Posted on 06/29/2006 7:15:47 PM PDT by lexfreedom
Guest Commentary : Moving forward By Meg Soens and Pam Hoffman/ Guest Commentary Thursday, June 29, 2006 - Updated: 07:58 AM EST
Our community has been wounded. The recent false allegation that a first-grade child was beaten by several children because of his parents’ activism has had grievous impacts on many people in our town. Amid the rancor and distrust this has created, it has left many of us wondering what we can do to regain our balance as a community. What can we do to move forward?
First, we need to understand the effects of this allegation on our community and on the individuals affected. An anti-gay group publicized the now-discredited story to news organizations and right wing media outlets across the country. One of these outlets published the e-mail address and home phone number of the superintendent of the Lexington Public Schools. This has lead to many out-of-state hate e-mails and phone calls to his home, in what looks like an attempt to punish him for doing his job. This is unacceptable and deeply regrettable. We hope that all Lexington residents will find a way to express their support for our superintendent as he does his job admirably under very difficult circumstances.
In addition, all of Lexington suffers when false and sensational stories about our children make their way through the Internet and news media. We suffer as a community when our school and town officials are harassed. But another group of people has been especially hurt by this story: the parents at Estabrook, where the alleged events supposedly took place. Many parents feel sad, disappointed, and even betrayed. In addition to blaming the right-wing organization that put out the "press release," some feel that parents who brought the lawsuit against the schools have used their own child and other first-graders to further their agenda. They worry that that this kind of false allegation and misuse of children could happen again.
We do not know what will happen in the future. However, we do know that as a community we will feel better again when we feel good about who we are and how we are treating others. For each of us, this means not simply reacting out of our fears, but to find our grounding again in our best and most generous passions and to act with as much trust, and then some, as we can find within ourselves.
This means all of the children need to be allowed to be children and to play with each other. They do not deserve to suffer in isolation because of who their parents are or what they do. And our efforts to keep this uppermost in our minds will be rewarded in our children’s, and our community’s, greater happiness.
We also urge each of us to go further. Those of us who feel alienated from our community, as well as those who feel betrayed or angered by recent events, would benefit from reaching out, even in small ways, to those who seem to be adversaries as we treat all our children with the care and gentleness they deserve. We know that our children will do best if we adults can try to stay connected to each other even when the conversations are hard and there is conflict. We can keep talking to each other. We can trust enough to let the children be children and play with each other. Perhaps the children who are able to make up after a fight will be the ones who teach us how to heal.
Soens and Hoffman are co-chairmen of Lexington CARES.
http://www.massresistance.org/docs/events06/parker_son_incident/index.html
On May 17, 2006 - the two-year anniversary of same-sex "marriage" in Massachusetts - David Parker's first-grade son, Jacob, was beaten up at the Estabrook Elementary School in Lexington during recess, receiving multiple blows to the chest, stomach, and genital area.
During the recess period, a group of 8-10 kids suddenly surrounded Jacob and grabbed him. He was taken around the corner of the school building out of sight of the patrolling aides, with the taunting and encouragement of other kids. Jacob was then positioned against the wall for what appeared to be a well planned and coordinated assault. Many children stood, watched silently, and did nothing as the beating commenced.
The group of kids surrounded Jacob and he was beaten and punched. Then, as he fell to the ground, another child was heard saying to the group of children, "Now you all can finish him off," and as he was down on his hands and knees, the beating continued on his back. Then, fortunately, one little girl ran to contact the oblivious playground aides to stop it.
