HOMOSEXUALITY ACCEPTANCE IS NOT SCHOOL BUSINESS

HOMOSEXUALITY ACCEPTANCE IS NOT SCHOOL BUSINESS

By Domenick J. Maglio PhD Traditional Realist

Public school teachers do not have an easy job. They often complain about the lack of student preparation when children enter school. Teachers have advocated for higher readiness skills for kindergarten entrance. The lack of sleep, poor nutrition, obesity and acting out children have been highlighted in the media recently as obstacle in the education of modern students.

Our public schools are not functioning as well as in the past compared to other developed countries. Our national drop out rate in college is approaching 50%. The National Assessment of Education Progress has demonstrated we are 31st in math 23^rd in science and 17^th in reading as compared to other developed countries. The 2011 SAT results were the lowest ever recorded in reading and writing sections for college bound seniors. Only the scores of 43% of the students taking the SAT were predictive of success in college while 67% were not.

We as a nation have made education a high priority. The present administration has increased the education budget by billions over the past three years with no significant positive results. Public education is receiving half a trillion dollars per year from local, state and federal governments with little return on the investment.

The issues facing public schools are deep rooted and complex. Yet progressive politicians and educators are engaging in social engineering instead of focusing on improving student achievement.

Dakota Pope a 14 –year-old student from Ft. Worth, Texas was given an in-school suspension for telling a fellow student that homosexuality was wrong. According to Liberty Council attorney, Matt Krause, representing Dakota, the student was inappropriately informed by his German teacher that homosexuality was ”happening all over the world and you have to accept that homosexuality is just part of the culture now.”

Furthermore, Attorney Krause stated “There has been a history with this teacher in the class regarding homosexual topics. The teacher has posted a picture of two men kissing on the wall that offended some of the students.”

This teacher’s off subject attempt at desensitizing and indoctrinating students in homosexual acceptance is undermining the focus and quality of public education. This teacher is wasting student’s valuable time by attempting to impose his personal progressive agenda. The teacher’s subjective opinion on the state of homosexuality is not part of his job description of teaching German. This is an abuse of his power as a teacher sanctioned to teach German and malpractice by the school district for not monitoring and disciplining the staff member.

The school district has not explained why the 9^th grade German teacher was discussing homosexuality. There was no comment on any disciplinary action for the teacher‘s unwarranted comments. Students should not lose their First Amendment rights just because a school official feels their comments may offend some other student.

Even if Dakota’s comment personally offends someone he still has the right to Freedom of Speech. In the United States an individual can inform a fellow student that he disagrees with his teacher’s controversial opinions and concerning the morality of homosexuality. This is especially true due to Dakota’s strong religious background, which is protected by our Bill of Rights.

Acceptance of a person’s sexual orientation is not the same as tolerance. Muslims, Christians and Jews should not have to alter their moral and religious beliefs to conform to an atheist or secular viewpoint. People who believe that homosexuality is contrary to natural law and is religiously sinful should not be punished for their views.

It is wrong when a student is punished for voicing his honest opinion on personal or moral issues. Once a school system allows its staff to engage in this unprofessional behavior it should be denied government funds. The public buildings are no longer being used for education but have become centers of indoctrination.

In the entertainment media it is becoming common place to titillate the audience with explicit homosexual behavior as two teenage boys kissing on the television show “Glee”. The parents have the ability to censor their children from watching the program. On the other hand government schools have a captive audience of young minds and therefore have an obligation to all the taxpaying citizens to educate the citizens in the fundamentals of a classic education. They do not have a public mandate to alter or to eradicate the moral values of our children.

There is no place in our Constitutional Republic where our government can or should force the public to accept homosexuality or any other type of sexual relationship. Our Constitution does not permit our government to deny citizens their moral beliefs. Public schools should concentrate on giving our children a solid education while protecting their individual liberties

Dr. Maglio is the author of Invasion Within and Essential Parenting. He is a psychotherapist and the owner/director of Wider Horizons School.

Visit: www.drmaglio.com.