|
promoting a homosexual agenda The NEA readily admits that its policies and programs regarding gays, lesbians, and bisexuals "are often a source of controversy -- both internally with Association members, and externally with the media, political decision-makers, and the general public."1 But Resolution "New B" implies that the entire association supports efforts to promote and legitimize homosexuality,2 even though at least one state affiliate officially opposed the resolution. Members of the Oklahoma Education Association (OEA) called for withdrawal of the resolution at the 2001 annual NEA convention. President Carolyn Crowder explained that OEA members "determined the language went beyond supporting nondiscrimination to supporting a social agenda."3 The NEA "is pretty out of the mainstream on this issue and on other issues as well," according to Dick Carpenter, an education analyst with Focus on the Family. He says the NEA is "trying to assist homosexual organizations and promoting a particular belief system that is not necessarily widely held in the public and not necessarily even in their own membership."4 In fact, a Phi Delta Kappa/Gallup poll shows that 63% of the public is against "teaching about the gay and lesbian lifestyle as part of the curriculum in public schools." Furthermore, "if teaching about the gay and lesbian lifestyle were included in the curriculum of the local public schools," only 9% believe it should be presented as "an acceptable alternative lifestyle."5 But NEA officials are guilty of doing just that in the classroom. The NEA recently partnered with several other homosexual advocacy groups to produce a booklet called Just the Facts About Sexual Orientation & Youth. The booklet not only encourages schools to cultivate an environment that promotes homosexuality, but also plays favorites by discrediting the testimonies of former homosexuals who have walked away from the lifestyle. Former NEA president Bob Chase left his mark on the classroom by offering a strong endorsement of a pro-homosexual video for students called It's Elementary: Talking About Gay Issues in School. Chase believes "schools cannot be neutral when we're dealing with [homosexual] issues…. I'm not talking about tolerance. I'm talking about acceptance. It's Elementary is a great resource for parents, teachers, and community leaders."6 Chase also presided over the production of Strengthening the Learning Environment: A School Employees Guide to Gay and Lesbian Issues, a resource manual designed to help teachers nurture a pro-homosexual environment.7 The WEA is also guilty by association. Freida Takamura works as a field rep for the WEA while serving on the National Board of the Gay, Lesbian, & Straight Education Network (GLSEN). Takamura admits the WEA has provided financial assistance and resources to support the Washington chapter of GLSEN. She says, "Outreach has to happen at GLSEN…when we speak of students" because "their lives are still before them as healthy adults."8 Unfortunately, GLSEN's definition of a "healthy adult" doesn't sit well with many teachers. Takamura also co-chairs the "Safe Schools Coalition," which receives an unspecified amount of money from the WEA to serve the interests of advocates for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender issues.9 The WEA also gave support to another gay-advocay group called Hands Off Washington. WEA officials allocated $75,000 toward defeating two initiatives related to gay rights, while offering staff support and engaging in a member outreach campaign.10 Resolution B-7 (2001) claims that "similarities and differences among…sexual orientation…form the fabric of our society." The resolution also "encourages affiliates and members to become part of programs and observances that may include cultural and heritage celebrations and history months" for gays, lesbians, and bisexuals. The WEA co-sponsored and helped fund one such program called the Links and Alliances 99 Conference, which invited children as young as 14-years-old to join in sexually related relationship discussions with adults up to 20-years-old.11 The conference featured workshops on emotions, dating relationships, and safe sex, and consummated with an evening dinner and dance. Conference organizer Brenda Newell stressed that the event would provide gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered youth with access to "healthy role models." Some teachers, however, may object to the WEA's definition of a healthy role model. At the NEA’s 2001 annual convention, union officials tried to adopt a new business item directing the union to embark on activities and programs regarding homosexual policies. The issue did not gain support at the NEA convention, and was withdrawn. However, despite the lack of a vote, NEA President Bob Chase assigned a Task Force on Sexual Orientation, saying the NEA would not be “backing away” from the issue. The NEA spent over a year -- and a lot of money -- on this special 19-person task force. The result was a 68-page report that establishes NEA practice, policy, and philosophy regarding gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered education and employee policies. The Task Force report endorses a provision in collective bargaining agreements that “prohibits employment discrimination based on [sexual orientation],”12 while Resolution B-9 (2001) calls for “positive and diverse role models in our society, including the recruitment, hiring, and promotion of diverse education employees in our public schools.” According to the Task Force, "a long-standing NEA policy objective has been to achieve equal treatment for all education employees in terms of employer-provided fringe benefits," and "although some progress has been made in this regard, there is still a long way to go in order to achieve the desired equal treatment for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered education employees."13 The evidence of this "progress" includes a study by the Kaiser Family Foundation which "determined that 14% of all state and local government employers offer domestic partner benefits to same-sex couples, and that 16% of all private sector employees are employed by firms that offer such benefits."14 Further, Resolution F-11 (2001) asserts that "domestic partners…should have equal access to all benefits" enjoyed by educational employees. With this in mind, it's no surprise that the National Organization for Women (NOW) has received NEA financial support15 while promoting same-sex marriages and attacking anyone who feels otherwise. The NOW website urges its users "to oppose the right wing fundamentalists who want to amend the Constitution in order to permanently exclude lesbians and gays from the right to marry."16 According to NOW, House Joint Resolution 56 is a "staunchly anti-gay proposed Amendment that would define marriage, in the U.S. Constitution, as strictly between a man and a woman." 1 Report Of The NEA Task Force On Sexual Orientation,
NEA, 2002, 41. |