Posted on 07/26/2002 4:36:38 AM PDT by kattracks
CNSNews.com) - A proposal to add "sexual orientation" to anti-discrimination statutes in local schools is causing dissension in Fairfax County, Va., where some parents claim the measure is unnecessary and could be used to undermine the religious convictions of students who believe that homosexual behavior is wrong.
Parents and pro-family groups also complain that Fairfax school libraries contain books that depict homosexuality only in a non-critical light and that the testimony of people who left the homosexual lifestyle is not allowed in school board debates on anti-discrimination.
"This is the work of gay activists in the school system," said Peter LaBarbera, a senior policy analyst with the Culture and Family Institute, a Washington pro-family group that opposes additional anti-discrimination language.
"These sexual orientation codes in the schools become Trojan horses for a much wider agenda, which includes pro-gay curricula, pro-gay diversity training for teachers, and gay-oriented books in the schools," he said.
On Thursday night, the Fairfax County School Board indefinitely postponed a vote on the "sexual orientation" proposal, until it receives guidance from the state attorney general on whether such a vote would be legal under state law.
Adding "sexual orientation" to the school system's anti-discrimination policy is redundant, because according to current policy, the school board is committed to eliminating all forms of discrimination in the school system, said Rita Thompson, one of three at-large members of the 12-member Fairfax County school board.
"So if it says all forms of discrimination, wouldn't that, if they believe they're being discriminated against, include them as well?" Thompson asked, referring to claims by homosexuals.
The current policy for students and teachers prohibits discrimination based on age, race, color, sex, religion, national origin, marital status, and disability.
Robert Rigby, a special education teacher at Hayfield Secondary School and co-chairman of the local Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN), said adding "sexual orientation" to the non-discrimination policy is necessary to protect people.
"I've experienced discrimination," he said. "I know other teachers who've experienced discrimination. I know students who've experienced discrimination. I don't know a lot of parents who have experienced discrimination, but I know parents who have expressed fear of discrimination."
Mychele Brickner, an at-large member of the Fairfax County school board, said she opposed adding "sexual orientation" to school policies. But she said students and staff should be more alert to possible cases of verbal and physical abuse in schools.
"I've had parents call me because they didn't feel the school was doing enough [to protect] their third grader from being picked on by other kids because he was little," she said. "I've had people call and complain that their child was harassed in high school for any number of reasons," she added.
"This happens and I'm sure it happens on the issue of perceived sexual orientation as well. I would never deny that it happens," she said.
But the solution, as Brickner sees it, is not for the board to add another category to the schools' anti-discrimination policy, but rather for teachers and staff to stop abuse whenever it happens.
"They already have that responsibility," she said. "And kids have the responsibility to make teachers or principals aware when it happens."
Board Rejects Inclusion of 'Ex-Gays'
A review of Fairfax County school libraries revealed there were 191 books on the shelves with homosexual themes, and a majority of the titles were "pro-gay," LaBarbera said, citing information provided by Fairfax County officials. Apparently there were no books about coming out of homosexuality, he said.
Regina Griggs, executive director of Parents and Friends of Ex-Gay and Gays, said she asked the school board to specifically include "ex-gays" in their sexual orientation amendment. However, the board denied the request under pressure from GLSEN, Griggs said.
"It is evident that the school board intends to use its proposed sexual orientation amendment to protect some groups - gays, bisexuals and transgenders - while discriminating against others - ex-gays," Griggs said in a statement.
E-mail a news tip to Lawrence Morahan.
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I hate to break it to you, but the entire purpose of public schools is to undermine the religious convictions of students and to alienate them from their parents. That is what government schools were founded on and that's what their purpose is.
If you don't believe me, read Samuel Blumenfeld's "Is Public Education Necessary?" He documents how the Socialists, the Unitarians (liberal do-gooders of the day) and conservatives, who wanted to Protestantize the Catholic kids, coalesced to start Public Education. Each group wanted to alienate kids from their parents, each for a different reason, which accounts for the chaos that has accompanied government schools from their beginnings.
