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Minnesota Family Council Action
Alert
Sexual Orientation Anti-Bullying Bill SF
971/HF
1198 |
March 24, 2009
Dear MFC
Friends:
We urge you to contact your state
senator and representative and urge them to oppose SF971/HF1198
which would, under the pretext of bullying prevention, promote
acceptance of homosexuality, homosexual marriage, and unhealthy
sexual behaviors among impressionable school children.
TAKE
ACTION: Click
here to identify and contact your legislator.
SF971/HF1198
does the following:
- Gives specific reference to
“sexual orientation” and “gender identity or expression” among a
whole list of categories. Sec. 1, Subd. 2
- Requires school to develop a
process for discussing policy with students and school
employees. school employees must receive training on
preventing harassment and bullying. Sec. 1, Subd. 2
- Requires all school boards to
develop and maintain data on incidents involving harassment,
bullying, intimidation, and violence. Sec. Subd. 2
- Eliminates current state
bullying law which requires “Each school board shall adopt a
written policy prohibiting intimidation and bullying of any
student. The policy shall address intimidation and bullying
in all forms…” Sec. 2
- Requires the commissioner of
education to develop a model policy for school boards which can
encourage “violence prevention and character development education
programs…” Sec. 1, Subd. 1
We strongly oppose this
bill for the following reasons.
- Unnecessary.
Current state anti-bullying law requires all school boards to
adopt policies addressing bullying in all its forms. Chapter
121A.0695
- Gives preferential
treatment and status to homosexuals, bisexuals, cross dressers,
transvestites and transsexuals – persons who have sex change
operations – by singling out sexual orientation for
protection. Rather than addressing all forms of
bullying against all persons, homosexual activists will use it as
“leverage” to promote acceptance and normalization of
homosexuality, homosexual marriage and unhealthy sexual
behaviors. One of its supporters, cited in a recent
news story, said the legislation would give homosexual activists
“leverage” with school districts.
- Will give a pretext for
bringing in homosexual oriented anti-bullying programs into school
districts which promote acceptance of homosexuality, not just
eliminating bullying. Example is the Human
Rights Campaign’s “Welcoming Schools” anti-bullying
curriculum, which promotes acceptance and normalization
of homosexual marriage, alternative gender roles and unhealthy
sexual behaviors.
This curriculum seeks to address “family
diversity, including LGBT families, and it addresses anti-gay bias
within discussions of bullying”. It seeks to “expand
student’s notions of gender appropriate behavior” through such
books as “King and King.” And it seeks to evaluate and
assess kids’ beliefs by having them regularly answer the question.
“I used to think, but now I know...” This involves
indoctrination, not elimination of bullying
activities.
- Will involve
indoctrination and intimidation of students and school officials
who object to homosexuality. Subd. 2 will now
require schools to “develop a process for discussing the school’s
…bullying…policy with students and school employees.” “And
School employees shall receive training on preventing and
responding to bullying.” Thus schools, under the
guise of addressing bullying, will develop a process and training
programs that will promote acceptance of homosexual
behavior.
For example, teachers in a
suburban district were forced to sit through a session encouraging
teachers to re-evaluate their views of homosexual marriage, led by
a representative of Rainbow Families one of the organizations
which helped craft this bill. This bill will only lead to more of
these situations.
- Conflicts with existing
state policy in Chapter 363A, which states:
“Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to authorize or permit
the promotion of homosexuality or bisexuality in education
institutions or require the teaching in education institutions of
homosexuality or bisexuality as an acceptable lifestyle.”
The supporters of this bill argue that in fact the state’s
anti-bullying policy needs to incorporate sexual orientation
provisions and apply them to the schools, in conflict with 363A’s
policy statement.
- Is a major policy change
and injects a significant degree of controversy into the issue of
bullying. By signaling out specific groups of people they
are given special preference. It communicates that
certain groups of people or characteristics are more important
than others.
- Will increase conflict
and acrimony in schools. Frustration among parents,
students and teachers will increase as they see indoctrination of
homosexuality under the pretext of anti-bullying curriculum.
We’ve seen this escalate to bullying by school administrators of
parents who object to the school’s undermining of parental values
and authority.
TAKE ACTION: Click here to
identify and contact your legislator. |
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