Group Sees Hypocrisy in Schools' Embracing 'Gay Pride,' Rejecting 'In God We Trust'

Agape Press ^ | 10.18.05 | Jim Brown and Jenni Parker

[Coleus]

Group Sees Hypocrisy in Schools' Embracing 'Gay Pride,' Rejecting 'In God We Trust'

The same school board that ignored parents' objections and allowed what many regard as a "gay pride" flag to be placed in a Livingston County, Michigan, high school has repeatedly rejected the idea of displaying posters featuring the U.S. national motto "In God We Trust."

Despite outrage from pro-family community members, Howell (Michigan) High School has refused to take down the rainbow-colored "diversity flag" that some students and parents who associate the emblem with homosexual pride find offensive. However, when the group called the Livingston Organization for Values in Education, or LOVE, offered to donate framed copies of "In God We Trust" posters for classroom display, the Howell Board of Education turned down the offer.

Some board members have argued that the community members protesting the rainbow flag are misinterpreting its meaning and significance. The flag was hung by the Howell High School's Diversity Club with the school administration's permission; and according to its defenders, the flag denotes tolerance, inclusion, and acceptance for all -- not necessarily promotion of the homosexual lifestyle.

Some Howell school officials believe LOVE's primary agenda in pushing the national motto poster and prolonging debate over the rainbow flag is simply to pressure the district to remove the flag and change its diversity policy. In a recent Ann Arbor News report, Howell School Board president Mary Jo Dymond said she and the other board members have moved on from this nearly two-year-old issue, and others who want to continue fighting over the "diversity flag" need to move on as well.

Nevertheless, LOVE spokeswoman Vicki Fyke says her group is not giving up the fight. "We will be at every school board meeting, asking again for some reconsideration," she insists. Meanwhile, the concerned citizens group is pressing the issue in other ways.

One LOVE member, Howell resident Tom Mallon, has e-mailed a letter to the school board and to Superintendent Chuck Briener, sharply criticizing the school officials' decision to refuse the national motto poster. In the letter, Ann Arbor News reports, Mallon claimed the district has demonstrated "a proclivity to disregard the traditional values" for which his group stands, and has stifled debate over these issues.

At the same time, Fyke points out, "We're educating the public. We're putting together some brochures, and we're going to make a mailing to the people that signed the marriage amendment and ask for some help. Now that we realize [the school board] won't listen to reason, maybe they'll listen to some numbers."

The LOVE representative feels the school board is promoting a one-sided view of diversity by displaying the homosexual pride flag while spurning the "In God We Trust" poster. She believes the board is demonstrating its bias and hypocrisy by censoring the national motto while embracing the controversial "gay pride" symbol to promote homosexuality.

"In trying to make one group of children feel comfortable, they have no problem offending another group of children," Fyke contends. "So we're just trying to find a way to bring common sense to the cause and see if we can find a way to make all the kids feel comfortable to go to school."

According to the American Family Association's Center for Law & Policy, three circuits of the U.S. Court of Appeals have upheld the constitutionality of the national motto. Nevertheless, the Howell School Board has repeatedly rejected the offer of the In God We Trust poster, giving as its reason that the issue of the separation of church and state is still being debated in court.

[popdonnelly]

I'm waiting for "Heterosexual Pride Day".

[EagleUSA]

I'm waiting for "Heterosexual Pride Day".

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Yeah, it would be like publishing a magazine called "WHITE AS SNOW" -- in contrast to EBONY. Of course YOU would be racist, not the radical minority.

[randog]

...according to its defenders, the flag denotes tolerance, inclusion, and acceptance for all...

I will tolerate homosexuality, but I will not accept it. There's a big difference between the two.

[FreedomNeocon]

The funny thing is this is a 'no duh' kind of story.

Its just the combined PC brigades, lefty MSM, and race baiting charletons that make it something that has to be said.

[Jorge]

The same school board that ignored parents' objections and allowed what many regard as a "gay pride" flag to be placed in a Livingston County, Michigan, high school has repeatedly rejected the idea of displaying posters featuring the U.S. national motto "In God We Trust."

Why should anybody be surprised by this?

Doesn't rejecting God and celebrating what God calls sin, go hand in hand?
Makes sense to me.

[ClearCase_guy]

..according to its defenders, the flag denotes tolerance, inclusion, and acceptance for all...

Except for Christians. Anyone who cares about tolerance would want to do everything they could to stamp out such a dangerous cult. [/sarcasm]

[moog]

"Heterosexual Pride Day". That would be fun to see.:). I am a first grade teacher. I delve into "diversity" a little, but it doesn't involve anything with gay issues at all. Mine involve those with handicaps.

