The Rights in Question

Justin found the Gay Bill of Rights in question and posted it in the comments to the earlier post about the Ensign article. I'm posting it here in case it was missed by anybody: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Students' Bill of Educational Rights We, as teachers and staff of [Your High School], believe that society's stigmatization of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender individuals is unjust; That this largely unchallenged stigma is responsible for an educational environment hostile to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students throughout society; That such an environment perpetuates homophobic bias; That we, as teachers and staff, have a responsibility to create a school climate which welcomes and honors, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals just as it should welcome and honor all others. We, therefore, pledge to support this Bill of Educational Rights for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender students. We will serve these students in accordance with these principles and actively support their adoption by the [Your School District] as part of our concern for the rights and dignity of all people. 1. The right to fair and factual information about sexual orientation in textbooks and other classroom materials. 2. The right to unbiased information about the historical and continuing contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in all subject areas, including art, literature, science, sports and history. 3. The right to positive role models, both in person and in the curriculum; the right to accurate information about themselves, free of negative judgment, and delivered by trained adults who do not only inform lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students, but affirm them. 4. The right to attend schools free of verbal and physical harassment, where education, not survival, is the priority. 5. The right to attend schools where respect and dignity for all students, including lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students, is a standard set by the superintendent of public instruction, supported by the boards of education, and enforced by every principal, teacher and staff member. 6. The right to be included in all support programs that exist to help teenagers deal with the difficulties of adolescence. 7. The right to a heritage free of crippling self-hate and unchallenged discrimination. 8. The right to advocacy through concerned staff and faculty. 9. The right to inclusion in programs, curriculum, activities and teacher training that address issues of cultural diversity. Based on a document created by the faculty, staff and students of San Leandro High School, San Leandro, California. It seems benign enough, and indeed I do not find much with which I would disagree in principal. Gay kids have a right to an education free from discrimination and fear. Period. But I can see how such "rights" could easily allow an agressive promotion of homosexuality. For example, # 3: "the right to positive role models, both in person and in the curriculum; the right to accurate information about themselves, free of negative judgment, and delivered by trained adults who do not only inform lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students, but affirm them." It seems that at San Leandro, gay teachers felt it necessary to provide "positive role models" by coming out loud and proud in the classroom, when they should have been teaching math. If I were a school principal, I would have a zero-tolerance policy towards gay-bashing; I would certainly advocate truth in education (namely, that gay people exist, that it is something they are born with, that there are many famous gay people etc.); and would allow my teachers to be honest about their sexual orientation. BUT, I would not allow said teachers to spend class time aggressively promoting their lifestyle. IF that is what Sister Price took issue with, then fair enough. But who knows?