware of any lawsuit.
E-mail a news tip to Matt Pyeatt.
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She was invited to attend by a school-board member, and I can see plainly why she would think that such an invitation would be permission enough to attend. It SHOULD be.
But it would be appropriate for her to view the assembly to see if she wanted to stop her daughter from seeing it in the future.
1. Exactly what is there to protect here? How many bullets will a pointed-finger gun shoot, and how much damage will they do? How many people will this fearsome weapon put in the hospital? Why it is so dangerous that the public schools must protect people from it?
2. If your point is that playing "cops and robbers" or some such game is a dangerous activity that innocent children must be protected from, I have several articles that refute this concept.
3. If your point is that children must never take out their aggression or anger by "finger shooting" someone, then you may have a point. However, a recommendation on a good anger-management program would be more helpful than just complaining about what the schools "can't" do. (I.e., help solve the problem, rather than complain about it.)
I submit GLSEN was the only disruptive entity, actively undermining and disruptng the authority of parents to teach their children moral values.
You are straining at gnats and swallowing camels, Mr. Gay Acvitist. The war is on. You will lose. You know that, don't you?
Another question a parent has is how much of what I object to is being instilled into the other curriculum by the teachers attending the event. In addition to her daughter being indoctrinated her daughters teacher's are being indoctrinated also. It would be prudent for a parent to see what the teachers are being told to teach.
Did she do that?
Good luck, If I can help with any info on homeschooling, please freep mail me.
You're just plain wrong on this one. If government wants to run schools, then complete and open disclosure is in order. The Freedom of Information Act is an example of such mandated disclosure.
P'raps.
Did she, as Wurlitzer points out as a possibility, stop by the principal's office to inform them of her invitation to attend?
I guess we need more info.
And now, when this woman did all that, you claim she has no right to do it.
But using your reasoning, the pracitical limit of space was not a deciding factor cited. She had every right to sample the type of indoctrination the school is capable of. Even though her daughter was not attending this it would be very informational to the parent to see what other kinds of exposure her daughter may be attending.
You mean they can be dead before they get aids???
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