Religious Left

Editorial The Stoney Creek News Toronto, Canada - Trustees with the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board should be commended for bringing the issue of homophobia out of dark hallways and into the light under a new Equity Policy. "It encourages staff and students alike to value and show respect for diversity in HWDSB schools. As a board, we are committed to adopting measures to provide a safe environment for learning, free from harassment, violence and expressing hate." Religious groups argue that acceptance of homosexuals under board equity guidelines undermines Christian doctrines and interpretations that these lifestyles are tantamount to condoning 'sin.' Some arguing from a religious perspective put forth suggesgtions that homosexuality is a disease that can be cured. Our question is, why is religious fundamentalism being pushed and pressured on the public school system in the first place? The mandate of the HWDSB is to educate people from numerous religious, ...

(San Diego, California) Two conservative Christian groups have asked a federal judge to overturn a California law prohibiting discrimination against gays and transgendered students. In a lawsuit filed in San Diego, Advocates for Faith and Freedom and the Alliance Defense Fund claim portions of the legislation - particularly those covering "gender identity" - are unconstitutionally vague and violate student privacy. The author of the legislation, state Sen. Sheila Kuehl (D-Santa Monica) calls the lawsuit frivolous. Kuehl said the bill did not change existing California law, only made it clearer so that school districts would have less trouble adhering to it. A law banning LGBT discrimination in schools has been on the books in California since 1999, said Kuehl, who is one of several gay members of the California legislature. "There's no change in the law; it was always the same. All of these truly silly claims that they make about what could happen could have been hap...

“A Massachusetts man handcuffed and hauled to jail after he objected to a public school teaching his kindergarten-age son about homosexuality and refused to leave a meeting 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 ...