Fairfax County School Board considers addition of "sexual orientation" to anti-discrimination policy

Concerned Women For America (Virginia) ^ | 20 Jul 2002? | Concerned Women For America

[BufordP]

At the request of homosexual teachers, the Fairfax County School Board will soon vote on a proposed "sexual orientation" non- discrimination policy that will lead to homosexual indoctrination of school children and censorship any other point of view. Superintendent Daniel Domenech, has met with the local GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network) and other gay activists, and has agreed to implement homosexual speakers, presentations and materials throughout the schools.

They will succeed if good people do nothing

Your presence is needed at the school board meeting where the vote will take place. Help us to pack the room and tell the School Board to vote against adding "sexual orientation" to the policy

This affects our entire community and not only schoolchildren.

PLEASE ATTEND:
When: 7:30 PM, Thursday, July 25, 2002
Where: Luther Jackson Middle School, 3020 Gallows Road, Falls Church at the corner of Route 50 (off 495)
For more information, call CWA of Virginia at: 703-444-1740

Email the School Board at board@fcps.edu and call 703-246-3646.
Email the School Superintendent at Daniel.domenech@fcps.edu

Say "NO" to sexual orientation. Fairfax County residents may sign up to speak for 3 minutes at the school board meeting by calling 703-246-3646 beginning Monday, July 22, at 9:00 a.m.

Background Information:

Last year, a Hayfield High School teacher, who is co-chair of the National Capital Area Chapter of the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, lobbied the Fairfax County School Board to change the student code of conduct (Regulation 2601, Chapter 11, A, 1, j) to add language stating that it is prohibited to abuse or harass anyone based upon their sexual orientation. This was added despite the fact that the regulation already clearly prohibited such harassment when it stated that it is prohibited to harass based upon matters pertaining to sexuality. According to those lobbying for the change, this needed to be strengthened. The majority of board voted in favor of this change.

Now, this year the same teacher lobbied for a change to the Policy 1450 on non-discrimination, which already states that no student, employee, or applicant for employment shall be discriminated against on the basis of age, race, color, sex, religion, national origin, marital status, or handicapping condition. He wants it to state that the school district will not allow discrimination based on sexual orientation either. Here again, this is already covered.

The school system must comply with the federal and state laws already on the books regarding non-discrimination. FCPS clearly does not condone discrimination of any kind and current policies address this or it would be in violation of federal and state laws. This area is already covered in policy and no change is necessary.

When changes occur in policy, it can have a domino effect, causing language to change in other policies. Thus, if Policy 1450 is altered, school staff has indicated Policy 4910 will also need to be addressed. It pertains to the district's responsibility to comply with laws regarding equal opportunity and promoting good human relations for employees by adding the elimination of discrimination based upon sexual orientation to those already listed: race, sex, color, age, religion, national origin and disability.

What will be next? If this change is made, what will be the response of the Office of Equity and Compliance, who is charged with developing programs to promote fairness and equity in FCPS and to help employees acquire the skills, knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors necessary to the practice of good human relations. (Contained in Policy 4910) Will the school district need a program to change employee's attitudes?

These policies can be found on the Fairfax County web page at www.fcps.edu under School Board, Policies, Bylaws and Regulations.

Related links:

• Schools Plan Vote on Policy Adding Sexual Orientation (VA)
• School Board Meeting Agenda - 25 July 2002 (see agenda item IV B 3)

[Ligeia]

Here are the details about the School Board meeting. Hope to see you there.

[BufordP]

BTTT for tonight's screwl board meeting

[vin-one]

BTTT. I might even try and make it out for this one.....

[Ligeia]

I'm going to try and make it myself. I emailed some friends at church and let them know. I hope there's a good turn out. I'm not very optimistic about the outcome of the vote, however.

[BufordP]

Hope to see you there. I'll be wearing a black FreeRepublic polo shirt.

One last bump.

[vin-one]

If you are going to be there look for me,I will try and make it, I will have
a biege tan and striped shirt on...with green dockers.

