Man Handcuffed,arrested After He Objected To A Public School Teaching His Kindergarten Son About Homosexuality

[Elle]

A Massachusetts man handcuffed and hauled to jail after he objected to a public school teaching his kindergarten-age son about homosexuality has gone to the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals seeking justice.

The man, his wife and another family are battling what they describe as a court order for segregation, after a judge ruled if they didn't like the school's advocacy for homosexuality, they could take their children and leave.

They also are arguing that U.S. District Judge Mark Wolf's statement that "as it is difficult to change attitudes … after they have developed, it is reasonable for public schools to attempt to teach understanding and respect for gays and lesbians," actually is unconstitutional.

The appeal is in the case brought by David and Tonia Parker and Joseph and Robin Wirthlin, who have children of school age in Lexington, Mass. They alleged district officials and staff at Estabrook Elementary School violated state law and civil rights by indoctrinating their children to approve homosexuality, which they, as Christians, teach is immoral.

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=57298



Umm why are they teaching kindergartens about sex anyway?

[lewisipso]

Tolerance maybe. At home. Understanding? Hell, I don't understand it!

[SaraJ]

On the parents side. Feel the same way. This is not the way to handle things, though.

[countybear]

Google for the books, Daddy's Roommate, Who's in a Family?, Heather has Two Mommies, Jenny Lives with Eric and Martin, and King and King, (and it's sequel, King and King & Family).

Decide if you would like them to be required reading for, (or rather, have them required to be read to) your own kids at the pre-K through first grade levels. If you do, keep them in public education systems like Massachusetts has. If you do not, then your only recourse (according to legal precedence set by Judge D.J. Wolf), is to send them to private schools or home school them. His standing opinion bars parents from even having children excused from these instructional segments.

http://graphics.boston.com/multimedi...ton/parker.pdf

Welcome to the polarization of America.

[PCSD722]

We do both, home school and public school. We do the major classes at home, english, math, reading etc... and our daughter goes to the public school each day for music, PE and art.

[trekgirl]

Massachusettes is the only state that has a gay marriage law in effect right now. It was approved by the states government which is funded by tax dollars. Public schools are funded on tax dollars.
My opinion is certainly not going to be a popular one, but if they do not want their children taught what the public schools are teaching then they can home school them or send them to a private school. I don't see where teaching tolerance or diversity is ever a bad thing. Why shouldn't they read Heather has Two Mommies or Tango Makes Three at story time? The other books talk about the nuclear family but families are far more diverse now. As unpopular as my opinion will be I believe that diversity should be reflected. People don't have to agree with the lifestyle, but it is something that they are going to have to get used to seeing, especially in MA.

[PCSD722]

[quote=wacopnewbie;247747 I don't see where teaching tolerance or diversity is ever a bad thing.
Why shouldn't they read Heather has Two Mommies or Tango Makes Three at story time?
People don't have to agree with the lifestyle, but it is something that they are going to have to get used to seeing, especially in MA.[/quote]


If someone would ask them to read a Bible story too they would see how fast tolerance goes right out the window. Wouldnt that be the same thing, if people dont want religion in school let them go to private school or home school. It would seem that if you can have lifestyle stories yet no religious stories, books etc... then diversity just became non-existant right along with tolerance.

[Jackalope]

They should have expected this kind of nonsense from a public school. Ninety percent of 18-20 year olds can't name the Vice President, but by God they know how to put a condom on a banana.

Public schools should be abolished so parents can decide what they want their kids to learn.

[trekgirl]

If someone would ask them to read a Bible story too they would see how fast tolerance goes right out the window. Wouldnt that be the same thing, if people dont want religion in school let them go to private school or home school. It would seem that if you can have lifestyle stories yet no religious stories, books etc... then diversity just became non-existant right along with tolerance.

All good points. I suppose my question would be if they are reading Bible stories, then are they including the teachings of Buddha, the Kami, Brahman (Vishnu and Shiva), Allah and everyone else they can think of? So long as an attempt is made to represent all I don't see a problem with it at all. The Bible has many good lessons, but so do the books from the other religions. I have read some of the most beautiful and enlightening passages from the Bhagavad Gita. I am not Hindu, yet I can appreciate the stories.

