Bill bans gay
reference in schools
Opponents say
proposal would violate students' free speech
By BONNA JOHNSON,
from the Web, February 18, 2008
For one state lawmaker, it's a
disturbing trend in public education: Tennessee middle school teachers
attending seminars on how to teach about transgender people and a Massachusetts
kindergarten class being taught about homosexuality.
State Rep. Stacey Campfield, a Knoxville Republican, has proposed legislation to
forbid "any instruction or materials discussing sexual orientation other than
heterosexuality" in Tennessee elementary or middle schools.
"It's such a blatant attack on freedom of speech," responded Marisa Richmond,
president and lobbyist for the Tennessee Transgender Political Coalition.
Advocates for gay and transgender rights say they have noticed an alarming trend
of their own: an assault on their lifestyle, which has required them to
raise their profile in Tennessee politics.
In recent years as the culture war has escalated, they've gone up against bills
banning them from adopting or being joined in civil unions. Two groups,
the Tennessee Equality Project and the Tennessee Transgender Political
Coalition, have now hired lobbyists.
The groups are also opposing a bill to limit adoptions to couples who are
married, which could shut out adoptions by same-sex couples. Single people
— both gay and straight — would still be able to adopt.
And they are pushing a bill to allow transgender individuals to change their
gender on birth certificates. Tennessee is in the minority of states that
do not permit this.
Bill goes before panel
On Tuesday, some 100 gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender individuals will
trek to the Capitol to speak with lawmakers.
Coincidentally, that's the same day Campfield's bill is scheduled in a House
subcommittee.
Campfield said he is afraid Tennessee will go the way of California, which last
year essentially banned anything in public schools that could be interpreted as
negative toward homosexuality, bisexuality and other alternative lifestyle
choices.
"They've banned using 'mom' and 'dad' in books," Campfield said. "This is
not what our schools should be focused on."
He noted a 2006 resolution by the National Education Association that says
schools should promote understanding and acceptance toward groups, including
gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender people.
Tennessee teachers should neither be promoting nor speaking against
homosexuality, Campfield said.
"They should not talk about it all," Campfield said. "Leave it up to
families to talk about it."
Schoolwork affected?
That's not realistic, opponents said.
Chris Sanders, president of the Tennessee Equality Project, warned the ban would
have a chilling effect on students doing assignments.
Sanders wondered — could you write an essay about your two moms in English
class? Could you draw a picture of your two dads for art class?
Richmond said, "If you're in an English class reading Walt Whitman poetry and a
student says, 'That was beautiful. Was it written for his wife?' the
teacher would be arrested for saying, 'No, it was for his boyfriend,'" referring
to the American poet believed to be either a bisexual or homosexual.
Education groups also have concerns.
"We're not teaching children to be homosexuals," said Earl Wiman, president of
the Tennessee Education Association, who is on leave as an elementary school
principal in Jackson. "That's ludicrous."
Parents have input
Each school district adopts a family life curriculum that includes input from
local parents on whether it should include topics like homosexuality. A
survey by the state comptroller's office last year found that most local school
districts taught "age appropriate" topics that did not include the topic of
homosexuality.
"We need to realize how diverse our schools are," Wiman said. "We have
children who go home to two fathers and two mothers, and it's not our business
to make them feel bad or unwanted in schools."
In Metro schools, K-4 curriculum does not include the topic of homosexuality,
said public information specialist Noelle Mashburn. She was unsure whether
the curriculum in grades 5 to 8 included the topic or if school libraries had
books on the subject.
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