Date: Mon, 17 Jun 1996 06:12:40 -0700 (PDT) From: jessea@uclink4.berkeley.edu (Jessea NR Greenman) Subject: (NH) HATE POLICY REPEALED AFTER LANDSLIDE ELECTION || call to Alabamans [note wording of new policy 6541] From: RLKottwitz@aol.com Date: Sun, 16 Jun 1996 23:40:17 -0400 Subject: HATE POLICY REPEALED AFTER LANDSLIDE ELECTION A little late (sorry), but here is the press release that went out after the repeal of Merrimack's Anti-Gay Policy 6540. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- June 10, 1996 For more information, contact: Ken Coleman -- (603) 883-3254 fax: (603) 881-4877 OR Randy Kottwitz -- RLKottwitz@aol.com HATE POLICY REPEALED AFTER LANDSLIDE ELECTION Grateful Community Begins Healing Process Merrimack, NH -- On June 3, 1996, after ten months of heated controversy, and a bitterly contested election, the Merrimack School Board repealed the anti-gay Policy 6540 passed on August 14, 1995. The assembled townspeople gave the Board a standing ovation. The policy, proposed by then-Chairman Chris Ager, was identical to the failed amendment sponsored by US Senators Bob Smith (R-NH) and Jesse Helms (R-NC) to the 1994 Education Funding Act. Written by Rev. Lou Sheldon, of the California-based Traditional Values Coalition, Policy 6540 provoked a lawsuit filed in US District Court by parents and teachers claiming violations of First and Fourteenth Amendment rights under the US Constitution. The far-reaching implications of the Sheldon-Ager (Smith-Helms) policy brought worldwide media attention. RETURNING TO TRADITION OF COOPERATION "Now that the hostilities of the past two years are subsiding, the healing process is beginning," observed School Board Chair Ken Coleman. "The people are drawing together once again to solve their problems as a community. This has been the tradition of our town, and that is why we have been able to build a school system recognized around the state for its quality and efficient use of taxes. To watch the return to this tradition makes me proud to serve as an elected official in Merrimack," Coleman said. "The Sheldon-Ager (Smith-Helms) policy clearly did not represent the values of Merrimack. In retrospect, all the controversial issues of the past two years, such as school prayer, creationism, and this infamous anti-gay policy, came from the outside. Sheldon's personal involvement and numerous trips to speak at local churches are only the most visible of many smoking guns in the Radical Religious Right's battle to subvert our schools. The people objected to this intrusion on local control, and have taken back control of their School Board. The power of democracy has brought out the noblest qualities of the people of Merrimack." REJECTING THE EXTREMIST AGENDA The elections of Coleman and Brenda Grady in 1995, and Rosemarie Rung in 1996 proved beyond doubt that the people of Merrimack never supported the extremist agenda advocated by Ager's majority coalition. "Whenever the voters had an opportunity to make their wishes known, they rejected the policies of the old majority coalition in the strongest possible terms," commented Rung. "In 1995, Coleman and Grady won landslide victories in a record turnout, sending a clear message that the town did not support the Ager coalition. This year, the voters had an opportunity to change the fundamental policy direction of the School Board. I ran against the old majority coalition and won by a two to one margin (68 percent) in the largest turnout in town history (150 percent of last year's record). The people have spoken loudly and clearly, and have mandated a return to our tradition of excellence." PROMISES MADE, PROMISES KEPT As her first official act, Rung moved to repeal Policy 6540, saying "This policy never should have been enacted." Superintendent James O'Neil remarked that no other district in the state or nation had ever enacted such a policy and none had followed our example. Rung also proposed Policy 6541 to replace it. "I wish we could simply repeal 6540, but we need to clear the air after all the unfounded rumors that have circulated around town," Rung said. During the campaign, she discovered that many people believed the purpose of Policy 6540 was to prevent the schools from "promoting" homosexuality, or from persuading students to "choose" to become homosexual. People who have given serious thought to their own sexual orientation understand that sexual orientation is not a voluntary or arbitrary choice. Others needed reassurance the schools would not "promote" homosexuality. Policy 6541 states: "The Merrimack school district shall have no program or activity which is intended to promote sexual activity or any sexual orientation." This policy permits factual discussion of sexuality without infringing on Constitutional rights, pre-judging anyone, or imposing sectarian moral values on the public schools. RESTORING LOGIC AND REASON After the repeal of the Sheldon-Ager (Smith-Helms) policy, Vice Chair Brenda Grady called for a return to the traditional focus on education. "More than any other action taken by this body, Policy 6540 has diverted attention from the legitimate business of the School Board," Grady commented. "For two years, the Ager coalition dabbled with political 'hot-button' issues. At the same time, new curricula in several disciplines remained stalled in committees, lacking encouragement and proper direction from the Board. The old majority coalition actually removed analytical thinking and problem solving skills from the basic goals of the school system. Now, we can improve the quality of education." TRIPLE MESSAGE AFFIRMS AMERICAN VALUES Merrimack resident