I even wrote to the NYTimes
I have been trying to track down what was said in the mainstream press, since their alleged choice not to publish was at issue. We know that AP had an article but I couldn't get at it. Here's the one from the Boston Globe archives:
PARENT GROUP TO RALLY AGAINST `HOMOSEXUAL AGENDA' IN SCHOOLS
Author: By Doreen Iudica Vigue, GLOBE STAFF Date: 05/18/2000 Page: B2 Section: Metro/Region
A parent group that wants what it calls the "homosexual agenda" taken out of public schools will rally at the State House today, demanding the Legislature end its funding for school-based lesbian and gay student organizations.
The Parents Rights Coalition also planned to sell audiotapes of a graphic discussion on sex led by Department of Education employees, but was served a restraining order late yesterday obtained by the Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders, to stop that sale. Yesterday, however, coalition members distributed copies of the tapes to dozens of legislators.
The coalition, a Newton-based group that monitors curriculum in public schools, is attacking the state Department of Education for allowing two of its employees to participate in a Tufts University forum in March, called "Teach Out," that included graphic descriptions of sex acts.
The department, meanwhile, said it was aware of the forum, but denied it sanctioned or paid for the graphic sex seminar and has ordered the two employees, who are AIDS/HIV counselors, to refrain from speaking to student groups. However, classroom teachers attending the weekend forum were given "professional development" credit from the state for participating.
Coalition member Scott Whiteman sat in on at least one session between the teenage attendees and the two state employees, which included explicit questions and answers on sex techniques. A tape of the session has subsequently surfaced. The content of the tape is now on the Internet and has been fodder for radio talk shows for the past few weeks.
The group sponsoring the Tufts event, the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, charged the taping was illegal.
Late yesterday, a judge signed a court order that restrains Whiteman and coalition leader Brian Camenker from selling the audiotape or transcripts of the tape.
Camenker said the rally and sale of the tape were to bring the public's attention to what he says are the "evil" outcomes of the state-sponsored Safe Schools and Gay, Straight Alliance in-school programs. The Safe Schools programs receive $1.5 million per year in state funding and were designed to protect gay and lesbian students from harassment.
"Children are being victimized by these groups and their parents don't even know it," Camenker said. "This is beyond just sort of a mistake, this language is horrific. I think people need to know exactly what's going on in their public schools."
At today's rally, Camenker said the coalition will make the following four demands of the Legislature:
Remove the $1.5 million in the 2001 budget for homosexual programs.
Remove state Education Commissioner David P. Driscoll from office.
Disband the Governor's Commission on Gay and Lesbian Youth.
Pass and sign into law House Bill 2310, which strengthens the Parents Notification Bill. The measure allows parents to keep their children from attending sexual education programs.
Driscoll said it is appropriate for the state to pay for in-school groups that teach tolerance and prevent anti-gay violence. He shot down Camenker's claims that they, too, are sessions where graphic sex is discussed, but did emphasize that explicit sex talk will not be tolerated in schools.
"There are enough adults that are constantly in kids' lives that should be involved in these kinds of discussions - parents, guidance counselors and medical professionals," said Driscoll. "Our role should be training students to be safe against AIDS and HIV, and we do that well, but we cannot have our staff involved in prurient conversations."
Meanwhile, officials at the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, said they would also be looking further into the March workshops, because they would also be opposed to graphic sex talk that would be inappropriate for young adults.
"From what I've heard, I have concerns as well," said executive director Kevin Jennings. "GLSEN believes that children do have a right to accurate, safer sex education, but this needs to be delivered in an age appropriate and sensitive manner."
But, he was also critical of the coalition's agenda.
"What troubles me is the people who have the tape know what our mission is, they know that our work is about preventing harassment and they know that session was not the totality of what was offered at a conference with over 50 sessions," he said. "Our mission is being misrepresented."
I didn't bother to get the full article from the Washington Times archive:
Article 1 of 1, Article ID: 2000119017
Published on 04/28/2000, WASHINGTON TIMES
PRO-FAMILY GROUPS PRESS FOR `TRUTH' ABOUT GAY LIFESTYLE
FORMER HOMOSEXUALS OBJECT TO D.C. RALLY'S FOCUS ON YOUTH
Pro-family groups and several former homosexuals called on gay activists yesterday to be truthful to youths about the "realities and dangers" of their lifestyle, as thousands of homosexuals began gathering here for a massive weekend rally.
"We are lying to our children regarding fundamental issues of life and our children will pay the price . . . because they will face the consequences of what we are are telling them," said Michael Johnson, a former homosexual who founded an outreach program called
Complete Article, 564 words ( 1.95 )
newslibrary.krmediastream.com
And this is the Boston Herald:
School's gay awareness day ripped
by Franci Richardson
Wednesday, April 5, 2000
Instead of attending math and English classes today, many Newton North High School students will hear testimony from gay and lesbian classmates during seminars entitled ``The Transgender Panel,'' ``Queer Athletes,'' and ``Gay Back in the Day.''
Today is the school's fifth annual Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Awareness Day, an event that has some parents accusing school officials of trying to make homosexuals out of their straight kids.
``It's basically homosexual activism . . . and I think it's psychologically reckless,'' said Brian Camenker, a parent whose daughter will attend Newton North next year. ``They're trying to tell children that these kinds of behaviors are not only normal, but you should consider trying them.''
The program, funded by a small grant from the state's Safe Schools for Gay and Lesbian Students, will detail their social struggles, not their sex lives, school officials say.
``This is not about sex. This is about human rights,'' said Jim Marini, assistant superintendent of high schools. ``These students are going to talk about the discrimination they have felt as a person who has this orientation.''
Linda Shapiro, head of Newton North's counseling department who started the event, said the purpose is to make gay students feel safe in an atmosphere susceptible to gay bashing.
Students, said Shapiro, aren't required to attend the workshops. Teachers can sign their class up, but a student can request to be excused.
But that's not likely, said Colleen Minaker, whose daughter is a Newton North sophomore.
``Kids tend to participate because they go with the flow. That's the nature of high school,'' she said.
Minaker added that she would like to have received advance notice of the event.
bostonherald.com |
