500 WORDS Going Both Ways Opponents of homosexuality have adopted a surprising weapon: the First Amendment. See the memo written by Cleveland teachers

One of the books that the Portland School District has not allowed on its accepted list of books is Heather Has Two Mommies by Leslea Newman.   The official Web site of the National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality is www.narth.com.

It's now clear where the next beachhead will be in the never-ending battle over gay rights: our schools. And it's just as clear that those who wish to rid the globe of homosexuality have a new strategy, clothing themselves in the First Amendment even as they simultaneously seek to rip it to shreds. On Nov. 16, six teachers at Cleveland High School created a firestorm when they wrote a memo, addressed to Cleveland school principal Bruce Plato. It said, "We are concerned that an entirely one-sided perspective on the issue of homosexuality is being disseminated to students by the school district." The Portland School District disagrees, pointing out that its intent is neither to promote nor to oppose homosexuality, but rather to create an environment that is safe and supportive. Nevertheless, the group asked Plato to "assure us of our Constitutional First Amendment rights" and requested that the district purchase 10 copies of Homosexuality and the Politics of Truth, by Jeffery Satinover, M.D. The book is a frightening work, a blender full of biblical interpretation, social analysis and medical research that concludes that gayness is a "soul sickness," that it is a severe abnormality and--most important--that it is reversible. The efforts of the Cleveland six are telling on several levels. For one thing, none of the six teachers had ever actually tried to get the district to buy Satinover's book. To do so requires filling out an application that goes to the district, which has a committee that considers the appropriateness of the book. Instead, they chose to write a memo to Plato and distribute a copy of it to every teacher at Cleveland. Then there is the matter of timing. Satinover's book was published three years ago. Why the memo now? Only one of the six teachers spoke to WW. Ken Molnar, who has been teaching math at Cleveland for 10 years, said that it was something they just decided to do. It's hard, however, not to believe that it was in response to a coalition of the American Academy of Pediatrics, the National Education Association and the American Psychological Association. Last month, this group announced plans to send to every school superintendent in America a booklet that says there is "no support for the idea that homosexuality is abnormal or mentally unhealthy." There is also the matter of Satinover's book and its larger connection to the national anti-gay agenda. Homosexuality and the Politics of Truth is a bible of sorts for NARTH, the National Association for the Research and Therapy of Homosexuals. This California organization wraps itself in science but is really a conservative Christian bulwark against what it sees as the insidious campaign to propagate gayness in the classroom. (One of its "white papers" is called "First AIDS Education, Then 'Safe Schools,' Then Gay Advocacy.") Finally, there is the kinship between the thrust of this memo and the current incarnation of Lon Mabon. The head of the Oregon Citizens Alliance is back with an initiative called the "Student Protection Act." The ballot title of this statutory measure? "Prohibits Public School Instruction Encouraging, Promoting, Sanctioning Homosexual, Bisexual Behaviors." Far from mouthing free-speech platitudes to further this cause, the OCA is pushing an old-fashioned, Measure 9-style gag to keep discussion of sexual orientation in the closet. By astonishing coincidence, the very same week that Cleveland teachers were distributing their memo, Mabon's followers were beginning their signature-gathering drive. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Willamette Week | originally published December 1, 1999

 

 

 

 

 

Memorandum TO: Bruce Plato, Principal FROM: Gary Crockett, John Ditmore, Ken Molner, David Martin, José Solano, Terry Williams RE: Diverse Perspectives on Sexual Practices DATE: November 29, 1999 We are concerned that an entirely one-sided perspective on the issue of homosexuality is being disseminated to students by the school district through its Sexual Diversity Committee. This is being done at tax payer expense and as the committee admits, through a ³great deal of time and effort.² Its effort has been solely to condone, affirm, and encourage homosexual practices among students and adults. We are alarmed by the very slanted perspective of the books being pushed by the committee on our students. No effort whatsoever has been made to provide equal time, resources, and opportunity to present any opposing perspective. We are therefore asking you to assure us of our Constitutional First Amendment rights to present to teachers, administrators, counselors, parents, students, etc. the understanding and realization recognized by the vast majority of humanity, throughout the ages, on this matter. We believe that the school district has embarked on a course that dangerously misguides our youth. There are powerful and convincing scientific and social grounds supporting our position which the school district has ignored. We know that all conscientious Americans, whether they agree with us or not, will support our Constitutional right to express ourselves. We know that numerous other teachers are in agreement with our position and we ask that they too, in a manner of speaking, come ³out of the closet² and express themselves. We also know that all good teachers will encourage their students to use critical thinking skills and to examine diverse perspectives on controversial issues. We call upon our gay and lesbian friends and colleagues to support our freedom of expression as we support theirs, and to encourage friendly discussions on this subject. As a first effort to share information with our colleagues we are distributing the attached paper from the National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality. We are also asking the school to purchase 10 copies of Homosexuality and the Politics of Truth by Dr. Jeffery Satinover to lend to our guidance counselors and to place in our library for teachers and students. We will later be presenting material from other authoritative sources and from experiences in other school districts. We will be writing recommendations to the school board and the Sexual Diversity Committee. We will also be informing parents about the Sexual Diversity Committee¹s activities. We understand that you yourself have had no part in this district action and we thank you for supporting our rights.