As election day approaches, anti-gay groups are once again scaring voters in other states with ads hinting that Massachusetts indoctrinates young children about same-sex marriage. Maine, Maryland, and Washington will vote Tuesday on measures allowing gay couples to marry, while a ban on such marriages is on the ballot in Minnesota. Ads running in those states feature David and Tonia Parker, who were among a group of parents who unsuccessfully sued school officials in Lexington in 2006 over children’s books that dealt in various ways with same-sex marriage. “After Massachusetts redefined marriage,” David Parker says in a video clip, “local schools taught it to children in second grade.”
Maine voters may remember the Parkers’ case from the last marriage fight in 2009. But voters should also know that Massachusetts is not, in fact, teaching children to read, write, and have same-sex marriages. In 2006, a teacher in Lexington did read second-graders a book about a prince who marries another prince. But it wasn’t a regular subject; a federal circuit court that later reviewed the case noted there was no formal curriculum related to the issue. Meanwhile, some of the other books at issue in Lexington were included in a bag of books about a variety of diversity issues; students were allowed — but not required — to bring it home precisely in an effort to bring parents into the discussion. And the books had previously been made available for parents’ review. Not surprisingly, the scary ads omit these details.
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the public schools will and have tried to indoctranate students....
Happily, you appear to have avoided the school trap of indocrination.
. . . . . . But you don't appear to have learned how to spell . . . . . . . .
Learning about the existence of homosexuality cannot make a person gay. Learning about the law of the land is also perfectly appropriate in as much as it would be appropriate to have a discussion about the topic of human relationships or human sexuality in general. Seven year old kids have the capacity to understand the existence of gay marriage.
Kids are abused every day and their heads are filled (indoctrinated, if you will) with all kind of mythological stories and nonsense related to religion. Lots and lots of violence too, but that's just peachy. If anything, teachers in Massachusetts probably avoid the subject as best they can.
The Lexington case is the prime example of how changing the meaning of the word "marriage" leads to radical changes in culture. How dare they try and shape the moral and religious views of a child? That is only the job of a parent.
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What is wrong with teaching kids about same sex marriage? Kids will be more open minded and accept their fellow students whom are gay/lesbian/bisexual. I don't see a single disavantage regarding teaching kids about marriage equality.
How immature? How childish? How frightened? How sad? That's all one can say regarding those who still ramble on with their homophobic nonsense. There is only one reason to have these fears and reactions to this whole "marriage" thing and that at its core is religious. Yet for all the holiness and posturing the number of people who truly reflect this "sanctity" of marriage thing is less than 50% if that. If these folks were staying married for 50 years on average their might be an argument. But the fact is American's marry two, three or four times. There is no sanctity in that there is only practicality.
At my age I retain my own sense of unease around homosexuals and consider it to be a fault, but a taught one. No one re-educates a person to be "homosexual". There is no brainwashing. There is only childish ignorance and fear. Goldwater said, "the basic tenent of "conservatism" was people should be allowed to do what they wished as long as they hurt no one else." These folks aren't hurting anyone else. This law hurts no one else.
Those who argue, "How dare they try and shape the moral and religious views of a child?" what do you think education and culture have been doing for the past millineum? Shaping the moral and religious views of children. You all just don't like the new shape and wish to keep the old.
Take all the arguments that the Globe has made, but replace the book being taught with the Bible. The schizophrenic left would never tolerate that and would marshall all of their resources to put a stop to it, yet when it comes to promoting homosexual marriage to second graders, the right is overreacting.
Take all the arguments that the Globe has made, but replace the book being taught with the KORAN. The schizophrenic RIGHT would never tolerate that and would marshall all of their resources to put a stop to it, yet when it comes to educating the laws about marriage to second graders, the right is overreacting.
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The anti-gay marriage lobby is running out of reasons to prevent gay marriage, since now there are track records that show the predicted "end times" have not exactly arrived. (Unless you believe events like Hurricane Sandy are evidence of god's wrath about gay marriage.) There are still many, many people, many of whom are not religious, who find homosexuals disgusting and who will never give an inch on the gay marriage issue. But that number is decreasing. The legal changes will still take time, but they will increase.
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NOM's gross distortions are contemptible. But whay are the liberal media are so skittish about "gay lessons," they fail to stand up for appropriate inclusive education?
The Globe bobs and weaves. Instead of affirming the need for anti-bias education from the earliest grades, the editors take the defensive line that kids will ask questions or that readings are optional and parent-reviewed. Developmentally appropriate elementary school curriculum on family diversity and love should be part of good schooling in Massachusetts.
Religious people want to ensure that everyone is as ignorant as they.