Spurned Massachusetts Parents File Suit Against Local School System
by Jim Brown
April 28, 2006
(AgapePress) - - Parents in Lexington, Massachusetts, have filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the town and school officials over their refusal to notify parents before classroom discussions with students regarding homosexuality. The two families bringing the suit claim school officials' actions violated the state's Parental Notification law.
The suit was filed yesterday (April 27) by parents David and Tonia Parker and Rob and Robin Wirthlin accuses school officials of violating their federal and Massachusetts civil rights in addition to the charge concerning the state Parental Notification law. Last year David Parker was arrested and spent the night in jail for refusing to leave Estabrook Elementary School until officials acknowledged his right to be notified when his six-year-old son is subjected to discussions about same-sex relationships.
Parker says school teachers and administrators have no right to interfere with his children's moral or religious upbringing. He believes that when parents of young elementary-age children request information from schools having to do with human sexuality or, as he describes it, "socially charged issues like different marriage constructs," those parents have a right to see that information and to "be notified when they're bringing this up to very small children."
But in this case, says Parker, "the school has taken the position that they will not notify parents, and that's unacceptable -- and, I believe, untenable."
The Massachusetts father explains that the lawsuit seeks injunctive relief for parental notification regarding issues such as human sexuality ""With the ... option of opting [the child] out, if the intention of the school is to have children embrace, affirm, and celebrate one view or another, either religiously or with regard to social issues."
A few weeks ago the Wirthlins challenged the decision by a second-grade teacher at Estabrook Elementary to read a pro-homosexual children's book titled King & King. The school, however, defended the actions of the teacher and told the Wirthlins no parental notification was required, nor would it be given before future discussion on homosexual "marriage." (See related article)
Both the Parkers' and the Wirthlins' incidents were exposed to public scrutiny by the Massachusetts-based Article 8 Alliance. Parker implies the two couples are not the only parents frustrated by the situation. "There are serious constitutional issues here that need to be addressed," he says. "Parents are tired of school officials interfering with the moral and religious upbringing of their young, impressionable children."
The Parkers and the Wirthlins are being represented by the Boston law firm Denner Associates.
Jim Brown, a regular contributor to AgapePress, is a reporter for American Family Radio News, which can be heard online.
