Schools Consider
Protections For Gay Workers
Vote On Proposal
Expected Within Next Few Months
By AP from 10News.com
on the Web,. March 12, 2007
INDIANAPOLIS -- Indiana's
largest school district is considering policies that would give lesbian and gay
employees rights and protections similar to those extended decades ago to racial
minorities and women.
Indianapolis Public Schools officials said the move is essential to treat their
staff equitably, although opponents argue that it extends unfair protections to
a group based on its behavior rather than race or gender.
IPS has circulated its proposal and was expected to vote on it within the next
few months. The district has been quietly adding "sexual orientation" to
its nondiscrimination and anti-harassment policies for several years
"It's the fair thing to do," said IPS Board member Kelly Bentley. "I don't
think it's right to discriminate against anybody."
Several gay teachers in IPS said they would welcome the change but declined to
allow their names to be used out of fear of retribution from supervisors,
colleagues or students.
But Micah Clark, director of the American Family Association of Indiana, said
the policies are the wrong way for governments to go. Clark's group
describes homosexuality as a "destructive" sexual behavior and lobbies against
laws that extend rights to gays.
"We support fair treatment of people, but I'm not sure we should codify in the
law that homosexuality is the same as one's skin color," Clark said.
IPS Superintendent Eugene White said he is unfazed by criticism from the
association and others who disagree with the policy.
"They're not living in reality," he said. "If we do know people are gay,
we want to make sure we extend to them the same freedoms and liberties we give
to everyone else. We wanted to be more inclusive."
Mary Byrne, an Indianapolis business owner and former chairwoman of the
gay-rights advocacy group Greater Indiana Fairness Alliance, said a school
district's openness to gay teachers sends a strong message of tolerance not only
to its staff but to students.
"It puts a message out to the students and makes the school safer," she said.
One of Marion County's suburban districts, Lawrence Township Schools, is
considering adopting similar protections for gays and lesbians.
The district was expected to approve the measure at its next board meeting.
Among Marion County's 11 school districts, only Pike Township has a policy
barring discrimination against staff or job candidates because of their sexual
orientation.
State and federal laws do not require employers to protect workers on the basis
of sexual orientation.
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