|
(Boston, Massachusetts) Two Lexington,
Massachusetts families filed a federal lawsuit Thursday alleging that their
civil rights were violated when a gay-themed book was read to their children in
school.
A teacher read the book King and King to
second-graders at the Estabrook elementary school earlier this month as part of
a lesson about weddings.
Following the reading the teacher noted that
same-sex marriage is legal in Massachusetts and some children have two mommies
and others have two daddies.
King and King is aimed at elementary school
children and helps teach diversity. The book, by Linda De Haan and Stern Nijland,
tells the story of Prince Bertie who searches for love through a bevy of
eligible princesses before falling for Prince Lee.
Parents David and Tonia Parker and Joseph and
Robin Wirthlin say the school is attempting to indoctrinate their children about
an "immoral lifestyle".
Their suit, filed in federal court in Boston,
says that school officials bypassed their parental rights to raise their
children how they wish and in doing so violated their civil rights.
After the book was read to students Robin
Wirthlin complained to the school board that her seven-year-old son should not
be exposed to discussions of such at such an early age. (story)
School superintendent Paul Ash said that
Lexington schools are committed to "teaching children about the world they
live in."
Not satisfied the Wirthlins and the Parkers
decided to sue.
Boston LGBT rights group Gay & Lesbian
Advocates & Defenders condemned the lawsuit as an attack on the
community’s gay & lesbian families.
“Loving, stable gay and lesbian families send
their kids to school all over this state. Those families and kids need to
be acknowledged and respected by their teachers and school systems, in order for
the kids to have a safe, supportive learning environment,” said Lee Swislow,
GLAD’s Executive Director.
“This lawsuit is nothing less than an attempt
to intimidate school officials by people who refuse to acknowledge that loving,
stable gay families exist, and who wish that their kids didn’t have to go to
school with the kids of gay parents,” Swislow said.
Both parents involved in the suit are members of
an organization pressing for an amendment to the Massachusetts constitution that
would ban same-sex marriage.
Last year Parker was charged with trespassing
when he refused to leave the school where he was protesting against a different
children's book with gay characters.
Parker became enraged when he discovered his
six-year old son had brought home the book "Who's in a Family.' (story)
The book by Robert Skutch, and illustrated by
Laura Nienhaus is aimed at children between three and seven. It catalogues a
variety of multicultural contemporary family units, including those with single
parents, lesbian and gay parents, mixed-race couples, grandparents and divorced
parents.
©365Gay.com 2006
|
Entertainment
