Thankfully, the Anoka-Hennepin School District is Switzerland no more.
Minnesota's largest school district has abandoned a much-criticized policy that required teachers to remain neutral when issues of sexual identity came up in the classroom and replaced it with one that's meant to foster a respectful learning environment for all students, gay or straight, religious or not, liberal or conservative.
More after the jump....With only one dissenting vote, the Anoka-Hennepin School Board on Monday night dropped a policy that is the subject of two lawsuits by critics who contend it muzzled teachers and prevented them from holding effective discussions to reduce bullying against students who are gay or perceived to be gay.
Of course, this isn't the end of the matter. There's no time to rest, after all, when The Gay Agenda is on the loose!
The old neutrality policy had the support of parents who believe homosexual conduct is immoral and told the board they don't want their children taught otherwise. Barb Anderson, of Champlin, asked the board not to give in to demands for changing it.
Please don't mistake Mrs. Anderson for some God-bothering busybody with a hate-filled heart, though -- she just wants to protect The Children from making unhealthy lifestyle choices."If you pass a policy with weak language of appeasement, the gay agenda will be given an even greater foothold in our school district," Anderson said. "We are at a crossroads. You either cave in the demands of the homosexual activists, an action that will make our schools unsafe for all kids, or you stand firm and protect the children."
Jeremy Borntrager (“Ill-informed and offensive” March 18) defends the Gay Straight Alliances (homosexual clubs for kids) in our schools on the basis that there is nothing wrong with having a support group for a lifestyle.
That all depends on what that lifestyle is all about. If it is a healthy lifestyle — fine. If it is an unhealthy lifestyle and the support group is to help the members overcome dangerous, unhealthy behavior — fine as well.
There are many valid support groups for drinking disorders, eating disorders and drug abuse. We would be outraged if these same groups affirmed alcoholism, anorexia, bulimia, or drug abuse — and had pride days to celebrate these behaviors.
Why aren’t we outraged that the GSAs affirm sexual disorders? (i.e. homosexual attractions and behavior which for men is built around the practice of anal sex—the leading cause of HIV)Our heroine continues:
GSAs imply that homosexual behavior is acceptable and even cool. Homosexual-friendly books tell students that bisexuality, sexual fluidity and experimentation are OK.
Open your eyes, people. Parents, do you really want your children attending a GSA where homosexual behavior is affirmed and celebrated and where children are trained to be advocates for this unhealthy behavior as well as activists for gay rights?
Parents and clergy, please understand that these GSAs use public education to change the political and moral beliefs of your children. What will you do when your child comes home and tells you that he (or she) has decided that he is gay, or wants to march in a Gay Pride Parade?Lastly, the coup-de-grace, flying-elbow-off-the-top-rope finale:
Let’s stop this dangerous nonsense before it’s too late and more young boys and girls are encouraged to “come out” and practice their “gayness” right in their own school’s homosexual club.And lest you think Goody Anderson is some one-hit wonder, it turns out she is a frequent contributor to high-minded discourse in her community. Just listen to some of her greatest hits, like "The Gay Agenda":
On Dec. 25 on the front page of the StarTribune, the pro-homosexual media once again cited our school district and held up the St. Paul School District as a model in leading the way for how districts should deal with GLBT issues.
The article mentioned that in St. Paul, the fear of the gay agenda coming into their schools was now a thing of the past.
That’s exactly right. There is no reason to fear it coming in; it is already so entrenched in their schools that parents have given up hope of ever getting it out."You Can Change"
Don Heinzman claims that because of the policy “most teachers are likely to refrain from talking about GLBT matters” which he says may be “a disservice to their students who want more information on them.”
Just what kind of information does Mr. Heinzman assume that gay activist teachers will share with their students?
Will they share the fact that no one is born homosexual — that sexual feelings are fluid in the teen years and therefore kids should not be labeled GLBT?
Will they warn students about the extreme health risks associated with homosexual acts?
Will “gay” identified teens be told that homosexual orientation is treatable and reversible for those who are willing to work hard toward physical and mental health and wholeness?
