Massachusetts Father's Fight For Parental Rights Continues
by Jim Brown
November 23, 2005
(AgapePress) - - A Massachusetts man who was arrested after objecting to the discussion of homosexuality and transgenderism in his son's kindergarten class is no longer being barred from all school property in the town of Lexington. Nevertheless, he says his dispute with the school district is far from settled.
In April, Lexington parent David Parker was arrested and jailed after refusing to leave Estabrook Elementary School until administrators acknowledged his right to be notified before adults discussed homosexuality and other controversial sexuality issues with his son in class. At the same time, the Lexington schools superintendent issued a ban against him, prohibiting him from setting foot on any school property -- even to drop off or pick up his son or to vote at school facilities that doubled as polling places.
Last month Parker was cleared of all charges when law enforcement authorities opted not to pursue the matter. The district continued, however, to bar him from school property up until last week, when he was informed by letter that the ban against him was being lifted.
Nevertheless, the concerned father says his battle for parental rights continues. "I'm pleasantly surprised that I'm allowed back on school grounds and I won't be arrested," he notes. "However, this whole issue is by no means over. It has not been resolved and, in a sense, it's just beginning."
That is because, even though Lexington Schools Superintendent Paul Ash has dropped the "No Trespass Notice" prohibiting Parker's access to district property, the school official still refuses to allow the schools to notify parents when homosexuality is going to be discussed in the classroom. That is a policy the Massachusetts dad is determined to see overturned.
Superintendent Ash "is hiding behind a misinterpretation of the Parental Notification Law to avoid, basically, telling parents the truth," Parker asserts, "and it's not going to work." According to the state law, he points out, Massachusetts schools are required to adopt and publish policies ensuring that parents and guardians be notified about "any curriculum that primarily involves human sexual education or human sexuality issues, and permitting them to exempt their children from any portion of that curriculum without penalty."
The Massachusetts law also requires the schools to make instructional materials for such curricula "reasonably accessible to parents, guardians and others for inspection and review." Still, Parker contends, Superintendent Ash continues to trample parental rights by refusing to comply.
"Parents absolutely have the right to be aware of how and when discussions of homosexuality, transgenderism, and gay relationships are being affirmed and validated in the minds of their own children," the embattled parent says. "The schools claim that they want to partner with parents, but good faith partnering of schools with parents requires giving the information to the parents when those parents make their requests known."
In dropping the ban against Parker, Ash wrote him a letter suggesting that he "avoid disrupting the school environment and operations." But considering the fact that Parker was cleared of the criminal trespassing charge leveled against him, the Lexington father feels the letter is defamatory and says he may file a lawsuit against the school superintendent.
Jim Brown, a regular contributor to AgapePress, is a reporter for American Family Radio News, which can be heard online.
