Subject: strictly fyi: RIGHT WING WATCH
From: Ryan Schwartz <ryan@hummingbirdink.com>
Date: Mon, 21 Feb 2011 21:18:31 -0800
To: NEWS@safeschoolscoalition.org

Dear Safe Schools Coalition members and friends:

RIGHT WING WATCH  

(1) Mass Resistance files bills to block research, make diversity lessons an elective and repeal bullying policies
(2) Two South Carolina school board members fail to ban student clubs over GSA fears
(3) The anti-gay industry goes high-tech
(4) New 'Truth Academy' to train youth in anti-gay organizing
(5) Australian activists organize around law allowing expulsion of gay students
(6) NOM claims about marriage equality + schools debunked, although with mixed message

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(1) Mass Resistance files bills to block research, make diversity lessons an elective and repeal bullying policies
The extremist Massachusetts group MassResistance is promoting six new bills this year, several of which focus on safe schools efforts. Even though is in unlikely the bills will get any traction, they have been circulated on several ultra-conservative blogs. 
 One bill, re-filed after being dismissed in 2009,  is the "David Parker" bill, named after an angry man who police had to escort from a school campus because he refused to leave in protest over lessons about LGBT families.  The bill would force parents and guardians to opt youth into lessons about LGBT people, lumping homosexuality into a long, creative list of censored "sexual perversions." The bill would also ban surveys that ask youth about sexual health practices. Other bills they filed seek to eliminate the Massachusetts Commission for GLBT youth and repeal the state's anti-bullying law. For more about MassResistance, check out Right Wing Watch's look at founder Brian Camenker.

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(2) Two South Carolina school board members fail to ban student clubs over GSA fears
As students began forming GSAs in the Dorchester Two District (25 miles from Charleston), one school board member threatened to ban all student clubs that were not strictly about curricula. Besides GSAs, other threatened clubs included the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the guitar club. Students turned out to stand up for their clubs - all  speakers at the board meeting were opposed to the resolution - and the effort failed. 

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(3) 
The anti-gay industry goes high-tech
Focus on the Family has unveiled a new internet browsing toolbar that will connect users to new Focus on the Family content while sending a portion of each online purchase they make back to Focus on the Family. The toolbar is created by Christian Values Network, which has used the toolbar and its arrangement with over 700 online retailers, to fundraise for specific ministries. Peter LaBarbera of Americans for Truth about Homosexuality 
has also recently joined Twitter. The overwhelming majority of his posts have been in response to questions from pro-equality advocates who can now engage with LaBarbera. Recent posts include "
Ppl practic'g homo'y have accomplshed gr8 things, as have ppl practic'g any # of bad behav'rs" 
and "OK, so I like Peter Frampton. Sue me."

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(4) 
New 'Truth Academy' to train youth in anti-gay organizing
Peter LaBarbara is also teaming up with sensationalist extremist Linda Harvey to host the second 'Truth Academy' in Columbus, OH on April 1st and 2nd. The line-up includes a number of speakers known for their misinformation and hateful rhetoric. Or for $179 you can get a DVD of last year's speeches and keep their wheels spinning. Check out a great, reasonable write-up of the first Truth Academy from the Friendly Atheist. 

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(5) 
Australian activists organize around law allowing expulsion of gay students
The Australian Christian Lobby is defending a 30-year old law that allows religious schools to expel gay and lesbian students simply for being gay or lesbian, calling it a "loving response." While many others, including a senior Anglican bishop, are speaking out against the law, the head of Christian Schools Australia argued unrepentant gay students could be "disruptive to the religious teaching of the school." 

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(6) 
NOM claims about marriage equality + schools debunked, although with mixed message
Politifact, a project of the St. Petersburg Times to investigate advertised political claims, has spent some time researching anti-marriage equality ads that argue kindergartners will be taught gay marriage if same-sex marriage becomes legal. They call the argument false but seem to dismiss safe schools work in the process. The article gives the impression that books such as King & King are not being used in Massachusetts schools even though many classrooms do use it and similar resources to help students respectfully understand the world around them. They are correct that schools are not teaching about same-sex marriage, but not because they are ignoring LGBT people. Rather, the take-away from their research is that when LGBT-inclusive curriculum is seen in action, it is relatively non-controversial and is not widely regarded as influencing political views about marriage. 

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Ryan Schwartz
Hummingbird INK