Christian Educators, GLSEN Cooperate on School Sexual Orientation Guidelines
by Jim Brown
March 15, 2006
(AgapePress) - - A homosexual activist group and the Christian Educators Association International say they've found common ground on how to deal with the issue of sexual orientation in public schools.
The Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) and the Christian Educators Association International (CEAI) have worked together to publish guidelines on how educators, parents, and teachers should handle the issue of sexual orientation in the classroom and other school settings. The two groups helped draft a document, which recommends that schools not adopt a certain organization's agenda, but rather invite all stakeholders to the table when discussing sexuality.
Among other things, this "common ground document" urges school officials to "take seriously complaints of name calling, harassment, and discrimination" and to avoid discriminating against student clubs because of their political or religious message.
CEAI Executive Director Finn Laursen says his organization got involved in the project of creating the guidelines after receiving calls from members and friends across the U.S., who voiced concerns that their children were being exposed to the homosexual agenda. Parents were concerned, he notes, because they felt their children were getting a very one-sided presentation of information about homosexuality.
"There are a lot of voices that have been excluded like, very often, the faith community," Laursen notes, as well as, "very often, the ex-gay voice that says, 'Hey, it's a choice. We have chosen not to live that lifestyle.' Those voices just aren't heard." However, he describes the guidelines that have now been developed to guide educators in this area as "empowering" for the school community."
The document, which incorporates recommendations from both CEAI and GLSEN, outlines a policy that both groups believe fairly addresses the handling of the topic of sexual orientation in school settings. The drafting of the document was facilitated by Charles Haynes of the First Amendment Center, a group that works to protect constitutional freedoms through education and information; and Wayne Jacobsen of BridgeBuilders, a group that specializes in applying "Common Ground Thinking" to conflict resolution and mediation of cultural and faith-issue debates in education, business, and other arenas.
"What this policy says is, rather than just promoting a one-sided view, bring everyone to the table and let the local community decide how they want to deal with it -- or if they want to deal with it," Laursen explains. "We in the body of Christ know there are absolute truths that we cannot compromise on, and we went into involvement in this document without any compromises."
The head of CEAI says representatives from GLSEN assured him their group was not concerned with promoting the homosexual lifestyle, but simply wanted to protect "gay and lesbian" students from discrimination and harassment. When asked whether he thought the pro-homosexual group was being disingenuous, he said that is something he has no control over.
Laursen does feel the "common ground" guidelines give Christian educators some control with regard to how homosexual issues are presented -- that is, without being forced to suppress absolute, biblical truth. It is that "uncompromisable" truth that has largely been ignored across America, he asserts, "and this document recommends that all sides, including ours, are heard."
View the guidelines: 'Public Schools and Sexual Orientation: A First Amendment Framework for Finding Common Ground' [PDF]
Jim Brown, a regular contributor to AgapePress, is a reporter for American Family Radio News, which can be heard online.
