New Jersey school district under attack for teaching about gay and lesbian-parented families - Family Pride responds
Family Pride on Jan 24th 2007
On Monday, WCAU-TV/NBC 10 Philadelphia reported on the Evesham, NJ School District’s decision to include all loving families in their school’s ciriculium. According to the report, parents were angry that their children were being taught about gay and lesbian-parented families. Click below to watch the news clip.
After seeing this clip, I decided to see what all the fuss is about - and watch the film in question that was shown to the elementary school students. The same film that, according to one father, is “absolutely appalling.” The video is titled That’s a Family and was produced specifically for elementary school students by Women’s Education Media as part The Respect For All Project.
The film is a half-hour documentary that helps kids understand the many different shapes of today’s families - foster parents, grandparent-headed families, guardians, single parents, multi-racial families, families that speak different languages or have varying religous beliefs, adopted families, divorced parents and yes, gay and lesbian parents. The film defines guardian, race, gay, lesbian and divorce in a way that children can understand. One child states, “There are many different ways to be a family. It matters that you love each other and take care of each other.”
This film isn’t about “gay marriage.” It’s about teaching children an important and “poignant lesson about love and family,” as stated by Robin Williams. And I’d have to agree. Is it ever too early to teach children about diversity? Is it ever too early to teach children that love makes a family?
Yes, I’m sure that children do have questions after watching this film. But is that necessarily a bad thing? As parents, it is our responsibility to teach children that there are many different kinds of loving families. Films like That’s a Family are powerful tools in facilitating that discussion.
You stood up with Family Pride when the Philadelphia School District came under attack in October for acknowledging Gay & Lesbian History Month. Stand up again and come to the defense of the Evesham School District. If you don’t live in New Jersey, send an email to the school district through Garden State Equality. If you do live in New Jersey, or the surrounding area, go to the school board meeting on February 13 at 8:00PM (25 South Maple Avenue, Marlton). Act now and stand up for all loving families.
Filed in general |
i actually grew up in the evesham school district. they regularly send home information about what will be taught (err, they did 15-20 years ago), such as the “becoming a man/woman” videos we watched in fourth grade. it gave an opportunity for the parents to either keep their children home for the day or discuss it within the family.
as a child educator, i understand that the purpose of this video is to help children be more accepting of peers who fall outside the nuclear mom/dad/child norms, but not having seen it myself, i find it hard to understand why the anger is only towards the same-sex parented families.
i’m trying to do more research on this controversy, as the first i’d heard about it was a friend sending me a foxnews website. i’ve yet to find substantial information about why this video is so wrong for children, aside from possibly raising more questions than it answers - but that involves actually seeing this video.
In response to “anonymous,”
Fact of the matter is that research shows that general discussions about bullying and respecting differences do not have the same impact as discussing specific kinds of differences and educating kids on those differences. Also, 8 year olds will learn about all kinds of different family structures whether their parents are ready for them to know or not. Talking about having two moms or two dads doesn’t require a discussion of sex or sexuality, and if this conversation happens at school it’s a perfect opportunity for parents who don’t share the same perspective to pass on to their kids their own belief system - much as they might about divorce or other topics about which they may have strong opinions.
As parents, it is our responsibility to teach children that there are many different kinds of loving families.
Really? Why? Seriously. I’m curious why this is necessary instead of a general program encouraging students to treat everyone fairly and discouraging bullying in any form. And if indeed it is, as you yourself say, our responsibility as parents, then why is the state taking that responsibility from us? Perhaps some families feel that 8-years-old is too young to know about homosexuality. It’s their right to choose when or if to have that discussion, not that state’s.
Hello, I am a producer at Fox News Channel and I was hoping I can get some information on this story. Is this video shown in any other schools across the state? Is it being shown and parents are happy kids are getting shown a diversity video?
Thanks,
Shira
shira.weitz@foxnews.com