Judge Calls Parents Bigots

Friday, December 4, 2009
Deport BigotsImage by Thomas Hawk via Flickr
An Alameda County California Superior Court Judge called parents seeking to remove their children from health education classes, bigots. The health education classes, for Kindergarten thru fifth graders, teach anti-bullying in 6 - 45 minute lessons. However, the parents apparently object to their children learning tolerance. Bigots.
Parents Take a Beating from School District, Court in Anti-Bullying Case
ALAMEDA, Calif., Dec. 2 /Standard Newswire/ -- A judge today slammed parents as "bigots" for seeking to excuse their elementary-age children from controversial pro-homosexual curriculum. The parents are being represented in court by Pacific Justice Institute.
PJI Chief Counsel Kevin Snider argued in Alameda Superior Court today on behalf of parents seeking to enforce a provision of the California Education Code that gives parents the right to opt their kids out of health education.  Alameda Superior Court Judge Frank Roesch lambasted the parents, repeatedly insinuating that they are bigots and insisting there can be no homosexual indoctrination because people are born that way.  The judge equated a view contrary to his own with creationism and called both false.
The legal battle over Alameda's anti-bullying curriculum has intensified in recent weeks.  Leading up to today's hearing, attorneys for the school district grilled parents in depositions about their religious beliefs.  Parents were asked numerous questions about church attendance, sermons they had heard against homosexuality, and whether they were aware that the Bible had been used to defend racism and oppression.
PJI Chief Counsel Kevin Snider commented on today's hearing, "We believe that this ruling against parents is inconsistent with the Education Code, and we are looking forward to continuing this battle until opt-out rights are restored on appeal, or the curriculum is changed."  Snider emphasized that the parents who filed suit support comprehensive anti-bullying instruction; however, they oppose the current elementary curriculum that focuses almost exclusively on homosexuality.  School records released by Alameda Unified School District show that bullying based on race and gender is far more prevalent in AUSD than sexual orientation harassment.
PJI President Brad Dacus stated, "Most parents do not want their first through fifth graders bombarded with pro-homosexual messages at school.  If LGBT advocates really want to stop name-calling and bullying, they should start with themselves."
About The Pacific Justice Institute:  Pacific Justice Institute is a non-profit 501(c)(3) legal defense organization specializing in the defense of religious freedom, parental rights, and other civil liberties. Pacific Justice Institute works diligently, without charge, to provide their clients with all the legal support they need.  Pacific Justice Institute's strategy is to coordinate and oversee large numbers of concurrent court actions through a network of over 1,000 affiliate attorneys nationwide. And, according to former US Attorney General Edwin Meese, "The Institute fills a critical need for those whose civil liberties are threatened." "Through our dedicated attorneys and supporters, we defend the rights of countless individuals, families and churches... without charge."
pacificjustice.org
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