The entire SD&R Alphabet headed off to Alameda’s Kofman Auditorium to support adding LGBT issues to the Safe Schools curriculum. Unfortunately, the family camera didn’t arrive until after people headed in, but there were tons of folks, a joyous atmosphere, reconnecting with people we haven’t seen in years. Really nice event, positive, large (showed what a community rally with real turn out looks like), supportive.
We headed in to the auditorium and listened to about 10-12 speakers. BIG props to David Teeters for three minutes of really moving comments. Five thoughts that struck me:
- Most of the Anti-Safe Schools speakers claimed to have read the curriculum, but had no idea what they were talking about. The amount of misinformation was phenomenal. [more later]
- A retired teacher/principal spoke about how “defining” Gay/lesbian as terms of relationships and not sex was incorrect and that children would become confused that their love for their siblings of the same sex would mean that they were gay. Or that if their elderly grandparent moved in with a roommate, that the kids would think they were gay. Why is it that this is never a concern for opposite sex friendships? I left feeling thankful this principal was retired.
- How can you teach your children tolerance and respect for something, while standing publicly to denounce it as immoral? Is that really a lesson that one even wants to teach kids? Tolerate and respect immorality?
- “More community input” appears to be code for “not acknowledging that gay people exist.” If you can’t use the proper terms for things, it’s not possible to recognize them. It was painful to watch the attempts to frame intolerance for gays and lesbians as being anything but just that.
- Lots of talk about finding “common ground.” If there was common ground on this issue, there would be no need to teach tolerance. Kind of misses the point.
How the Board of Ed can move forward in any direction beyond acceptance, given the overwhelming community support of these issues will be beyond me. Next Tuesday’s vote will be very interesting.
The pro-curriculum gathering at Kofman was positive, energized, friendly, loving, and peaceful–if a bit chaotic at times.
I could not help noticing the relatively more serious, uptight, and often angry demeanor of the opponents who gathered inside the Kofman. They did not usually seem happy, and many of their words radiated fear or anxiety.
As a committed Christian, I know that “perfect love casts out fear.” And that the Biblical values of love, compassion, justice for the poor, the outcast, and the prohibitions often quoted by the opponents.
I rather like the feelings of acceptance and respect I get from being an active “ally” of my LGBT friends and working for justice and support for families of all kinds in our schools.
It is a fallacy to think that the only “Christian” or “moral” position is the one that discriminates against loving people and families with real, live children. Jesus asked the children to come to Him, not to bully or judge them, but to love and bless them.
Good thing we have cutting edge technology to make these families possible. Is that in your book Jon?