Here's what the principal says happened:
On May 17, several first graders were involved in a disagreement over who would sit where in the cafeteria. As a result, upon going outside one child took another by the hand and brought him to a third student in an area of the playground that is somewhat difficult for the adults to see. (The student who was hit said that he went willingly.) All children who saw agreed that the third student then hit the student who had been brought to him two to four times in the chest/abdomen (children's accounts vary) and he fell to his knees. The student who was hit says he was hit when down; the other children say he wasn't. One child reports that one student held the arm of the student who was hit; however, the child who was hit and the other children did not report this. The children involved named five children who were nearby watching but not directly involved. Several other students were close enough to see a cluster of students but not close enough to see what was happening. The student who did the hitting suggested that others also hit, but none of them did so. Based on the children's accounts, this all may have happened in under a minute. The aide on duty saw a group of children gathering, and as she walked toward them was approached by a child that said someone was being bullied. When the aide inquired what was going on, the child who was hit identified one student who hit him, and the other children agreed. The child who was hit said he was not hurt and did not want to go to the nurse. He reported that his feelings were hurt, because the child who hit him was his friend.
Finally, here's the "balance as a community" that Soens and Hoffman have fostered in Lexington:
Year-long public campaign of anti-Parker hate by activists in town. Young children polarized by intolerant atmosphere created by adults.
It seems apparent that this terrible incident had little to do with children -- that it was fueled and incited by adults (and, yes, school officials) in the town of Lexington. And that it reflects the culture of extreme intolerance, and even rage, against anyone with traditional beliefs, and the willingness of adults to bring children into adult issues:
Letters home with the kids. The school sent relatively hostile letters home with the schoolchildren when David Parker was arrested, when the "King and King" book incident surfaced, and when the lawsuit was filed.
Climate of anger at school. Parents and some teachers at the school have purposely fueled a general climate of anger against the Parkers at the school itself, to the point where the Parkers are often uncomfortable to go there. (This further exposes the hypocrisy of their "tolerance and diversity" mantra.)
Book on gay relationships put in Jacob's class. Jacob Parker's first-grade teacher has the book "Who's in a Family" -- the book that started this whole controversy, which teaches kids about homosexual relationships -- in the first-grade classroom for all the kids to read. This is an "in your face" action against the Parkers. And it also constantly reminds kids about the "trouble" that Jacob's father caused.
Angry anti-Parker website by Lexington parents and gay activists. A group of adults in Lexington maintain and regularly update an angry anti-Parker website, www.LexingtonCares.org. In addition to posting angry anti-Parker diatribes, they meticulously catalog all anti-Parker letters to the editor, newspaper articles, etc., write absurd "facts" about David Parker and his activities, and even name citizens of Lexington whom they accuse of being friendly to Parker. They also post "commentaries" from their group attacking Parker in every way possible.
Rallies and demonstrations against David Parker, often involving children. At virtually every public appearance of David Parker -- including even his court hearings -- the enraged anti-Parker contingent has been there with signs and slogans to harass and attempt to intimidate him. They also and go on TV and radio at every opportunity
anti-David Parker Lexington "C.A.R.E.S." founders:
Who We Are
In May 2005, a group of Lexington Public School parents and Lexington residents came together and created Lexington C.A.R.E.S. We were concerned about the publicity and impact of David Parker's arrest at the Estabrook elementary school. We felt the media reports did not accurately portray:
Lexington's longstanding community values;
the commitment of our public school system to uphold these values; and
the real issues involved in Mr. Parker's demands.
Given the links between Mr. Parker and statewide anti-gay organizations, and the extended and well-planned nature of Mr. Parker's Estabrook campaign, we felt as if our schools and town were being used in a larger statewide campaign. Most importantly, the safe and inclusive character of our schools that we had worked so hard to build was itself directly under attack.
People
Co-chairs: Meg Soens and Pam Hoffman
Communications: JJ Krawczyk
Webmaster: Jon Dreyer
http://www.lexingtoncares.org/AboutUs.html
Gad!
check out some of the headlines!
http://www.lexingtoncares.org/LexingtonSpeaks.html
Thanks for the ping.
Given the recent history of school officials concealing rapes.....I'm not sure the official version is credible.
this should be a BARF ALERT. disgusting.
Did I wander into DU?
Our community has been wounded.
The GLSEN homosexual pimping community? (who else do these homosexual activists speak for?)