I will look for Burford.....

[vin-one]

sorry Buford. not Burford.

[Ligeia]

I remember you and Angelwood from the Christmas dinner at New Orleans' House.

I checked the FCPS website to see if they'd amended the Agenda and it still reads:

SCHOOL BOARD AGENDA ITEM        Agenda Item. No. IV.B.3.

July 11, 2002 New Business July 25, 2002, Action STAFF CONTACT:

Pam Goddard, Executive Assistant & Clerk of the School Board

SUBJECT:

School Board Policy

RECOMMENDATION:

That the School Board adopt revised Policy 1450.3, Nondiscrimination, as reviewed and discussed by the Human Resources Committee.

EXPLANATION:

At the June 27, 2002, Human Resources Committee work session, the Board discussed a proposed revision to current Policy 1450.2 to add the phrase “sexual orientation.”

ALTERNATIVE:

None recommended.

[I think it's going to be a late night]

[Ligeia]

If you are going to be there look for me,I will try and make it, I will have a biege tan and striped shirt on...with green dockers.

OK, will do.

[vin-one]

did you go, I was there and left shortly after Frye (Cry Baby)spoke,
I heard someone say he played the race card. Did it get any better after that........

[Ligeia]

Yes! I was there. I arrived about 7 p.m. and could immediately tell it was not your average School Board meeting. Two police cruisers were blocking the front drive, about a half-dozed uniformed officers were on hand, and about 100 people were assembled for a rally sponsored by Peter LaBarbara. He had a table full of information and a sound system set up for speeches.

They started off with the Pledge of Allegiance, someone led the group in "God Bless America" followed by a prayer. Robert Knight spoke, then Rita Thompson, one of the school board members on our side. Rita had wonderful news: the Agenda item for the vote was being withdrawn!

There were other speakers, I think a woman from Concerned Women for America and a school board candidate from Springfield; but I headed on in to the auditorium so I didn't hear what they had to say.

I caught up with BufordP and two of his very nice friends from work. We sat on the back row where we could keep an eye out for you and anyone else we knew. Jimmy Valentine's Brother arrived with a sign he'd made. We tried to behave, but it was difficult at times.

Frye, the School Board At-Large member who offered the Agenda Action Item did break down and cry, recalling his own struggle with discrimination as a young man. Not taking anything away from his own personal pain, many of us didn't agree that homosexuality equates with being a member of an earlier-persecuted group in this country since homosexuality involves behaviors, not race.

I stayed to hear Rita Thompson and Mychele Brickner, two other Republicans on the Board. Mychele had asked for a list of pro-homosexual title in the school libraries and had received a list of almost 200 titles totaling over 1,000 books! She said we will be addressing the issue in the future. We all left after we felt confident the Agenda item had indeed been pulled and they weren't up to some shenanigans and would vote after we left. We headed next door to Sweetwater Saloon for lots of laughs and conversation.

We won this battle, but it's not over. They are taking the issue to Richmond and to the Commonwealth Attorney, Jerry Kilgore for advice. Virginia is what is called a Dillon Rule state, meaning there are some issues localities cannot decide on their own. Someone said that Kilgore had already told another school district downstate in April they could not add 'sexual orientation' to their policy, so I am optimistic.

We now need to contact the Attorney General and encourage him to side with us. If he does, indeed plan on running for governor, my guess is he'll rule in our favor.

I'm sorry we missed you. All in all, it was a great night and I am much relieved. I want to thank everyone who took time to email, call, and attend. The chairman said he'd received 500 emails and calls on this issue, more than any other, including heated school boundary fights.

[vin-one]

I was there, and heard some of the speakers out front for a while, After they finished
I went inside and stood cener isle. Stayed and listend to Frye, what a waste of time
I left shortly after that. Were you in the back row. Next to the man who was yelling sit down
to the gay groups after Frye spoke. That was pretty funny. The question I have for
all the gay rights people is how many of them have kids that attend Fairfax County schools,
I have two daughters, I bet they don't have many kids in school