[SaraJ]

The point, for me, is not balance but what the Bible teaches. If you are a Christian and believe in the Bible then you should follow the teachings of the Bible and it says that homosexuality is wrong. It also advises not to get invovled with homosexuality and other things. Many of my friends are doing home study with their kids. They don't want their kids learning this stuff.

[Willowdared]

He was handcuffed for creating a disturbance...silly to expect the press to get it right

Lexington Parents Seek Appeal on Ruling in Diversity Education Case
by Kilian Melloy
EDGE Boston Contributor
Friday Aug 24, 2007

Two sets of Massachusetts parents who claim that public schools are indoctrinating children by teaching about broader social inclusion--including for GLBT people--have taken their case to the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

David Parker, who was arrested for trespassing after he refused to leave the grounds of the Lexington school attended by his son, and his wife, Tonia, together with Joseph and Robin Wirthlin, had seen their case against Eastbrook Elementary School decided in favor of the school when a judge opined that schools have a duty to prepare children to be able to live in society at large so as to become "engaged and productive citizens."

But the parents say that the judge who decided against them, U.S. District judge Mark Wolf, has imposed an unconstitutional opinion by saying that "it is reasonable for public schools to teach understanding and respect for gays and lesbians," and for saying that for those parents who do not wish their children to learn about acceptance of human differences, home schooling or private schools would remain an option.

The Parkers brought suit against the school when their son, who was five at the time, brought home a book about a family with two parents of the same gender.

The Wirthlins became involved in the suit after a teacher at the school read aloud to a second-grade class from a fairy tale about two princes that fall in love.

The Parkers and the Wirthlins, according to a story posted today on World Net Daily, object to their children being taught about such issues on the grounds of their Christian beliefs. In the parents’ interpretation of Christian tenets, homosexuality is immoral.

At the time of the initial hearing, Parker said, "When the teacher puts it forward, it becomes the gospel according to the teacher."

Added Parker at that time, "The children are so young--they can’t reflect on that idea. They’re too young to put it in context."

The World Net Daily article quoted from a statement from anti-gay family equality group Mass Resistance, which said, "Wolf’s ruling is every parent’s nightmare."

The Mass Resistance statement continued, "It goes to extraordinary lengths to legitimize and reinforce the ’right’ (and even the duty) of schools to normalize homosexual behavior to even the youngest of children."

The Mass Resistance statement also said, "Wolf makes the odious statement that the Parkers’ only options are (1) send their kids to a private school, (2) home-school their kids, or (3) elect a majority of people to the School Committee who agree with them."

Adopting the gay equality movement’s citation of the civil rights movement as a legitimate forerunner, Mass Resistance added, "Can you imagine a federal judge in the Civil Rights era telling blacks the same thing--that if they can’t be served at a lunch counter they should just start their own restaurant, or elect a city council to pass laws that reflect the U.S. Constitution?"

According to the World Net Daily article, Parker commented to WND that his concerns are not so much what school officials determine should be on the curriculum, but rather that he as a parent should have the right to be notified of portions of the school’s curriculum that he may regard as unsuitable for his son, and that he should have the right to refuse those lessons being taught to his son.

Bran Camenker, anti-gay activist and President of Mass Resistance, was quoted in the article as questioning why national gay equality organizations such as the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) would be "interested in a parent’s right to decide what moral issues are taught to his children by adults in elementary schools, especially regarding homosexuality."

Camenker had added, "They must see David Parker’s case as quite a threat to their ability to push their message on children," according to the story on World Daily Net.

Parker said to WND that, "What they want is to be able to do this behind the backs of parents," according to the World Net Daily item.

Added Parker, "What they’re doing is trying to steal the role of the parent, and put it in the hands of administrators, many of whom have been trained by GLSEN."

The story said that Parker claimed such groups wish to inculcate in young children the idea that gay marriage and GLBT people are normal.

Said Parker, "It has been affirmed [in the court’s ruling] they indeed not only have the right to indoctrinate, but there is a moral imperative," Parker said.

Continued Parker, "They understand to push the agenda forward, they have to tread upon the authority of parents... They see this as an opportunity to create a precedent for the entire country, to mow over the parents."

