GLSEN kicked out of elementary school classrooms
Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) has issued a legal memo in support of an Illinois school district that recently elected to discontinue using pro-homosexual materials in its elementary schools.
Attorney
Jeremy Tedesco says the Erie Community Unit School District voted 5-2
to stop using pro-homosexual curricula from the Gay, Lesbian, Straight
Education Network (GLSEN) after several parents voiced concerns about
the content of "Ready, Set, Respect!"
The "toolkit," according to CitizenLink,
encourages teachers to invite students as young as kindergarten age to
"draw pictures of favorite TV or storybook characters and dress them in
clothes that are different … from what they would typically wear," such
as "Cinderella in a knight's armor" or "Spiderman wearing a magic
tiara." It also suggests that teachers incorporate examples of
homosexual relationships into classroom activities, such as writing math
problems to include "a variety of family structures and
gender-expressions." Parents felt the material raised issues of
religious freedom and parental rights.
Tedesco is proud of the district for taking a stand.
"Public
schools should not be coerced by outside groups into indoctrinating
students into homosexual behavior by exposing them to inappropriate
sexual materials," the attorney asserts. "Schools are supposed to be
places of learning, not places where schools push propaganda on
students."
In reaction to the ban, GLSEN began a derogatory national campaign
against the school, which included false accusations. But ADF applauds
school officials for not giving in to the intimidation. "The school is
right under these circumstances to prohibit access to the GLSEN
materials and not cave to the ACLU's demands," Tedesco says.
Erie Community Superintendent Bradley Cox says, "Teaching diversity,
tolerance, and anti-bullying to elementary schools was always done
before without using GLSEN materials."
The use of GLSEN's material has now been limited to grades 6-12 in the
district -- a move that the Network deems "puzzling and deeply
counter-productive."
As a parent, I sure don't want the gay lifestyle pushed on my kids so I'm ok with this.
Quoting grandmab125:
Quoting lga1965:
Quoting grandmab125:
Quoting lga1965:
Quoting Happymamax2:
I think we should strive to keep our children as ignorant as possible about every uncomfortable subject we can think of! I don't want them to learn anything about gay people..... They could turn into one! I don't want them to learn about sex.... they might decide to have it! THAT would suck....
Oh, and kindergarten age children have no business dressing their favorite storybook characters in clothes other than the ones they are suppose to be in! My God, we are creating monsters!
*** this is sarcastic because I am so disgusted by this kind of bullshit I can hardly stand it.
This is great!
I am disgusted by it too.
My kids are adults now with their own kids. We never did "protect our kids" and we don't agree with shielding kids from reality or making them think that "some people" are sinners or are too different to be accepted. Arghhh.
Self righteous boors is what these Conservatives really are.
Oh, but of course they have a right to ther opinions , that amendment says so, ya now.
And this from the most self righteous left wing prig on this site, who constantly reminds us all how perfect her children and grandchildren are and what a wonderful job she did raising them. Couldn't be that they just survived well contrary to her controlling ways. Ooohhh.....if we could all be so perfect and raise such perfect kids.....choke..choke.Everything you wrote here is a huge LIE. WHere did you ever get any of these ideas?
How many decades ago where your kids in elementary school? Did you actually point out to them that some kids are bisexual or have two mommies or two daddies, or maybe the little boy sitting next to your son, really some day will want to have sex (which he probably had no idea what it was yet) with another boy? NO. Those are things parents, not schools, taught their children when they got older.
You know what? If my kids ever asked me anything about sex and sexuality, I answered them. At any age, no matter how young. They didn't talk about these things in schools back in the 1970's and 80's but if they had, I wouldn't have been upset.my Mom answered all my questions too back in the 1950's ( For example,she said that there were some people who fell in love wth the same sex and even though she didn't understand it she accepted it. She also mentioned people who dressed in clothes pf the opposite sex and some who were transsexuals.)That was back when people just didn't talk about it,.and it was considered a bad thing. She was rather liberated and liberal. Good thing!
ANd too many people still won't talk about it so schools should discuss these things in an appropriate way.There is no "age limit" and no "right time". you just answer them when they ask. And if a bunch of you try to avoid truths about people and hide it from your kids until you decide the time is right and disapprove of schools discussing it , that is YOUR choice but it might make you look like you are dishonest --since your kids will find out anyway, and wonder why you wouldn't talk about it.....
