Posted on 02/04/2008 4:09:08 PM PST by wagglebee
BOSTON, MA, February 2, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) - A federal appeals court panel has upheld a Massachusetts policy of indoctrinating elementary school students with pro-homosexual attitudes without their parents consent.
The three judge panel ruled that a lower court decision was correct when it denied parents the right to remove their children from such classes, while admitting that the purpose of the literature to which their children were being exposed was to influence children to "tolerate" gay marriage.
"It is a fair inference that the reading of King and King was precisely intended to influence the listening children toward tolerance of gay marriage," the court admits. "That was the point of why that book was chosen and used."
However, in the appeals court's opinion, this doesn't mean the children were being indoctrinated with anything. "Even assuming there is a continuum along which an intent to influence could become an attempt to indoctrinate, however, this case is firmly on the influence-toward-tolerance end. There is no evidence of systemic indoctrination. There is no allegation that Joey was asked to affirm gay marriage. Requiring a student to read a particular book is generally not coercive of free exercise rights."
The book referred to by the panel, "King and King", depicts a "prince" who isn't interested in a princess, but instead is "in love" with the princess' brother. Their "love" is portrayed in a sympathetic manner, and the two "marry" each other. They are shown kissing on the lips at the end of the book, which was read to second graders in 2006 in Estabrook Elementary School in Lexington, Massachusetts.
Two families complained to the school district, which responded that the school district was not obligated to advise families about such matters, and would not allow parents to opt-out. David Parker and other parents with children in the school district responded by filing a federal civil rights lawsuit. After the suit was dismissed by Federal District Judge Mark L. Wolf in early 2007, the parents appealed. Now, the Federal appeals court has rejected their appeal.
However, the families are determined to press on all the way to the Supreme Court, which is the next step in the appeals process. "We are fully committed to go forward," Jeffrey Denner, lead attorney of the Parker legal team, told the pro-family group Mass Resistance. "We will continue to fight on all fronts that we need to."
"This ruling will surely embolden and enable the schools even more on this if it's not fought," said Parker. "There's going to be an accountability, you can count on it."
Denner told Mass Resistance that he is not discouraged, recalling the St. Patrick's Boston Parade case in the 1990s, in which parade organizers sued to vindicate their right to exclude homosexuals from the event. Although local, state, federal circuit court and appeals court judges ruled against them 17 times, they eventually won their case before the Supreme Court, successfully defending the right of Americans to organize themselves according to their convictions.
Related Links:
Federal court denies appeal in David Parker Civil Rights case on homosexual programs in elementary school
http://www.massresistance.org/docs/parker_lawsuit/appeal_los...
History oft the Parker Case
http://www.massresistance.org/docs/parker/index.html
Exceprts from Book, "King and King", Approved by Federal Appeals Court
http://www.massresistance.org/docs/issues/king_and_king/book...
Previous LifeSiteNews Coverage:
Court Rules Schools Can Teach Homosexuality Without Parents Consent or Choice to Opt Out
https://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2007/feb/07022604.html
National Gay Groups Fight Parents Over Mandatory Homosexual Indoctrination in Mass. Schools
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2006/oct/06100606.html
Seven-Year-Old Beaten at School For Father's Stand Against Homosexual Activism
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2006/jun/06061410.html
Father of 6-Year-Old Arrested Over Objection to Homosexual Curriculum in Kindergarten Class
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2005/apr/05042910.html
Parents Sue Massachusetts School for Promoting Homosexuality to Young Children
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2006/apr/06042802.html
Charges Dropped Against Father Who Objected to Promotion of Homosexuality in School
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2005/oct/05102106.html
Massachusetts Superintendent Instructs Schools: Parents Do Not Have to be Informed About "Diversity" Classes
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2005/sep/05092602.html
Father of 6-Year-Old Arrested Over Objection to Homosexual Curriculum in Kindergarten Class
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2005/apr/05042910.html
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Why?
Why should parents do this?
Parents: Do what ever is necessary to get your child out of the government madrasses!
The Massachusetts Supreme Court made several rulings. There were no grounds for appeal in federal court. However, if you believe he had a case, I would be willing to hear it.
Hehe good for you :)
No, but I’ll ping it in a minute.
Nanny ping.
And how long before they don’t allow opt out for medical things like HPV vaccines?
ping
Any book of that sort sent home with my kids would be returned to the school post haste and delivered to the principal's office personally by me, and with feces smeared on the covers.
“Two families complained to the school district, which responded that the school district was not obligated to advise families about such matters, and would not allow parents to opt-out.”
Parents can’t opt-out? Who do you think pays your salaries? Even us with no kids support you and your ilk. Disgusting, just disgusting. All the children should bring their bibles to school and then see what happens, or, books about marriage between heterosexuals.
I would find out what day the state “counts” students at each school to determine funding, and KEEP MY KIDS HOME that day so they would not get counted and the school would not get the state money.
Whether we like it or not, the greater majority of children are going to be forced into government hands and the only option left is to try to deprogram them. You can fight the schools and the insanity that has become the teacher’s stock in trade, but odds are you’ll lose.
It’s easy to say Just Home School, but easy is often not reasonable.
In the end, you do what you can to just hold the line
In a totalitarian state your children are not yours.
I would guess that upwards of 80% of parents who care enough to spend two hours every night deprogramming their kids, could homeschool. Most parents are too lazy or disconnected to do either and are content to feed and cloth the next generation of the state’s children.
“It teaches children to ridicule their parents as well. “
I remember I was about that age (I’m 40 now) and my school had a big thing about your parents smoking. I went on a tear and berated them, hid their cigs, flushed them, you name it. convinced that my parents were ignorant and Thank God the school had enlightened me. What a sucker I was.
Oh my! How can you show such a shocking picture? Nationalism, war, guns, violence - this should be banned in all schools!
I thought the 1st amendment created a wall between church and state? Sounds like there is a religion of sorts being taught in government schools.
Sounds like there is a religion of sorts being taught in government schools.
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The government religion is Marxism and Secular Humanism.
By the way, of course the government is teaching a religion. Why? Answer: Because it is impossible to have a religiously neutral education. It is axiomatic.
Parents by and large are involved in school boards that make these decisions. The teachers are straight our socialists and worse.
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Who do you think has the power, money, and organization to get its people elected to the school board? Answers: The teachers’ union, which, by the way, is run by teachers.
If schools are a mess, why are teachers cooperating? No one is holding a gun to their head, as they open the doors to the Marxist madrasses every day.
Who’s got the “another reason to homeschool” list. I keep forgetting.
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