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NEA rethinks proposal to tell children about gays
Saturday, July 14, 2001
The National Education Association ended its annual convention in Los Angeles last week without approving a resolution that supports instruction about homosexuality in schools.
Instead, the NEA will appoint a task force to more clearly define what, precisely, the organization would like said about gay students and teachers and when it wants it said. The new report is due in February.
We support time for circumspection.
Known as Resolution New B, the NEA's proposal doesn't translate into instant policy. Its impact is debatable. But when an organization with more than 2.6 million school employees speaks, some will listen. So it's important that it enunciates.
The proposed resolution is part of the NEA's anti-discrimination efforts against gays, lesbians and the transgendered. Just as children are taught to accept students with handicaps or people of color, the NEA believes, they must be taught acceptance of others' sexual preference. How exactly this is to be accomplished, however, is not addressed in the resolution, and that, of course, left the NEA wide open to bashing from the right.
Protesters' propaganda had teachers teaching even kindergartners about homosexuality, infusing lessons about gay issues into every subject area. In truth, however, the original resolution says nothing of the sort. Its vagueness, in fact, is the problem.
Though the NEA's delay may appear to be backpedaling in the face of protests -- about 400 picketers, mostly Christian conservatives, denounced the resolution outside the convention center last week -- NEA president Bob Chase says the measure will be back with authority.
The newly formed task force "will look at the issues relating to sexual orientation in a thorough and meaningful way," he said.
We support the concept of establishing an atmosphere of safety and acceptance in the classroom. A new look at Resolution New B is in order.