Parker added, "We’re asking essentially to be notified, we’re asking ’If you’re going to present your indoctrination session to little children as young as four years old, you need to notify the parents.’"

As for the judge’s recommendation that other options existed for parents who would not accept the inclusion of diversity education in the curriculum of public schools, said Parker, "That’s court-ordered segregation."

According to the World Net Daily article, the text of the appeal brief reads, in part, "Contrary to the views of the defendants and the District Court, a public school has no right to change children’s minds about their deeply held faith, particularly in the private areas of marriage and procreation."

Continued the brief, "It is the school administration that seeks to restrict the flow of information to parents when knowingly inculcating beliefs antithetical to their Faith."

The brief goes on, "The injunctive relief requested seeks to remove this dictated restriction and restore primacy to the parental role of overseeing their children’s moral education."

[trekgirl]

Good article. I see nothing wrong with the parents wanting to be informed on topics like this that are still so controversial. After all, my parents had to sign for me to watch certain movies and to attend sex ed at school so I don't see anything different with this case.

[ex401mp]

Since when gay and lesbians have become a race? I am all about tolerance, but to teach kindergarten age kids about gay people? Why would that be a productive thing to do? Being gay is a lifestyle choice, not a race or religion, so why are they trying to make it that way? I personally do not care if someone is gay or not, but I do not want to be forced to accept something that is naturally wrong (my opinion), or to have my kids forced to listen to that. Teach them about how we screwed the Native Americans out of their land, or how we basically jailed entire Japanese American families, or how we treated black people in the past. That is more important to learn, so these thing do not happen again. I do not see where being gay is equal to any of that. We as a whole should have a say what is taught in our schools; besides, it's OUR tax dollars that pay for everything. With all that said, I do not agree with going to the school and raise hell to the extent that is creates a disturbance. That is equally unacceptable. Ok, so endeth my sermon. The soapbox is now empty.

[Elle]

Good article. I see nothing wrong with the parents wanting to be informed on topics like this that are still so controversial. After all, my parents had to sign for me to watch certain movies and to attend sex ed at school so I don't see anything different with this case.

My parents had to do the same for me when I was in school. I agree with ex401mp, kids need to be taught about how different races have been treated in the past. Tolerence of other people's lifestyles should be taught at home in my opinion.

[countybear]

Ok, so endeth my sermon. The soapbox is now empty.

My thanks to the gentleman from Florida, both for his wisdom, and for yielding time to this gentleman from Louisiana.

We are given many second chances in life. We do not have that luxury in childrearing. It must be done right the first time, every time.

The choices that I make for my children are much like those that were made for me. Especially at the ages of these particular children discussed in this article, I will choose my kids' mentors, their environments, their educational curriculum, and their exposure to worldly topics and social skills, for I am their parent and these things are my responsibility as such. I, and I alone am capable of knowing when certain topics and teachings are appropriate for them, because they are my children, individuals in their own right, yet I know them better than any chairholder on a curriculum advisory panel or school board pretends to.

My name will not likely be etched upon any buildings, nor will ever there be a street named after me. My children are my most valuable, and perhaps will be my only legacy to the world when I depart it. They will be raised in admonition of the Author and Finisher of my personal faith, with respect for others, but also with a focus upon the values and principals that I have taught them in their formative years. I categorically reject any erosion of the values that I teach them at the hands of political correctness. My children, (who are now really young adults), would never harrass, abuse, refuse to aid, or demean anyone. I have taught them better than that. There are those whom they typically avoid close contact with, not out of fear or hatred, but as a means by which to negate any possibility of conflict and out of personal preference. That to me, is tolerance.

Tolerance does not mean that they must celebrate what is contrary to their values, and that is what I have taught them. Keep your curriculum, Massachusetts. As for me and my home; we will serve our Lord, and we will not be ashamed of it.

[trekgirl]

Good post CB!!

[ex401mp]

Countybear, I agree with your post 100%.
Politically correct does not make it right for everyone.

[snuffy2202]

Massachusettes: Also known as Sodom and Gomorrah.
One day our children's children will read about the Rise and Fall of the American Empire. We will be destroyed from within.

[1*girl]

Very well said, Countybear!

[Cidp24]

Wow. WTF are they thinking with these kind of lessons?