Diversity seems to have become synonymous with gayness with a lot of people. I just don't see it as that. To me, it means respecting others' differences (yet striving for common purposes), but not promoting anything to do with sexual overtones (which does not belong in a grade school classroom).

I have a guy with Down's Syndrome come help every Friday. He helps me a lot and the kids absolutely love him and he loves them. He was hesitant to show up again this year, but when a couple of students showed up last year and gave him big hugs, "Jim" relented and said he would be back. He is a big teddy bear and has such a great outlook on life. His favorite thing to say is, "I love my life." That's an attitude a lot of people, including me, could learn to have. I have so many fun stories from last year about Jim. He has become a great friend in the process too. This year, after the first time helping, the kids said, "Jim talks a little funny, but I sure like him."

I have seen Jim through happiness and sadness--especially when his handicapped niece passed away. Jim had a special connection with her and his first reaction was, "Am I next?"

So that is my little lesson on diversity except I'm not the one doing the teaching. Jim shows us every Friday what unconditional love and a zest for life is all about and we are better because of him.

I wish everything didn't have to be so political and that we could learn to appreciate the little golden nuggets in life. Someday, I hope to say as Jim does and "love my life."

[moog]

How about working, taxpaying, normal productive, law abiding people's day?

How about stay-at-home mom's day? I'll start one if no one else will.

[gonzo]

There must be some way to scrape these people off the bottom of my shoes....................FRegards

[isthisnickcool]

I remember in the 70's being in the Montrose area of Houston and listening to the queer activists. Their plan was simple, get society to see them as normal by making sure society didn't ever focus on what the queers did physically. In that regard they have been successful.

Someone should ask this school board how they can condone behavior that could result in students getting aids. Better yet, ask them in public if male students should be encouraged to have oral and anal sex. I call that "the fudgcicle" question. Queers hate that question.

The best thing for these folks to do is get some of their own people elected to the school board. Take it back!

[moog]

There must be some way to scrape these people off the bottom of my shoes....................FRegards

Sharp sticks work for dog crap:)

[moog]

I call that "the fudgcicle" question. Queers hate that question.

You have ruined my appetite for fudge. :)

[Dan from Michigan]

Nothing like seeing my backyard make the news because of this.

This flag was flown up in response to the passage of Proposal 2 (gay marriage ban) statewide(they are on record as stating this). This is in a 62% Bush county, where proposal 2 passed 60/40. In the last Howell school board election, 66% of the people did not vote for an incumbent, who only won because there were 5 others who split the vote. This does not fly out here, so they give us smokescreens calling it a "diversity flag" instead of a gay pride flag. The board is out of touch, complaining of money troubles, and just gave a big raise to the superintendent(undeserved).

I don't care whether someone is gay or not, nor care what they do in their homes. It's none of my business, and I don't want it to be my business. However, this stuff does not belong in our schools. Leave the kids alone.

The schools need to be watched over. If the left is pushing this in Republican America, they are pushing this in your town as well.

[randog]

Diversity

Celebrating people's differences by pretending not to notice them.

[moog]

I don't care whether someone is gay or not, nor care what they do in their homes. It's none of my business, and I don't want it to be my business. However, this stuff does not belong in our schools. Leave the kids alone.

Agreed. As a teacher, I don't have time to teach the stuff even if it was required (which it isn't). If a teacher has time to teach stuff like this, then he/she is not teaching.

[moog]

Celebrating people's differences by pretending not to notice them.

Now that's funny.

[Dan from Michigan]

The best thing for these folks to do is get some of their own people elected to the school board. Take it back!

There was only one way the incumbent there was going to win - conservatives splitting the votes. That was my fear with five or six people running, and my fears were justified.

Last May, there were two major issues involving the schools. One was this flag, and the other was a countywide millage, while the schools are spending their way into debt - so both the fiscal conservatives and social conservatives were unhappy.

The millage was trounced, and the incumbent had about 30% of the vote - lowest of any incumbent running anywhere in the county. In a massive winner take all race, it was enough to win. The establishment united, and fiscal irresponsibility and political correctness won by default in the school board race.

They have Ann Arbor. They have much of Oakland County. They have Lansing. Why do they have to come to our town, and why do they have to invade our schools?

[metmom]

"How about stay-at-home mom's day? I'll start one if no one else will."

Count me in. I worked for over 10 years before I got married and had kids and they can keep their jobs. I love it.