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The
Usual Suspects
Report for July 16,
2004
"The
wise in heart will receive commandments: but a prating fool shall
fall." Proverbs 10:8
There is
a debate going on in the city of Menomonie, Wisconsin over whether the
local government school should allow a Gay Straight Alliance club to start
up. The usual suspects from New Sodom have shown up, and they are using
the usual propaganda. A teacher darkly, and not so subtly, hints that
those who are against the promotion of sexual perversion are Hitler clones
sure to ignite another holocaust if allowed to have their way. A wolf in
wolf's clothing confidently informs everyone that he has many Scripture
passages which apparently prove that God blesses sodomy. He probably just
couldn't find them on the spur of the moment. But he says that they are
there. And then there is the fabulously intelligent man who rebukes those
flat earthers who still think that homosexuals actually "change the
natural use into that which is against nature" (Romans 1:26).
Probably that smart guy includes on his list of the brain dead those
individuals who once were sodomites but who now testify that they are new
creatures (2 Corinthians 5:17), "washed . . . sanctified . . .
justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our
God" (1 Corinthians 6:11). All of this raises a question. The One who
created the earth a "circle" condemns homosexual acts. Does God
make Mr. Brilliant's flat-earth list as well?
"It
is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants
thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain,
and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in." Isaiah 40:22
Gay
Straight Alliance draws sharp debate
By Jim Kleinhans, Editor, Dunn County News, July 14, 2004 http://www.dunnconnect.com/articles/2004/07/14/news/news02.txt
By a 5-4
vote, the Menomonie School Board Monday night approved sponsorship of a
Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) Club at the high school.
The vote
came after emotion pleas, from both sides of the aisle, during the
Community Communications portion of the agenda and a spirited debate by
Board members.
The issue had previously been discussed by the Programs Committee at its
June 29 meeting.
At the
time, there was a majority vote to accept sponsorship and bring it to the
full school board. However, one of the committee members --Mary Thatcher
-- spoke strongly in her opposition at Monday night's Board meeting.
Before a
full house at the Administrative Service Center, speakers from the
community were about evenly divided on the issue.
Here are
some of the public comments heard at the meeting:
Lynn
Mattison -- "I don't think this (GAS) should be sanctioned by the
school. I really think the school should be safe and respected and it's a
bad idea to single out this group and let them have sponsorship."
Joshua
Becker -- "There seems to be some concern among school board members
about legal issues. Disapproval by local school districts has been upheld,
most recently by a court in Lubbox, Texas, this past spring. There is much
concern about providing safety for students. The homosexual lifestyle
provides an unsafe environment."
Augie
Larsen -- "I've been doing research on the Gay Straight Alliance
network and it wants to education students about homophobia. There's more
to this group than just another club. It's part of a national group
seeking more than tolerance, it wants to force acceptance of
homosexuality. They're attempting to silence all opposing groups. At its
worst, GSA performs psychological brainwashing. Are we as a community
willing to subject our children to this sexually-explicit material? The
content of the material would indeed by obscene. I implore the school
board to do what's right for our children."
Millie
Kotulek -- "I am a mother of four children who have attended high
school here. GSA wants to indoctrinate our children with untruths (that
homosexuality is a genetic trait and cannot be changed). There is proof
that homosexuals can be changed. For this organization to teach our
children that they cannot change is to further an untruth."
Andrew
Foxwell (student) -- "I've seen kids who are gay and lesbian and they
need an avenue to meet and hang out; they need common ground. I note that
the strategic plan of the school district calls for meeting needs and
diversity. This is about the students who have needs, based on personal
experience, at the high school. State statutes prohibit discrimination and
gays and lesbians are specifically listed."
Doug Noel
(student) --"I attend MHS and want to share my experiences of being a
gay male. I was a student at Eau Claire North that had a GSA chapter and
it raised awareness and help people understand. At MHS, I had to report
several threats and bullying to myself. I was subjected to anti-gay slurs
in front of teachers and they did nothing. We need protection from other
students and a safe place to meet."
Susan
Weston (teacher) -- "I'm both a parent and a member of the MHS
English Department. We have a course, 'Voices of the Holocaust,' in which
it's pointed out that horrors such as genocide start with small acts of
intolerance. GSA will help develop a safe and supportive environment for
these students."
Melissa
Smith Tourville -- "I'm a mother of several children, including Doug
(Noel). I love my son and need to know that the school will provide a safe
environment for him. Please consider how important it is to him. These
students need to know the school board will support them and allow them a
safe place to meet. The constitution affords protection for all people to
assemble and the courts have upheld students' rights to assemble. We must
stand behind the rights of all people."
Judy
Schleusner -- "My husband and I are parents of a gay son. It would be
wonderful for our by youths to have a safe place. It would be an affirming
experience for both gays and straights. My son is not a freak or obscene,
he's gay. When one categorizes the gay lifestyle, it's very hurtful to
them."
Rowen Berry
(student) -- "Growing up is a demanding task for young children. As a
parent, would it be wise to send your child to an unsafe environment? Of
course not. With awareness comes understanding and tolerance."
Toby
Ellison -- "I am a Lutheran clergy person and a hospital chaplain. My
daughter, Mary, graduated from MHS in 1985. When she was in MHS, she
qualified for National Honor Society, but was not admitted. Her senior
year, when we discovered she was a lesbian, we were sure she was
discriminated against because of her sexual preference. Even our youngest
daughter, who is straight, was discriminated against. The suicide rate and
emotional distress of these young people is well-documented. They need our
support, care and understanding. Clergy can give Christian scripture
admonitions against homosexuality, and I can give many scripture passages
that counter those."
