If "democratic values" is an ambiguous term, how can you use it to describe something? 
Posted on 09/22/2005 4:13:25 AM PDT by grundle
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=46431
BRAVE NEW SCHOOLS
Dad on trial over homosexual book
District banned him from property after dispute at meeting
Posted: September 21, 2005
1:00 a.m. Eastern
© 2005 WorldNetDaily.com
The trial of a Massachusetts man who was arrested after disputing the teaching of homosexuality in his son's kindergarten class has been continued until next month.
In April, David Parker, of Lexington, spent a night in jail and was charged with criminal trespassing after refusing to leave a scheduled meeting with officials at the Estabrook Elementary School unless they gave him the option of pulling his child out of certain classes.
Parker says the officials had indicated they would agree to a notification policy then suddenly refused. He insists he has done nothing wrong and is willing to contest the charge rather than plea-bargain.
The Lexington School Board contends Parker deliberately set out to be arrested and make national headlines.
Parker's attorney, Jeffrey Denner, rejected that claim, arguing Parker engaged in extensive communication with the school, at the invitation of officials, intending to "establish a dialogue to protect his own children and other children as well."
The dispute began last spring when Parker's then-5-year-old son brought home a book to be shared with his parents titled, "Who's in a Family?" The optional reading material, which came in a "Diversity Book Bag," depicted at least two households led by homosexual partners.
Article 8 Alliance, an advocacy group supporting Parker that opposes same-sex marriage, says that with the national publicity the case already has generated, the District Attorney's office appears reluctant to go forward with a trial, and would probably prefer to have Parker accept a plea-bargain that includes probation.
But Parker insists he has done nothing wrong and represents a danger to no one.
A no-trespass order issued against him by the school – which includes all district property – is "simply an intimidation tactic" against anyone who might protest the school's pro-homosexual policies regarding elementary school children, Article 8 says.
Parker cannot drop off or pick up his children from school; attend his children's sports events or other school activities; meet with his children's teachers at parent-teacher conferences; attend or participate in school committee meetings; or even vote on election day at his local polling place, a public school.
The illustrated book, according to Article 8, says, "A family can be made up in many different ways" and includes this text:
"Laura and Kyle live with their two moms, Joyce and Emily, and a poodle named Daisy. It takes all four of them to give Daisy her bath."
Another illustrated page says:
"Robin's family is made up of her dad, Clifford, her dad's partner, Henry, and Robin's cat, Sassy. Clifford and Henry take turns making dinner for their family."
Article 8 says the book "uses subtle but powerful emotions to normalize homosexual relationships in the minds of the young children."
A backer of the Lexington School District, Laura Tully, argued, according to WCVB-TV in Boston, "A 5-year-old who is coming to the classroom with two moms deserves to be in a classroom that includes books that show his family."
The jury trial was to begin today at 9 a.m. at Concord District Courthouse, but the judge postponed the case another month. Why?
"The Superintendent of Schools has said he hasn't had time to make a decision yet," Article 8's Brian Camenker points out in an Agape Press report. "Now, one has to think, it's been all summer. It's been in the news. How can he not make a 10-minute decision? But this is what he claims."
Thus, the judge has given the superintendent one more month to decide whether to keep the no-trespass order in place, adds Camenker, or whether to discontinue the ban preventing Parker from setting foot on school grounds.
Actually, biz, that was probably a tactic by the teacher to get out of parent conferences. I'm embarrassed to admit that I did that as a teacher during the second semester in fourth grade, knowing that very few parents would respond. We were right and got to leave school early on conference days due to "no conferences scheduled." I'm so ashamed.
OTOH, it is stunning that so few parents of KINDERGARTNERS wouldn't want conferences.
So far as it goes. It left out the detail that he was given ample opportunity to leave without being arrested, and chose instead to engage in a deliberate act of civil disobedience. He was looking to get arrested, and he got what he wanted.
Oh, and that the reason he spent the night in jail was because he refused to post bail.
Of course he broke the law. He was asked to leave the premises, and he refused. That is trespassing.
Sorry, but I don't have any sympathy for activists, from the left or the right, who get what they were looking for.
True. But, that does not mitigate the fact that he was most likely arrested for no other crime than annoying the school board.
Read the article again. This was a scheduled meeting in which he was welcome and allowed to participate. He refused to leave until given certain assurances, was not granted those assurances, and was told to leave. He refused.
Whether or not those who demaded he leave had the right to do so, under penalty of law, has not been established.
Did I claim there was one?? "...that the information about how adults chose to interact with one another in a non-sexual manner is quite pertinent."
A five year old needs to learn about how adults interact? Why don't we teach them how children should interact first?
You are willfully ignoring that this is nothing more than indoctination of five year olds into accepting as "normal", various forms of ADULT behavior - it is inappropriate.
"The Lexington School Board contends Parker deliberately set out to be arrested and make national headlines."
So they are admitting that they helped him get what he wants? Doesn't that mean they aided him in doing the thing they are shunning?
Yes, as I said, he was asked to leave, and refused. They gave him two hours to comply before arresting him.
This is obviously a question which is impossible to answer.
It reminds me of what a friend said to me about India - whatever someone tells you about India is probably true. But, you will always find someone to tell you the exact opposite. And they are right too.
Democratic values may not be as ambiguous, but I could spend the next 30 years studying it and writing a book and a Freeper could still knock me down on what I wrote and that Freeper would be right too.
In other words, I have been around here long enough not to take that bait.
For a clearer explanation of the way I see things, see post 100.
By the way, this is turing into quite an interesting and intelligent debate.
Then we are back to my first question. Do you support 'pay to play'?
Since I can package any agenda with pretty wrapping paper, then offer up monies as an incentive, should this be a proper way of getting an agenda into the school curriculum?
schools have zero tolerance on EVERYTHING, that might bring criticism to them.
EngineDad, EngineDad, EngineDad. I'm sure you mean well, but your naivete is stunning. Since when has the government EVER, EVER let "competent" people do anything, let alone "rebuild" their #1 method of Mass Mind Control. First of all, who defines "competent"? The NEA? The Dept of Education? Local school boards? Religious groups? The gay militia?
If you want to see true change, then the exact opposite must happen. Change in the public schools won't begin until millions of kids are pulled OUT. Sending kids INto public schools only sends the message, "Hey you're doing such a great job in screwing up all the kids in my neighborhood that I want to offer up my child as well. And here's some money to make sure you get the job done." Money talks, and when schools lose students, they panic. Believe me. I taught in public schools for years.
Personally, I believe the public school system is way past being a lost cause. We homeschool our kids. You might enjoy reading John Taylor Gatto's book, "Dumbing us Down."
They must not have gotten the note sent home from school or read it on the front page of the local paper.
Ya think?????
If "democratic values" is an ambiguous term, how can you use it to describe something?
One would certainly have to make a diligent effort to be ignorant of the general trend of government education. Which leads to the second part of my statement - that many parents don't care that their children are being indoctrinated in whatever is currently fashionable, rather than taught to read, write, and add.
I agree, besides, many of these young adult parents belive there is nothing wrong with homosexuals themselves.
School indulges in queer pressure.
"Look at the irony here, One dipstick in California has "Under God " banned in the schools there, but this man cant stop his kids from being taught the homosexual agenda in Kindergarten.
We are losing folks and we better start working harder."
A BIG AMEN!!!
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