Posted on 06/29/2002 12:27:36 AM PDT by JohnHuang2
An organization supporting ex-homosexuals has filed a complaint against the National Education Association, claiming it was discriminated against based on sexual orientation when the teachers' union denied a request for an exhibit booth at an NEA expo.
Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays & Gays, or PFOX, which describes itself as "a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting those families whose lives have been affected by homosexuality," filed the complaint with the District of Columbia Office of Human Rights. The NEA's national office is in Washington, D.C.
In a statement, PFOX says it applied to lease an exhibit booth at tomorrow's event to distribute educational materials promoting "equal opportunity and an inclusive environment for the ex-gay community."
After submitting its application in March, just days after the opening date for submission, PFOX was told by an NEA staff member that it would be informed in writing whether it would be allowed to be an exhibiter. PFOX was told the NEA gives priority to applicants that had exhibited with them in the past, a policy the ex-gay group says contradicts a statement on the union's website.
According to the PFOX statement, after speaking with the NEA, a member of the group anonymously called the NEA exhibit booth outside contractor, CEPI Inc., and asked if there were any booths available for the NEA expo.
Said Regina Griggs, PFOX executive director, "CEPA informed us that there were two NEA booths left, and we could have one if we paid in full by credit card. They faxed the NEA application to us with a dated cover sheet on it. They also said that they were expecting booth cancellations, and we could call back at a later date for one of those canceled spots."
More than two months after PFOX applied and paid for the booth space, it received a June 10 letter from the NEA saying the exhibit booth space had been "completely sold out," the group said in its statement.
"NEA rejected our application on the basis of sexual-orientation discrimination, but is hiding behind a 'sorry, all sold out' excuse," said Griggs. "It seems that NEA has violated its own resolutions against sexual-orientation discrimination."
After spending about an hour this morning reading other posts, some of which concern the socialists taking advantage of our court system to silence conservatives (especially Christian conservatives), I'm pleased to see conservatives use the same method of making the point.
Whenever this kind of action takes place, Freepers need to be made aware, kept informed and find a way to help these courageous groups continue the fight.
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