Will they tell their students that homosexual orientation does not have to be a permanent condition — that one can change from “gay” to straight?"One Man, One Woman"
As one of only two Democrats to vote for this amendment, we appreciate the courage it took to break with the ranks of fellow Democrats and take a strong stand for traditional marriage — one man and one woman.
The institution of marriage has been the foundation of society for thousands of years — predating government — and is critical to society’s stability.
Preserving marriage is not only best for society, it is best for children who need a mother and a father."A Night at the Theater"
Unfortunately, the biblical Christian view of homosexuality was not only decidedly absent but undermined as well.
In scene #11, a false and very one-sided view of homosexuality was presented. Students were told that homosexuality is who someone is and not what they do — implying that homosexuals are born-that-way.
In scene #4, “On the Harmful Effects of Tobacco,” clear warnings and judgments were made about smoking: “Smoking is bad for you…causes lung cancer…my father died from lung cancer.” Omitted from the play were any warnings about the unique and serious health risks of homosexual acts such as anal cancer or dying from AIDS. Any mention of ex-gays or the fact that same-sex attraction can change was nonexistent as well."Doin' It for the Kids"
Rod Kuehn (Sept 17, “War against science”) attacks Dr. Judith Reisman’s research and describes what he calls “many red flags concerning Reismann’s credibility.” (Speaking of credibility, her last name is spelled Reisman, not Reismann.)
It is not Dr. Reisman’s credibility that should be questioned, but that of Dr. Kinsey himself. Kuehn chooses to ignore all the red flags of the Kinsey research — done by a man who was a sexual psychopath and has been described as “the greatest scientific charlatan of the 20th century.”
Dr. Judith Reisman’s research exposes Kinsey’s work as fraud and crimes against children, and some people don’t like that.
Kinsey’s mission was to destroy the traditional values of sexual morality, marriage,and fidelity and replace them with an anything-goes standard. His closest colleague and co-author, Wardell Pomeroy, called it his “grand scheme.”And who could forget her classic cover of "Who Are You?"
Real compassion and meeting the needs of sexually confused youth, demands that we tell them the truth — they are not born homosexual, sexual confusion may be a phase they will grow out of and there is hope to overcome same-sex attraction.
Tens of thousands of homosexuals have changed and more desire to do so. Homosexuality is a behavior — not a genetic trait.It would be nice if Barb Anderson of Champlin, Minnesota, was just an isolated nutjob. It sounds like there are actual human beings -- loving, compassionate people who refuse to demonize others because THE BIBLE!!!!! -- but sadly there appear to be many more Barb Andersons. People such as:
Archie Anderson, Coon Rapids
We are fully aware that forcing the gay agenda on the most conservative district in the state represented by Rep. Michele Bachmann, a longtime supporter of conservative family values, into the Sixth District school system is politically obvious.
In the last few years a pattern of youth suicide has been set in this district as a result of forcing the gay agenda into public schools, then letting the “protected class” know they are morally and legally correct and anyone in opposition is a bully.
... Furthermore, if one more child takes their life as a result of this manufactured cause of bullying in this district because the kid wants to play gay in class, then no child is safe from today’s political motivation setting precedent over the education of a child.Carol Manske, Ramsey
While the SPLC lists some valid hate groups such as neo-Nazis and the KKK, it also includes many upstanding organizations simply because they do not believe that homosexuality is immutable or that gay marriage is a right.
Once these organizations are deemed by the SPLC to be “anti-gay,” they are branded as a “hate group.”
Some of the organizations they list as “hate groups” include Abiding Truth Ministries, American Family Association, Americans for Truth About Homosexuality, Christian Anti-Defamation Commission, Concerned Women for America, Coral Ridge Ministries, Family Research Council, Family Research Institute, Illinois Family Institute, Liberty Counsel, Mass Resistance, National Organization for Marriage, Traditional Values Coalition and Focus on the Family — to name a few.
These particular organizations labeled as “hate groups” by the SPLC are a who’s who of sound, moral, pro-family organizations.
Being included in that list sure sounds like a badge of honor to me.Janet Boynes
I get so tired of the worn-out phrase that homosexual advocates like Melissa Thompson and the Gay Equity Team continually repeat — “Homosexuality is who they are.”
