Posted on 10/20/2005 9:48:30 AM PDT by Crackingham
Lexington, Mass. — David and Tonia Parker are asking their neighbors in this liberal town for one consideration: Tolerance. The Parkers believe homosexuality is immoral. So they were appalled when their son brought a picture book home from kindergarten that showed families with same-sex parents. To ensure his "spiritual safety," they demanded the right to pull him out of class whenever homosexuality was discussed. To deny them that right, they say, would be intolerant of their faith.
School administrators offer a different take on tolerance. They say it's their job to expose children to the world's diversity. Supt. Paul B. Ash refuses to whisk the Parkers' son away if a classmate with same-sex parents brings a family photo for show-and-tell, or a lesbian couple volunteers at the Halloween party.
Similar debates have roiled communities across the nation as conservative parents challenge classes, books and after-school activities that they say promote a one-sided view of homosexuality as normal. They have notched victories in several states. But the dispute here has gone further than most.
David Parker has been banned from school property. Ash has been flooded with hate mail from across the country. There have been protests and counter-protests; the local newspaper received so many letters, many condemning the Parkers as bigots that the editor stopped printing them. Ash talks of the school's obligation "to be more than tolerant" to children and parents of all backgrounds. Parker asks: Where's the tolerance for him?
"Real respect, real tolerance, is not pushing your beliefs on other people," Parker said. "What people do in their bedroom, that's their business. What they tell my children in school about these subjects — that's my business."
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
Well, if the general will of the public is against it, they need to lobby the school board. If that doesn't work, replace the school board in the next election. If that's not working . . . well, it must not be the general will of the public.
I applaud your effort, and I know for a fact it can be done...
I reviewed EVERY book on my pre-kindergarteners' book lists, and tried to make sure that my parents were informed and gave consent before we did anything "controversial" in the classroom. (Gun safety, drug prevention, etc.) I had better support from my parents than I did from my principal!
The general will of the public is completely irrelevant when it comes to educating a child.
Um, no, no it's not. That's why school boards are elected, so education bureaucrats are not able to force their will upon public schools (although, sadly, school boards are losing much of their power lately).
Yes, you can have some things like that happen. When I taught PE, this girl kept telling her mom that I was requiring them to wear uniforms and that I didn't like her overalls. I never said anything about that at all. The mom bawled out the fifth grade teacher twice (without coming to me and the fifth grade teacher had no idea what it was about). The third time, finally, she came to me and found out that maybe her daughter wasn't saying everything exactly right. We solved it in two minutes. I never had a problem with her daughter or the parent at all.
I absolutely love the parents of my students. Most are good down-to-earth people. I know where all my students live and if I need to (or if requested), will drop things off. Some of the parents become good friends. I never forget to say thank you to parents too. I learn a TON from them and that helps me understand some situations better.
I marvel at how much patience sometimes the parents have with this mistake-prone teacher.
By the way moog, thanks for doing the hard job of teaching.
I mean that.
No Ash is NOT being honest. He claimed, and even wrote an article in the newspaper addressing this, that the "Opt Out Law" did not require notification for simple discussion of same sex parent families. When the truth is, the Dept. of Ed., in answer to his question on this, that discussion such as used in this case, indeed DOES require, by law, notification and opportunity for parents to opt out.
He is wrong, and what he and other member of the school board are breaking the law. And the AG should be pursuing this, post haste!
Do you think parents or even local residents were surveyed about these issues, or did leftist pro-homosexuality school officials simply impose these policies without worrying about whether or not parents would object? My guess is the latter.
It takes a little bit of reason on both sides.
Most of the parents of my students are good, churchgoing Christians. I still get into religious discussions with the mom of my former student who died 2 1/2 years ago of brain cancer. He was my greatest teacher of all time. I will never forget what he taught me nor does his mom.
I really appreciate their efforts to spend time with and help out their children. My big political "agenda" is that DADS especially take a role in spending time with and supporting their children. I appreciate the good fathers of my students too. One even comes in and helps--a welcome change from just moms (whom I like to have come too, it's just nice to have someone besides six-year-olds and moms to talk to). I must add, that I, like MOST teachers, appreciate stay-at-home moms.
You sound like you are doing great! Keep up the good work.
Bunk! How about just teaching kids to read and write and let parents deal with morality. It is NOT a schools job to teach kids "diversity" in kindergarten.
Perhaps you misunderstand... I mean each child's education should be completely controlled by the individual's parents, and not the parents of other children. I don't care how many parents want my child taught that 7 year old sex is moral or that phlogiston is the product of combustion, If I don't want them taught that then that's the way it should be. School choice is the answer.
You're right. Unless we organize to stop the gay lobby they'll simply outlaw home schooling once enough parents opt out. They'll also force the gay agenda on private schools, and ultimately even religious schools.
By the way moog, thanks for doing the hard job of teaching.
I mean that.
Thanks! I love teaching, but moreso the fun of seeing the kids get excited about learning and even the parents when they find out their child has achieved a 2nd grade or higher reading level (I teach first grade). Those are the times that I think it's all worth it.
when are people going to see that these people are teaching perversion little bit at a time-they are conditioning AMERICANS to accept these things look at will and grace-they show these cute people-they don't show the diseases-they don't show the confusion of people acting outside their gender and the insanity it brings-kids in school today don't know what to believe-they are changing history-there is no right & wrong with these people-AMERICA needs to stop these people before it is to late
Remember what Hillary said? It takes a village, so all you intolerant, ignorant parents BUTT OUT!
I'll tell you what, if Supt. Ash exposed my child to obscenity in school he'd have more to worry about than angry letters and e-mails.
I rather guess that if the parents had been Muslim their beliefs would be honored. And the architects of new schools in many areas just might consider whether the toilets face Mecca.
I second that.
I don't think they (children) should be 'taught' about homosexuality, it is a part of our world, like it or not. I choose to explain to my children (when they are old enough to bring it up to me) that there are people who do lots of things in this world we don't agree with, but that's not our business. If you pretend these people don't exist, how are they going to be equipped to deal with it when you aren't around.
Just my opinion. I hope the rabid anti-homosexual activists (and you know who you are) don't flame me for it.
Wow! That was one long sentence:).
You reminded me of why I never really watched Will and Grace.
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