The board for the Edmonton Public Schools in Canada wanted to “create a policy for schools dealing with discrimination based on sexual orientation.” Here’s part of what they came up with:
The Board believes that all sexual and gender minority students, staff, families and same-sex parented families have the right to:
…
… be included, affirmed, and represented in an inclusive, positive, and respectful manner by all school personnel;
…
… have their unique identities, families, cultures, and communities valued and affirmed within all aspects of the school environment.
Sounds all well and good.
Apparently, though, that phrasing is a problem for some Christians: It’s too kind to gay people.
The Edmonton Logos Society sent “an alert to parents” early this month that says the proposed policy might force teachers and principals with the Christian alternative program to go against their beliefs.
All children should be free from bullying and everyone should be treated with dignity and respect, in keeping with Jesus’s teachings, the notice says.
“However, if the policy developed … means that our Logos teachers and principals would no longer be able to express freely in their classrooms that the homosexual lifestyle is not in accord with their Christian beliefs, and that they would be required to ‘affirm’ homosexual lifestyle as acceptable to traditional Christian family values, then we cannot accept this,” the two-page notice says in bold lettering.
Treat gay relationships as if their were somehow equal to straight ones?! HOW DARE THEY?! That is NOT how the Logos Society operates!
You know, this is what happens when you don’t have complete church/state separation…
I love the reaction from one parent:
Lance Anderson and his husband Blair Croft have two adopted children in Grades 2 and 3.
“For my kids, I don’t know if they’re gay or not, but we are. So for my kids to go through a school and be told their family is horrible, despicable and going to hell, I don’t want to see that. It’s harmful. We’re not asking people not to teach their religion to children. We’re saying, do it in a respectful way in the public school system and if you want to teach prejudice you go ahead and do it on your own private time,” Anderson said. “My personal opinion is, you’re accepting public money for your program and so you follow public policies. If you can’t follow public policies or you feel your belief system is not in accord with public policy, then go ahead and privately school your children.”
Even the school board president stuck it to the Christian bigots:
“I would hope that, by and large, the Christian community would understand the importance of respecting the dignity, safety and well-being of all of our students,” [chairman Dave] Colburn said Sunday.
“It seems to me the principles of safety, respect and acceptance of all people and understanding the value of every human being would be a fundamental part of Christianity, and I’d like to think people would consider those values when they respond to the creation of this policy.”
It’s like these Christians want a policy that reads, “Beating gay kids up will not be tolerated, but feel free to condemn them to hell all you want.”
This isn’t a finalized policy yet. The school board will revisit it in the fall and listen to public statements at that time.
Just to put this in some context: We have a situation where gay kids are getting bullied left and right, but it’s the Christians who are acting like victims. Amazing, right? You have to have some big fucking cojones to pull something like this off.
(Thanks to Kirby for the link)