I am really tired of you lying about me . Don't you have a conscience? One that whispers to you "well, maybe that was kind of unfair to lie like that" ? Hmmm?
What I said about you are not lies. You constantly let everyone on here know about how you raised such perfect kids, and have perfect grandchildren. Go back and re-read some of your posts...anything that has to do with kids where you could show your wonderful expertise. If that isn't self righteousness, I don't know what is. From my dictionary: Self righteousness: smugly sure of one's rectitude, correctness. And, by the way, I don't have any problems with my conscience....I call things as I see them...always have, and always will. If I think someone is blowing smoke out their ass, I'll call them on it.
If you're not completely making up the discussions with your mother, then she was truely way ahead of her time. But I question that, since you say that you didn't discuss these things with your kids when they were young, because they didn't teach it in school, and it just didn't come up in conversations. Had you ever expressed your very liberal points of view with your grandchildren when they were in elementary school? Or where you smart enough to leave things like sexual preferences, and why Johnny has two mommies or two daddies up to their parents to explain if and when the kids asked questions?
Did you seriously just say that you can't explain to an 8 year old that two men can adopt a baby, and that your only recourse is to explain gay sex?
Quoting tooptimistic:
So when my son is eight and doing math word problems or doing a reading assignment, and itcluded Jordan having two dads and my son asks if a baby comes out of mommy how did two dads make Jordan. That leads to me explaining gay sex.
The, two people in love live together n do laundry lifestyle....
Quoting gsprofval:As a parent, I sure don't want the gay lifestyle pushed on my kids so I'm ok with this.
OMG, heaven help those kids that do think outside the box, even the teachers do not appreciate their creativity no matter the age. If we cannot teach our children acceptance of others at an earlier age, they grow up not accepting those different. Even in primary grades we have little bullies (boys and girls) that pick on student a little different than them. Aspie kids, ADHD, so many are bullied and teachers /administrators do nothing to stop it. These bullies may grow on to harass the GLBT teens. in high school. This has more to do with socialization and acceptance of others, it has nothing to do with the pledge or religion.
Quoting mikiemom:
Our country performs low from a global persective because we don't teach our children to think critically, solve problems and think outside the box. Not because someone attempted to teach children empathy, something they are obviously lacking in so many homes as evidence by posters on this very board.
Quoting Carpy:
Teaching the basics are what they need in elementary school, not agendas. And we wonder why our schools perform so poorly on a global scale. This is another of the many reasons.
lynda
I have tolerance of others faith, they are free to practice whatever religion they so choose. Tolerance does not mean letting the fanatic bigots decide what is taught in public school.
Quoting tooptimistic:
not being snarky.. honestly.
Tolerance is tolerance. Not being tolerant of persons with religious beliefs is just as bad as not being tolerant of someone's sexual preference of how they identify their gender. Its just as bad as judging someone based on the color of their skin.
So why no tolorance to people who have faith?
Quoting mikiemom:
Yea what of it, I don't believe people who follow any fanatic organized religion Can"t Understand Normal Thought lol
Quoting candlegal:
are you serious, do you even know what you were typing?
Quote:
it should have been too bad so sad that you are an intolerant C&(&*(nt
Quoting mikiemom:
I didn't call anyone here a name. Just because I believe that members of any fanatical religious groups that tries to thwart the rights of others Can't Understand Normal Thought .
Quoting candlegal:
LOL and yet you are the one calling names, typical
Quoting mikiemom:
You are welcome to have your religious beliefs that is tolerance. Your religious beliefs should not dictate what is taught in a public school. And yes I am calling you intolerant.
Quoting candlegal:
wow, seriously, you are calling other people intolerant.
Quoting mikiemom:
Good lord heaven forbid, if a little boy learns to embrace his feminine side or if a little girl learns that she doesn't need a male to protect herself the rusults might mean ..... Well yes, I can see why fundemental religions would have an issue with this but since it's public school it should have been too bad so sad that you are an intolerant C&(&*(nt
Exactly why ONLY academics should be taught in public school, not religion or social agenda huh..
You don't anyone of faith to have a say in what is taught in public schools and others don't want social issues taught in schools. Lets just stick to reading, writing, math, science, history, geography.
