Subject: strictly fyi: RIGHT WING WATCH
From: Ryan Schwartz <ryan@hummingbirdink.com>
Date: Fri, 4 Mar 2011 14:22:46 -0800
To: NEWS@safeschoolscoalition.org

Dear Safe Schools Coalition members and friends:
RIGHT WING WATCH  

(1) News site suggests talking points to oppose CA inclusive curriculum bill
(2) 
Tennessee legislator reintroduces bill to censor discussions of LGBT issues in elementary, middle schools
(3) Federally funded, anti-gay missionaries in FL schools?
(4) TX, WV activists call state bullying laws a gay agenda, even though they lack enumeration
(5) KY bullying bill stalls despite near unanimous support

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(1) News site suggests talking points to oppose CA inclusive curriculum bill
The 'legislative analyst' from pipelinenews.org, a conservative news and editorial blog, is trying to organize opposition to a proposed California bill that would 
prohibit the exclusion of LGBT people in school curriculum and instruction materials in grades K-12. This article suggests eight talking points that you can expect to be repeated during public debates on the bill. While much of the suggestions might not be taken seriously, several repeat arguments we routinely encounter from people who are misinformed about inclusive curriculum: "the bill denies valuable classroom educational time for academic or career instruction; this bill is an attempt to bypass the parents and any court decision favorable to Prop. 8." You can download a fact sheet about the bill from the GSA Network, which includes research 
that shows inclusion of LGBT people in instructional materials is linked to greater student safety and lower rates of bullying. 
 
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(2) 
Tennessee legislator reintroduces bill to censor discussions of LGBT issues in elementary, middle schools

Two Republican state senators from Knoxville, TN have reintroduced a bill that would ban "the teaching of or furnishing of materials on human sexuality other than heterosexuality in public school grades K-8. The same bill was introduced in both 2009 and 2010 but did not advance. The Tennessee State Board of Education has made clear that there is no need for the legislation. In an interview with the Memphis Flyer, the bill's sponsor sandwiches common talking points about inclusive curriculum with an absurd statement that shows complete ignorance of transgender issues, since the ban simply refers to sexual orientation: 
"I think the schools should stick to the basics: reading, writing, and arithmetic. And maybe some civics," says Campfield. "But teaching transgenderism to middle school students ... I don't think that's the road we should go down. I think that's what parents should be doing." 

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(3) 
Federally funded, anti-gay missionaries in FL schools?

An investigative article for the online news site Florida Independent reveals that a federally-funded abstinence education program based in Jacksonville not only has anti-gay ties, but is hiring 'missionaries' to evangelize in public schools. Project SOS has received $6.5 million in federal funds sine 2002 for HHS 'Community Based Abstinence Education grants, despite being criticized for spreading misinformation about HIV transmission. SOS videos describe marriage as being between one man and woman. The group's founder is also supporting Ugandan anti-gay activist Martin Ssempa, who is leading the charge for state executions of gay Ugandans. Please consider contacting the grant administrator and asking her to pull the group's funding: 
Email:debbie.powell@acf.hhs.gov Phone: (202) 205-2360.

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(4) 
TX, WV activists call state bullying laws a gay agenda, even though they lack enumeration

Even when bullying policies do not enumerate protections for sexual orientation, paranoid conservative activists continue to suggest such policies are tools of the gay agenda. In West Virginia, a sponsor of a cyber bullying bill said he's "frustrated to no end" that the West Virginia Family Foundation linked the bill to LGBT issues. “I don’t see how in the world they’re getting it," said the sponsor, whose bill made it past the house committee. Similarly, the Dallas Morning News reports that the conservative Liberty Institute is telling Texas lawmakers that a bill meant to prevent cyberbullying in schools may result in special protection for gay students.

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(5) KY bullying bill stalls despite near unanimous support

Two republican lawmakers may have successfully killed a popular Kentucky bullying prevention bill by adding amendments concerning gun rights and religious exceptions for school harassment rules. The enumerated bullying policy passed the House Education Committee with overwhelming bipartisan support (21-1). The ACLU of KY has its eyes on the bill and is working to fight the amendments and garner support from other lawmakers. 

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Ryan Schwartz
Hummingbird INK