Posted on 02/08/2002 3:05:41 PM PST by anniegetyourgun
WASHINGTON (AP) - The nation's largest teachers union will ask school districts to protect homosexual students and staff by adopting policies that punish harassment and discrimination.
Under a plan adopted Friday by the National Education Association's board of directors, schools also will be encouraged to develop factual materials for classroom discussions on homosexuality. All staff and students will be encouraged to speak up when they see or experience discrimination based on sexual orientation.
"I think it's a pretty clear signal that the organization recognizes there are some pretty serious needs for gay and lesbian children in school - and employees," said Penny Kotterman, president of the Arizona Education Association. She chairs the NEA's Task Force on Sexual Orientation, which was created last fall to develop the plan.
Kotterman, a middle school special education teacher in the Kyrene School District in suburban Phoenix, said the plan will help schools with difficult issues of student sexuality.
"Staff do need help," she said. "They need professional development, they need good, factual data that helps them deal with these issues."
The union said it could provide "accurate, objective and up-to-date information" on the needs and problems of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered students and staff.
A statement by the NEA said the information schools provide should be age-appropriate, nonjudgmental and relevant to subject matter being studied.
Studies indicate that homosexual students have higher dropout and suicide rates and sometimes are treated with hostility by fellow students. NEA President Bob Chase has said gay and lesbian teachers in some states face losing their jobs because of their sexual orientation.
"It is clear that, in too many places, students and education employees who are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered face a hostile environment," Chase said Friday in the statement.
A study last year by the University of North Carolina estimated that 5 percent to 6 percent of students 17 or younger, or more than 2 million students, are gay, lesbian or bisexual.
The NEA represents 2.6 million teachers and other school employees.
School children are not of consenting age. Is this a form of molestation?
I think there's a pretty clear need for my kid not to be exposed to this lunacy. I intend to fight these types of liberal indoctrination patterns as hard as I possibly can. School is there to teach my child how to perform academically. I am here to teach my child not only how to perform academically, but socially. I don't intend for some loser transgender moron to try to tell my son that his pathetic lifestyle choices are "ok".
Negative, pal. The article was about trying to force a left-wing agenda on our children with complete disregard for what we as parents collectively think. Now, I realize that there are a lot of liberals in this country who think that it's perfectly fine to tell children at a very young age that homosexuality is normal, but I can assure you that I, and a lot more like me, have been telling our children that it is NOT normal, it is an abomination, and that the loons at the schools should be tuned out on the subject.
My child will not turn out gay. My child has been raised with Christian values. This is not about "violence and discrimination against homosexuals", this is about school administrations forcing a left-wing agenda on conservative families like ours!
Oh, really? Au contraire, I believe that I am setting a good example for him. I don't instill a derogatory attitude and disrespect about PEOPLE -- I inform him that their actions are WRONG -- just like I inform him that it is WRONG to murder, rob banks, commit adultery, etc. It appears to be quite telling that you "know many, many gays". You know dude, I don't hang out with drug dealers, because I think they are morally wrong. I don't hang out with gays, because I think they are morally wrong. I don't want ANYONE teaching my child moral relevance. Be gone!
Because God says that it's morally unacceptable to be a homosexual.
Personally, my morality can be summed up quite easily..."Don't Hurt Anyone". Very simple. Muderers violate the rights of others.
I believe that children lose their innocence by learning about homosexuality at a young age. I believe that it "hurts kids" to teach them this insanity. I've got other stuff to do now, so I'm signing off of this debate. Know one thing: I won't tolerate a grown man teaching my child about homosexuality. Ever.
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