Same-sex equity policy for schools stirs debate

[velvetpage]

Link to local story

The choicest quote: Jim Enos, who identified himself as vice-president of the Hamilton-Wentworth Family Action Council, representing families with Christian values, said terms such as homophobia misrepresent the rational fear of disease students should have.

He said he felt passing the policy would cause HIV rates to rise if kids lose a fear of the "serious consequences of homosexual conduct."

Thank you, Mr. Enos, for proving conclusively how badly our school board needs this policy.

I've written a lot of letters to the editor in recent months. Does anyone else want to take up that gauntlet this time? If not, I may still do it.

Comments

[zorinlynx.livejournal.com]

I wonder if anyone should tell Mr. Enos that *any* unsafe sex, regardless of the genders involved, can pass HIV?

Not to mention that HIV isn't the only serious STD out there, and that it receives *way* too much attention, which ends up reducing the awareness of other, also serious STDs?

People love to twist and manipulate information to suit religious agendas.

[velvetpage.livejournal.com]

Well, that's the information I was planning to put in the letter. :)

[r-caton.livejournal.com]

I've heard of Enos Fruit Salts but this Fruit Cake is a bit much.

[lovmelovmycats.livejournal.com]

Family council member Gloria Turner said she feared that anti-bullying discipline would be used to persecute students.

So, stopping a bully from bullying is bullying?

[velvetpage.livejournal.com]

In a nutshell, yes.

[failstoexist.livejournal.com]

oooh Mr. Enos.....I almost feel bad for him, he's that stupid.

If your religion prevents you from acting civilly towards other members of your community, then perhaps you *should* leave the public schools. As far as I'm concerned, the Orthodox individuals can learn to accept the fact that not everyone believes what they do, or they can go ahead and stick their head in their own sandbox-in a private school. As for Mr. Enos's comment, it sounds like what he really needs is to make sure sex education is as comprehensive and informative as possible, and to hand out free condoms in school-that's what's more likely to stop the spread of HIV.
I find it terribly sad that people still believe these misguided notions of why people like me should be made to feel wrong, sick, or less than human. I may be so full of self esteem as to never let it get to me, but I know plenty of people who are really bothered by it, and truly have a hard time dealing with the negativity. For their sakes, I really wish that people like this had less influence, less press coverage, and fewer opportunities to make them feel like crap.

[velvetpage.livejournal.com]

I think he's exaggerating the reaction of the Orthodox parents, personally. When I gave my usual "it's okay to be gay" speech last fall, there were at least four Orthodox students in my classroom (since my school is around the corner from a Serbian Orthodox church.) I never heard a word about it, from them or from the Muslim parents.

And if a few of them go to the Catholic board over this, then so be it. They can be bigots somewhere else. Not in my classroom, not in my school, and hopefully not in my board.

[failstoexist.livejournal.com]

I hope you're right. That's just terribly sad, and I always hate to see children being raised like that. whatever I think about god, and religion in general, there's a big difference between raising your kids to be religious and raising them to be hateful.

[mrs-dm.livejournal.com]

Jim Enos - I thought his name sounded familiar. He was the provinicial candidate for the Family Coalition Party this past fall in my riding. I'm not sure how many votes he got. Perhaps more than a few because as one drives west to the more rural areas of this riding, there are *a lot* of ultra-conservative Christian churches and schools. Probably the main reason why our current MP is a Conservative (David Sweet).

As for a letter to the editor, my guess is, this guy probably inflamed a lot of emotions/backlash and you won't have to write a letter - many others will, I'm sure!

[grrl-next-door.livejournal.com]

GRR. it's such a stereotype. Gay people aren't the only people that can contract HIV.

Corrected

[ghostwes.livejournal.com]

"Many of his supporters, about 80 in all, brought large Bibles and flashlights, which they shone on the ceiling during his talk to symbolize the lights are on but no one's home."

Re: Corrected

[velvetpage.livejournal.com]

Very apt. :)

[mar2nee.livejournal.com]

I completey misunderstood your post at first - excellent thing that I thought and continued reading before trying to come up with a response!

I love that there are people like us out here!

I promise to not continually bring up UU (even though I'm new there myself and have lots to think and talk about!), but often the part of the service I like best is when they say "whoever you are, whomever you love, wherever you are on your journey of faith, you are welcome here..."

Again, I'm so glad there are people like us in the world.

[velvetpage.livejournal.com]

Me too - and I'm glad that the number of us seems to be increasing.