Nathan
Franklin (elected board member of Western Wisconsin Branch of the Civil
Liberties Union) -- "I want to make you aware of several federal and
state laws that prohibit discrimination based in part on sexual
orientation (he then listed them). The Menomonie School District has a
non-discrimination policy based in part on sexual orientation. I want to
remind the school board that this is not a referendum on sexual
orientation. Honor the law that you're obligated to uphold as a government
body."
Dick
Hoffman -- "I've had experiences with gays and lesbians who have
displayed sensitivity far beyond my understanding. We need to recognize
this is not something they chose, it is genetic. We must recognize that
the world is no longer flat."
Board
member Margaret Breisch noted that it "would have been nice to have a
community discussion on the issue before it made its way to the full
board."
During
school board deliberations, several members spoke up on the issue.
Thatcher
said she has "concerns about this club and it should not be
approved."
She listed
some of her points:
GSA
suggests affiliation with other clubs.
A public
high school is not the place for a club dealing with sexual orientation; a
private home would be more appropriate.
The
educational process would be compromised by GSA, especially during the
National Day of Silence, when the educational process would be disrupted.
The stated
purpose of GSA is to create a safe haven for homosexual students. "I
can't imagine how teachers will prevent students from discussing sexual
information."
MHS is not
a place for students to "come out." "Why do we need a club
that deals with sexual orientation?" she asked.
Board
member Bill Rieger said it "boils my blood that teachers condone
bullying."
"These
kids deserve love. We don't need a gay/straight club, we need an
anti-bullying club."
Board
member Irv Peterson also spoke strongly against the GSA proposal.
"We
need to hear from the public on this proposal," Peterson said.
"This is the time people should be speaking up."
He implored
GSA not to use the term "homophobic" because it is
"designed to silence people."
"This
name is used in hundreds of schools and is affiliated with other clubs
that ignore the health risks of this risky behavior," Peterson noted.
"There
is no question that through reading or the Internet that this club will
discuss a variety of sexual matters, with no intent to discuss straight
issues," Peterson noted.
He listed
the "tremendous risks" to which homosexuals are exposed.
"We
teach things in health and GSA will teach just the opposite,"
Peterson said. "Will this undermine what is taught in other
classes?"
"In
the long run, we may regret the action we'll most likely take
tonight," Peterson concluded.
Board
member George Smeaton said that "we took an oath supporting the U.S.
and State constitutions."
"If a
group peacefully assembles, and if the speech doesn't meet the obscenity
requirements, then we need to approve it," Smeaton noted.
"If we
take one side and not allow the club at MHS, whose values do we put in
front of others?" he asked.
"Being
gay doesn't necessarily mean one is sexually active," Smeaton noted.
He said the
Board's mission statement uses words such as "caring,"
"lifelong learners," responsible citizens" and
"respecting the rights of others."
"It
seems to me we have two choices," Smeaton concluded. "We can
either have the students meet with three professional supervisors or we
can have them meet with no supervisors."
Board
member Dick Best said he was "troubled" about assertions being
made about the club.
"We
have three very courageous staff members and students who have come
forward with an explicit set of principles," he said. "I'm
troubled that motives are attached by those who don't hold those
motives."
"It's
clear from the testimony we've heard that such a group is sorely needed at
MHS," Best said.
"If
the group follows the policies of the district and is in full compliance
with the laws, I see no reason the board would vote against it," he
concluded.
Board
member Margaret Breisch said "there is a lot of fear about what would
actually happen."
"It
never crossed my mind that this group would talk about sexual
activities," she said.
She noted
that she talked to Wisconsin Association of School Board (WASB) attorneys
in Madison to see if this could be implied to prohibit religion.
"I was
told that we might need to prohibit dancing if we follow that
rationale," she said.
"This
is a very difficult issue we're facing here," she concluded.
Board
member Bud Karis said that he has trouble with the word
"sponsorship."
"Allowing
clubs to meet is not sponsorship," he noted.
The motion
passed on a 5-4 vote.
However,
Breisch moved to reconsider the motion and was seconded by Peterson.
The motion
and second were withdrawn when she made another motion that the three
items that District Administrator Jesse Harness listed on his
"notes" would be referred to the advisors. Thatcher seconded
that motion.
The items:
That the
club have no affiliation with, not its name suggest affiliation with,
other GSA organizations.
That
advisors provide oversight and guidance such that no discussions,
materials or media, including access to Internet web sites, be permitted
that relate to explicit sexual activity.
That this
club, as well as other in the district's schools, recognize that schools
always have the authority to prohibit meetings that substantially
interfere with the orderly conduct of educational activities.
This drew
an objection from Smeaton, who said that "we've never made
stipulations for other clubs we've sponsored."
"This
group can't prevent total access to the Internet," he said.
"It's up to those putting filters in the computers."
Best
questioned whether "we should take these points back to the Programs
Committee and perhaps apply them to all sanctioned organizations."
Thatcher
said that the National Day of Silence will disrupt the educational
process.
Rieger said
that this "bullying thing needs to stop."
Breisch's
motion was passed, 7-2, with Karis and Best casting the "no"
votes.
Homo-Fascism
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