A Letter from Concerned Parents
We are a group of parents compelled to write this letter for concern for
our children. An Oct. 31 article in the Eagle Tribune stated that the high
school has given its approval for a Gay-Straight Student Alliance club to
meet at the school. "Our main goal is to educate," states Ryan Corsaro, one
of the groups members. As parents, we believe that it is our responsibility
to educate our minor children on issues of sexuality at the much greater
vantage of maturity and experience.
In July, 1996, Chapter 71 of the General Laws of Massachusetts was attended
with Section 32A. It states, "Every city, town, regional school district
of vcational school district implementing or maintaining curriculum which
primarily involves human sexuality issues shall adopt a policy insuring
parental/guardian notification. Such a policy shall afford parents or guardians
the flexibilty to exempt their children for any portion of said curriculum
through written notification to the school principal. No child so exempted
shall be penalized by reason of such exemption." This group whose "main goal
is to educate" exists outside of the curriculum and has no right to educate
on such matters.
The Tribune article states that "Members of the alliance are in the process
of preparing a survey that will ask students what they think of gay and straight
issues." We object to surveys being sent out to the entire student body.
Surveys can de designed to elicit "preferred" responses, or to break down
student inhibitions. Exampe question: How do you know you wouldn't feel
comfortable having sex with another male (or female)? Is this tolerance?
We argue that this is advocacy. Advocating risky behavior in this age of
sexually transmitted diseases such as AIDS, for which teens are at risk,
in unconscionable. We quote a March 2, 1996, editorial from the Boston Herald:
"For a public school to disseminate material encouraging 15-year-olds to
experience homosexual sex is a reckless violation of the public trust and
an egregious assault on the health, morals, and well-being of the students."
As concerned taxpaying parents we ask that if this group is allowed to exist,
a policy be set whereby it engages in no educational or semi-educational
activites such as workshops, seminars, surveys, and distribution of written
literature or audio visual materials.
We thank you for your time. We look forward to your positive response.