Let’s set the record straight. It is not who they are. It is what they do. No one is born homosexual. We are all born heterosexual. That is how our bodies were designed. It only takes two eyeballs to see what goes where.
Since “normal” is “that which functions according to its design,” homosexual acts — oral and anal sodomy — are not normal. And the misuse of our bodies is leading to oral and anal cancer, and AIDS (especially among homosexual young men).Dave Henke, Ramsey
I read nothing of hate in Barb Anderson’s letters. She merely presents the facts and warns parents to protect their children from homosexual clubs and this unnatural, unhealthy lifestyle that is causing so much confusion, depression, disease and death among young people today.
I call that compassion not hate.Bryan Lindquist, Ramsey
Defining marriage between one man and one woman is the foundation on which to build a healthy and safe society. We must not redefine it.
I hope that when Rev. Richardson talks to anyone struggling with same-sex attractions, that she shares with them that this is not how they were born and they are not destined to live out that lifestyle. They do have choices and options!!
Yes, all children need to be loved (like Jesus loved) and given hope. Let’s be respectful of everyone. But let’s not put more children in the “risk” group for AIDS where they will be given no hope for a safe, healthy future.Bill Fields, Andover (brace yourself, folks)
It is sad and interesting that we even have to try and standup against the attackers from the gay community, just so we have a decent learning environment.
And that is where this issue can easily be resolved. We wonder why our kids aren’t competitive in the world and why we lag behind in math and science.
Perhaps it’s because we have such nonsense courses about sexuality and sex education in the first place, that merely add to the everyday struggles that our teens go through to begin with.
Such topics are for the home environment and not school.
We have emphasized sex and abnormal behavior, which has shocked our kids so much, that nothing shocks them anymore to the point of apathy.
We need to eliminate sex-ed from the curriculum and the gay community needs to stay out of our schools.
K-12 is no place for sex-ed…that stuff can be saved for your sociology course in college when you choose to take it. [Emphasis mine -- Ed.]
Let’s make our kids as successful and competitive as they can be by having worthwhile courses like finance, accounting, engineering, etc.
Let’s not distract our youth with personal topics that detract from learning.Brian Tommerdahl, Champlin
These cries of “victimhood,” “hate and bigotry” and that solely “GLBT” students are bullied must end; this long-running conversation and attacks against individuals who believe in natural law or other values must end.
Recently a pastor wrote of her concerns for the GLBT students in Anoka-Hennepin. Any party in the school district working on fairness and equality issues knows the pastor stated a laundry list of untruths.
Yet more worrisome for me, this pastor is ordained under God’s laws. She took a life of obedience to Jesus Christ and the proselytizing of His word.
Jesus asks the pastor to serve Him and all His children, but where are her cries of outrage for the countless number of Christian students being bullied, harassed and oppressed or committing suicide?Laurie Thompson, Andover
With regard to Melissa Thompson’s (no relation to me) letter in “LGBT kids are discriminated” (April 22) she takes issue with a statement I made to the District 11 School Board on Feb. 28 when I said, “I am well aware of the national agenda to come after our kids.”
Because of my comment, Melissa describes me as being ignorant on this issue. Being called ignorant is actually music to my ears compared to some of the other names I’ve been called (which I can’t repeat) by GLBT advocates and activists since I addressed the board on Feb. 28.
Clearly and unfortunately, it is Melissa that is either misinformed and/or in denial as to the national gay agenda to recruit our youth.
Recruitment of our youth is a major goal of the national gay agenda. At a pro-family conference recently, homosexual protestors were heard loudly shouting in a megaphone, “Ten percent is not enough. Recruit, recruit, recruit!”That's as far as I cared to dig. You get the picture, though -- it's not the loving, compassionate Christians telling kids that they're abominations in the sight of Gawd and are bound to spend eternity in the fires of Hell that's driving children to suicide. No, it's Those Damned Gays and their Agenda.
I've never used the popular, four-letter derogatory term for the female genitalia in reference to another person, whether in English or Mandarin (one of the few useful bits of language I picked up in Beijing). If I did, though, Barb Anderson of Champlin, Minnesota, would be the first. Here's to you, Barb.
No comments:
Post a Comment