Better yet, how 'bout "My Father is a Turkey Baster"
Find out when the per pupil funding date is final for the school year. (In Colorado, it's October first, meaning any kid not enrolled by that date isn't funded. So a kid that enrolls after that date has to be accepted at his public school, but the school gets no state funding for him. If this is how VA is, you can really damage them.) If they get daily funding, everyday a kid is out there is no money. Multiply that by the number of kids who will boycott. Hit them in the pocketbook. Let them know and make it stick.
Set up a contingency plan of what to do with the kids whose parents both work. Maybe contact employers and warn them that some in their work force will be needing vacation or personal time because of the district. Put pressure on the school board. Start calling for vouchers. Let Fairfax be the education shot heard round the world.
Or our children. Abandon the government schools to the liberals. Home school or private school your children. Our (conservative) children will be far better educated and far more likely to reproduce the next generation than the liberals spawn. This is a war for our future. We can't let the liberals corrupt our kids.
Any exposure of children to homosexual behavior is child abuse
God Save America (Please)
Any exposure of children to homosexual behavior is child abuse
GSA(P)
A male member of GLSEN that teach special-ed students? Does this sound suspicious to anyone besides me?
If he's a democrat he's either intolerably stupid or inherently evil. Let's hope he's just stupid.
GSA(P)
I still say boycott them.
If the Fairfax school libraries contain the usual books from GLSEN's recommended reading lists, the books will not only "depict homosexuality only in a non-critical light," but will teach children about topics such as anal sex, as documented in the thread GLSEN Encourages Teens In Anal SEX "Don't give up."
Why Isn't Homosexuality Considered A Disorder On The Basis Of Its Medical Consequences?
How some parents have fought against the queer agenda:
Torrance School Board Cuts Gay Program
Also, there is some useful information for parents posted in the thread:
Assemblyman MOUNTJOY opposes promotion of homosexuality in public schools.
For Robert E. Frye to equate the civil rights movement with what GLSEN and their fellow travelers is attempting to do is not only shameful, it's fraudulent. A man can not chose the color of his skin but can chose how he acts. That's why God gave man free will.
I have never seen so many weak sisters elected to office. I'm sure the school board will be inviting Peter Yarrow to a meeting soon so that he can sing his prosodic lament about Rodney King"Why can't we all just get along."
That's the next step. And they are organizing for the fight:
Some quotes from the The Pedophilia/Pedophile Education Web Site Mirror:
"Pedophilia is a sexual-orientation, like heterosexuality, homosexuality, bisexuality, etc..."
"Free speech right must be held up, but sadly there are people too ignorant to see past their hate and who endorse the idea of us being banned from the web... Free web page sites like Geocities have already responded to the pressure of these Fascists by shutting down websites advocating "boy love", while hypocritically leaving up gay-lesbian homepages, and even proudly listing them as members of the community!..."
"The bottom line is pedophiles must no longer be victims of hate-crimes and censorship for their beliefs. We must unite and stand against intolerance until we are accepted like gays are...
"It is time for a new beginning. Pedophiles should be active in the community to educate the masses on this lifestyle. This is currently very hard to do, but it has to happen sometime. Hopefully, pedophiles will be able to personally inform children inside elementary schools about pedophiles & who they REALLY are. We need classes for this purpose where pedophiles show kids in school that we are not child molesters. We can teach them the truth that other misguided adults will not reveal..."
Notice the similarities between the Pedophile Agenda and the Homosexual Agenda? Parents need to be aware that many homosexuals are pedophiles.
There are more quotes posted in reply #14 in the thread An UPDATE for "Womens Auxillary of NAMBLA"
Exactly.
I am curious: does it include EVERY sexual orientation or only some? If the later, which ones and who is making the decision?
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