Pro-Family Lawyer Criticizes Christian Educators' Collaboration With GLSEN
by Jim Brown
March 28, 2006
(AgapePress) - - A Christian attorney is denouncing a new agreement reached between a homosexual advocacy group and the Christian Educators Association on how to deal with the issue of sexual orientation in public schools.
The Christian Educators Association International (CEAI) and the pro-homosexual Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) have collaborated on a document called "Public Schools and Sexual Orientation: A First Amendment Framework for Finding Common Ground." The 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. (See earlier article)
Steve Crampton, chief counsel with the American Family Association Center for Law & Policy (AFA Law Center), finds the collaboration between the Christian group and the homosexual advocacy group disturbing. He says while he supports civil debate on issues relating to homosexuality, he has serious concerns about Christian educators coming to the table with a group like GLSEN.
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Steve Crampton |
"I think GLSEN is a grave danger to our kids," Crampton explains, "and so, to the extent you reach out the hand of friendship, or in this case, 'common ground,' you are doing a disservice to the community, and especially to the innocent kids in that community." The pro-family attorney says Christians have no business legitimizing a group that is "all about advocating teenage homosexual sex." AFA Law Center litigators "have been involved in matters that have grown out of GLSEN conferences, in which graphic descriptions and instructions in homosexual sexual practices have taken place under GLSEN's purview, indeed sometimes with taxpayer dollars at stake," he contends.
Although CEAI executive director Finn Laursen has said his group did not in any way compromise its beliefs by reaching an agreement with GLSEN, Crampton is not convinced that no harm has been done. "What I see in the big picture here," he asserts, "is a tremendous loss for those of us who believe that homosexual behavior is sinful conduct, should never be legitimized, and should never be recognized as some sort of equal partner in the educational experience."
The AFA Center for Law & Policy has been battling GLSEN's agenda for years, an agenda that promotes what Crampton describes as "a sinful and destructive lifestyle that threatens the very existence of our society." He questions whether a Christian organization like CEAI should be seeking "common ground" with such an organization.
Jim Brown, a regular contributor to AgapePress, is a reporter for American Family Radio News, which can be heard online.