Anyway, this is some homosexual agenda activist commentary on the "evils" pursued by the heteronormative gender certain homophobe Mr. David Parker.
One fact certain, the public school homosexuality is okay indoctrination agenda was exposed and remains under scrutiny pending its inevitable demise. No amount of "commentary" attempting to vilify Mr. Parker will change this fact...
Part of the reason for the club's success is that Lexington High is dotted with "safe zone" stickers. They read, "GLBT safe space." Translation-whether students are gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgendered they are in a safe space where there is zero tolerance for harassing behavior. What's more, Lexington conducts faculty diversity training and provides a support network for gay teenagers who some studies show are more likely to be depressed or commit suicide. It is studies like those that drive the passion of Meg Soens, a lesbian mother of four young children. "I don't want our kids to feel marginalized or invisible because they are different," Soens says. So Soens has pushed for more diversity training in the elementary schools. She has asked that more diverse books featuring gay parents be placed in the school's library and she has worked with teachers to instruct students early on about being respectful with language, such as not using the word "gay" as a put-down. Over time Soens hopes for widespread tolerance, perhaps even making those safe zone stickers unnecessary.
National Gay and Lesbian Athletics Conference
Facilitators:
+ George Clattenburg, a founding member of Greater Boston PFLAG and an early director/participant in the Safe Schools project
+ Meg Soens, a lesbian mother who has been very successful in staging several community events that have focused on increased awareness of gay and lesbian issues in the elementary schools and her community. She was responsible for developing and implementing citywide gay awareness workshops for elementary school teachers in her community.
Is Lexington as bad as Newton and Brookline? It sure seems that way. The parents get what they deserve. Unfortunately, the childern suffer terribly.
" Neil Tassel, the Parkers’ legal counsel, said Jacob Parker and the student had “been friends and continue to be friends,” after the confrontation. Tassel said the Parkers were notified of the altercation and were content with the investigation and follow-up by the school. Tassel said the Parkers’ only concern was that the incident, while triggered by a disagreement in the cafeteria, may have resulted from the “atmosphere created by adults on the outside.”
Quite a difference from the account Parker gave initially until it backfired, isn't it?
" Neil Tassel, the Parkers’ legal counsel, said Jacob Parker and the student had “been friends and continue to be friends,” after the confrontation. Tassel said the Parkers were notified of the altercation and were content with the investigation and follow-up by the school. Tassel said the Parkers’ only concern was that the incident, while triggered by a disagreement in the cafeteria, may have resulted from the “atmosphere created by adults on the outside.”
The truth vilifies Mr. Parker. Ocassionally us "leftist troll" conservatives tend to hit the nail on the head.
Your "nail" is irrelevant to the issue as is this propaganda piece issued by the homosexual agenda activists...
Oh, I'm sorry. I thought the issue was Parker's story of his son being dragged and beaten by 8 to 10 boys in a well planned attack encouraged by adults and parents. Is that not the issue any more? Is the Parker attorney a homosexual agenda activist now? You did say you absolutely believed it. Do you still absolutely believe it?
You are again invited to take your tangential journey into the land of irrelevancy all by your lonesome...
Well, you posted to it, so I assumed it was still a relevant issue, but I guess with some people it's any port in a storm.
YUP -I am not taking the bait --guess you will have to troll on another topic...
Smart move. Anyway, I'll follow these Lexington threads along with others just to ensure the truth comes out. Because there are some here who will use a seven year old just to politicize anything.
How about a reality check -there will be no Captain Queeg moment in the future.
Your support of leftist viewpoints on "homosexuality" has been completely contained and your agenda campaign on FR rendered irrelevant.
Rather than wait for the next "Parker" topic to contribute irrelevantly to or attempt to hijack I suggest you just accept the reality of your position and move on. If not that -then at least try bugging me less repeatedly with your whining over things I consider irrelevant to my agenda and purpose for following such specific stories -opposition to the homosexualization of society...
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