From: cfthb@ux1.cts.eiu.edu (Howard Black)
Subject: Re: Homophobes in the Military..what nobody is talking about: (Re: Gays in the Military..what nobody is talking about:)
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1992 16:53:32 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: Eastern Illinois University

In article <1992Dec14.155111.3969@news.DKRZ-Hamburg.DE> k206027@smog.DKRZ-Hamburg.DE (Bakayaroo Banzai) writes:

>>	I'm not familiar with the Rainbow Program.  Is it actually
>>teaching sex, or just that there can be family units comprised of
>>two people of the same gender?
>>
>I have to admit that my knowledge of the program is as incomplete as
>yours. I find myself in the funny position (for a stereotypical 
>"Fundie" anyway) of disapproving of the State teaching values to my
>child. Outside of such moral "no-brainers" as The Golden Rule and
>calls for ethics and honesty I see no need for public education to
>start teaching little kids what constitutes a "normal" family. 

    The need only exists because so many parents won't teach their kids
what constitutes a normal family.

>Teaching children tolerance is certainly not at issue here. Teaching
>them a "value" is. If all this program does is teach children that
>such families exist, well and good. If that program attempts to tell
>kids that its "good" and "normal" then I object strenuously. I would
>suspect that the latter is being taught in NY. If we want to teach

    The NY program is completely non-judgemental.  It simply states that
such families exist.  Perhaps you have a hard time envisioning that such a
thing can be done without affixing adjectives, but it can, and is.

>children that hating others based on their beliefs is wrong i'll
>get behind that 100%. I am not a Paganphobe..:) 

    Well then, NY could use more like you.  The main 'phobic objection to
the program is that it doesn't say that same-sex parents are wrong,
perverse, abnormal, immoral, etc.  And, of course, sexual identity is an
orientation, not a belief system; this should make you feel even more
strongly about supporting it.

>Well, we're essentially saying the same thing here. And I would be
>very careful about approving such education sight-unseen. I have to
>say here that i've skipped ahead a few posts and it appears that
>NY does *not* allow parents to opt out of this curriculum.

    It does allow parents to remove their kids from discussions they find
objectionable.  To date, only about 2% are doing that, even though they
continue to wave their placards and biblebooks.  You have to wonder about
their motives.

>I hope we actually find something out about this program. Like most 
>people my knee tends to jerk in the absence of genuine information...
>But where do ya go? I would consider Time or Newsweek about as
>trustworthy and unbiased as Rush. 

    You are extremely cynical if you really believe the last statement.  If
you're really interested, call the NYC Board of Education and order a copy
of the Rainbow Program.  You may be disappointed - only a few of its 450+
pages are concerned with same-sex parents - but you'll have "genuine
information".
-- 
   ******************************************************************
     Howard Black                             cfthb@ux1.cts.eiu.edu
     Department of Chemistry                  Eastern Illinois Univ. 
Newsgroups: alt.rush-limbaugh,alt.politics.clinton