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."
Obviously you do not know much about home schooling.
Quoting lga1965:If our kids are not showing high scores and getting good grades, it is because they are not encouraged to concentrate on learning and not taught to respect teachers and follow directions. I can see here on CM that many Moms are negative about schools and teachers and so many home school because they don't approve of public schools and feel they know more than those in education. This discussion just shows the negativity I mentioned. I think there is a definite lack of respect for learning -any learning that addresses tolerance and acceptance and differences. Home schooling Moms stress that they want to teach what THEY think is importanct (along wth a Christian emphasis) and skip important knowledge such as science ...right? ( they might hear about evolution at a public school....uh oh ).
Schools teach everything, not just a narrow Mom-created curriculum.And that is good.
I lay the blame on parents when kids don't care to learn and can't pass tests or aspire to higher learning after high school. Its a shame. nowdays kids come home from school, get fed a sugary snack by Mom and sit in front of the TV or play XBox games.mom and dads could be reading (their own books) to set a good example,and should be insisting their kids always do their homework(themselves )and planning family times together that are educational.
This discussion about gender ,etc. is just a way of uptight people to hide their kids from the real world. irresponsible,overprotecting.Kids will know these thing anyway even if you try to protect them from it.Give them more credit.
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.
the thing is and the bottom line is that teaching different types of family types is not forcing homesexual lifestyles on anyone. It is teaching tolerance for how other people choose to live. Me not accepting your intolerance in not intolerance. This argument is classic faulty logic something that no-longer shockes me from this particular poster.
You never complained before..but as soon as they mention two moms or two dads..its a problem
You're transparent
Quoting Carpy: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
Teaching children about reallistic family types that your child is going to encounter in his life and teaching tolerance of those different types of families is not a social agenda. However, I do feel one of the important things taught in our public school are appropriate social behaviors. For instance children who grow up in homes with bgotted parents get to see that it is wrong to not accept others for who they are and let others have their own beliefs.
What we don't want is your brand of faith taught in schools. I don't understand why that is so difficult for you to understand. Hell you christians fight amongst yourselves on who you personally deem to have the "correct" faith. Pretending that others besides christians don't have faith shows your intolerance. We have faith, it just doesn't look like yours. I'm not asking that my goddess be brought into your child's classroom. I am asking that our children are taught empathy and tolerance for others beliefs.
Quoting tooptimistic:
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.
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
So, in elementary school, they do have discussions on families. Some have parents night a kind of meet and greet the teacher night. Some teachers even have the children draw pictures of their family. When the child draws her/his family with 2 moms or 2 dads.., other children are bound to ask questions. This is the time to explain how some families are different. No different than the winter holiday time, when kids are drawing pictures of their families, not all families celebrate the same holidays. Yet in some communities children that don't celebrate Christmas are picked on., made fun of, and treated like lepers. It is the same thing when children draw pictures w of their families with same sex parents. The earlier we teach children acceptance of others the better off we are.
lynda
Why don't we put the emphasis on math rather than how many daddies or mommies jr has? Leave the rest to middle school, not elementary.
Quoting Woodbabe:Were they using men having sex with each other in math problems or what? The world is made up of many different types of families, most of them NOT gay. Why should the M/F married relationship be the only one portrayed? Especially since more kids in the school don't have two parents anyway...
And I would say, that I think you are somewhat full babbling nonsense.
Quoting LBAY:
I would say it has more to do with inserting supernatural religious folk lore (creationism, intellegent design) into the curriculums instead of actual science. that and de funding public schools, paying teachers crap so the field doesn't attract the best and brightest, and the general anti intellectual culture promoted by some people, among other reasons.
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.
Oh yah I do. My daughter home schooled for a year. She has a degree in elementary education. She did a really good job.
But that is not the case for many other homeschooling mothers. I know a few. I observe and listen and they are way too interested in keeping their children sheltered and teaching them what THEY think is correct. I'm not naive.
Quoting Carpy:
Obviously you do not know much about home schooling.
Quoting lga1965:
If our kids are not showing high scores and getting good grades, it is because they are not encouraged to concentrate on learning and not taught to respect teachers and follow directions. I can see here on CM that many Moms are negative about schools and teachers and so many home school because they don't approve of public schools and feel they know more than those in education. This discussion just shows the negativity I mentioned. I think there is a definite lack of respect for learning -any learning that addresses tolerance and acceptance and differences. Home schooling Moms stress that they want to teach what THEY think is importanct (along wth a Christian emphasis) and skip important knowledge such as science ...right? ( they might hear about evolution at a public school....uh oh ).
Schools teach everything, not just a narrow Mom-created curriculum.And that is good.
I lay the blame on parents when kids don't care to learn and can't pass tests or aspire to higher learning after high school. Its a shame. nowdays kids come home from school, get fed a sugary snack by Mom and sit in front of the TV or play XBox games.mom and dads could be reading (their own books) to set a good example,and should be insisting their kids always do their homework(themselves )and planning family times together that are educational.
This discussion about gender ,etc. is just a way of uptight people to hide their kids from the real world. irresponsible,overprotecting.Kids will know these thing anyway even if you try to protect them from it.Give them more credit.
Do you find this to be a waste of money?
- candlegal
on Jul. 9, 2012 at 7:21 AM