I don't agree with the point of view that GLSEN is indoctrinating children, but I think that people who are religious have the right to it. My son has the right to his gender choices, my neighbors have the right to be straight, gay, bi, trans..whatever. Lets just leave it out of public schools.
Quoting mikiemom:I have tolerance of others faith, they are free to practice whatever religion they so choose. Tolerance does not mean letting the fanatic bigots decide what is taught in public school.
Quoting tooptimistic:
not being snarky.. honestly.
Tolerance is tolerance. Not being tolerant of persons with religious beliefs is just as bad as not being tolerant of someone's sexual preference of how they identify their gender. Its just as bad as judging someone based on the color of their skin.
So why no tolorance to people who have faith?
Quoting mikiemom:
Yea what of it, I don't believe people who follow any fanatic organized religion Can"t Understand Normal Thought lol
Quoting candlegal:
are you serious, do you even know what you were typing?
Quote:
it should have been too bad so sad that you are an intolerant C&(&*(nt
Quoting mikiemom:
I didn't call anyone here a name. Just because I believe that members of any fanatical religious groups that tries to thwart the rights of others Can't Understand Normal Thought .
Quoting candlegal:
LOL and yet you are the one calling names, typical
Quoting mikiemom:
You are welcome to have your religious beliefs that is tolerance. Your religious beliefs should not dictate what is taught in a public school. And yes I am calling you intolerant.
Quoting candlegal:
wow, seriously, you are calling other people intolerant.
Quoting mikiemom:
Good lord heaven forbid, if a little boy learns to embrace his feminine side or if a little girl learns that she doesn't need a male to protect herself the rusults might mean ..... Well yes, I can see why fundemental religions would have an issue with this but since it's public school it should have been too bad so sad that you are an intolerant C&(&*(nt
To be clear though.. My child was struggling with gender identity and sexuality. He met some really great people through GSA in eighth grade. He had some great counseling, acceptance of others, someone besides me to talk to. It was a great resource for me too. I am not anti GSA.. I just think there is a time and place. Elementary school is not the time nor place. These kids are just babies.. Some still go home to play Barbie and Lego. Gay, Straight, Bi, Trans. A mommy and daddy, two mommies, two daddies, grandma etc... there's time for that later.
As far a bullying.. Here's a idea.. Lets make our kids be polite and corgial in school. Use manners. It isn't nice to make fun of, pick on, isolate, talk about anyone PERIOD. Make them be nice or there should be consquences. PERIOD.
Ready, Set, Respect! contains suggested lesson plans that focus on name-calling, bullying and bias, LGBT-inclusive family diversity and gender roles and diversity. The templates are designed for teachers to use as either standalone lessons or for integration into existing curriculum content or school-wide anti-bullying programs. The toolkit also contains helpful tips for teaching more inclusively and intervening in bullying and promoting respectful recess playtime and physical education.
http://www.glsen.org/cgi-bin/iowa/all/library/record/2833.html?state=tools&type=
Oh the horrors!
Exactly
Quoting tooptimistic:I have a transgender child, and the GSA really was a good thing for him in high school. I am all for that.
I think sex/ sexual identity/ sexual preference has NO PLACE in elementary school. Can we just let them be kids? My five year old does not think about sex/ sexual preferences etc.
Here's an idea.. READING, WRITING, MATH, SCIENCE, HISTORY etc.. You know the important educational things that actually EDUCATE our children. Lets leave the social agenda out of it.
It is one thing when the child is struggling with these issues in late middle/ high school. Totally different issue.
First off I am nt a closed minded homphobe. Far from it as a matter of fact. And I said this on just another of the MANY problems. Elementary age children do not need to be learning about straight relationships let alone gays. They need to learn tha basics.
Quoting sweet-a-kins:
This is not pro homosexual
It's teaching kids real life and not leaving anyone out.
If there is mention in math problems of families..why is it a problem to include all families?
What is the harm?
As for the above that say they think this is why education is in the gutter..first you blame government now gays?
Pick one
How long have test scores been falling and how long has this been in use and in how many schools?
What's the rate of difference between the schools falling that use it..and those that didn't?
O right...you have no clue..you're just a bunch of closed minded homophones looking to keep demonizing gays
Do you find this to be a waste of money?
- candlegal
on Jul. 9, 2012 at 7:21 AM