Randal L Kottwitz, an education equity advocate, expressed appreciation for the repeal of the Sheldon-Ager (Smith-Helms) policy. "Within one week, we heard from the people, the church, and the courts," he said. "Rung's landslide victory sent the message that the American people reject the politics of hate. The Episcopal Church declined to try Bishop Righter on heresy charges, sending the message that people of faith do not condone hate as a moral value. The US Supreme Court ruled Colorado Amendment 2 unconstitutional, affirming the Fourteenth Amendment's guarantee of equal protection for all citizens. Taken together, these three landmark events show that discrimination violates the moral values of the American people," concluded Kottwitz. "The people of Merrimack set aside their differences and worked together to defeat the politics of hate, fear, and discrimination. Armed with nothing more than their innate goodness, the compassionate, loving people who live in this wonderful town opened their hearts and defeated the extremists decisively and without hesitation. In winning back their town, they set an example for other communities throughout the nation to follow." END ---------------------------------- UPCOMING IN ACADEMIC YEAR 1996-97 IN AL: ADOPTION OF COURSE OF STUDY AND TEXTS RE HEALTH AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION. This is an important opportunity for education equity activists to get involved in the process to try to garner inclusion of fair and accurate information about LGBT people in curricular policies and textbooks! Call to Alabamans for action: Alabama IS a STATE adoption state. The Governor is also the President of the State Board of Education! The Governor's Home Page is at http://alaweb.asc.edu/govoff.html AND he can be reached as follows: Forrest H. "Fob" James, Jr., State Capitol building, 600 Dexter Ave, Montgomery; phone is (334) 242-7100. Textbook adoption FOLLOWS development of courses of study, which are discussed later in this section. Textbook adoptions are for seven years. All textbooks fall within one of seven adoption areas. Each year at a specified time, one of these areas comes up for adoption. All textbooks bid for adoption by publishers are considered by the 23-member Alabama State Textbook Committee, which makes recommendations to the State Board of Education. Many if not all of the Textbook Committee members are gubernatorial appointees. Following adoption by the State Board, each school system makes plans to adopt textbooks locally. Local school systems can purchase materials other than the state-approved ones directly from vendors or suppliers. Adoption Schedule: Contract Period Adoption Summer of: (7/1-6/30) Areas of Adoption 1997 1998-2004 Math, Health, Physical Ed. Creationists are strong in Alabama. One, Dan Daniels, was on the state textbook committee for two terms and kept the teaching of evolution out of the Alabama schools. "Textbooks" are defined to include consumables as well as technology-based programs. The State Department of Education can be reached at POB 302101 Montgomery AL 36130-2101 or 50 N. Ripley St, Montgomery AL 36104-3833; phone= 334-242-9950. Dr. Ed Richardson, State Superintendent. The textbook section is located in Room 5157 of the Gordon Persons Building at 50 N. Ripley. The textbook selection process is managed by contact Barry Buford, Assistant Director, Division of Administrative and Financial Services. The State Bd. of Ed., on the recommendation of the State Superintendent of Ed., "prescribes the minimum content of the course of study for each subject area. The law provides for a State Courses of Study Committee, which reviews the course of study for a designated subject area or areas and submits its report to the State Superintendent of Ed." The Schedule for revising state courses of study is: 1994-95 Science 1995-96 Business Ed., Vocational Ed. 1996-97 Math, **Health, Physical Ed.** 1997-98 Driver Ed., **Music**, Foreign Languages, **Visual Arts** 1998-99 **Social Studies** 1999-2000 **Language Arts** The development of courses of study PRECEDES the selection of textbooks and is administered by an office of the Division of Instructional Services, which is headed by contact Charlie G. Williams, Assistant State Superintendent, Instructional Services. According to Williams, "In essence, the selection of instructional materials to be used in the local school curriculum functions at two levels. There is a process for publishers to submit curriculum materials at the time the state adopts textbooks in specific fields on a schedule determined by the State Board of Education. Consistent with the schedule, the state adopts course of study content as step one and adopts textbooks as step two. In the process of submitting textbooks for state adoption, publishers may also be asked to submit supplementary supportive materials. "In addition to the state-approved materials, local school systems purchase other instructional materials directly from vendors or suppliers. In this case, the marketing is accomplished through the individual schools or school systems." For questions or more information. contact Barbara Fanning or any information specialist in the Information and Communications Division, State Department of Education, P. O. Box 302101, Montgomery AL 36130-2101; phone is 334-242-9950 . P.S. Alabama's State Dept. of Education has a URL: http://www.alsde.edu/ (but it wasn't working when we tried it 1-28-96) AND there is a directory of schools and districts which are online at http://alaweb.asc.edu/ed_dir/education.html AND the state board of education has its directory at http://alaweb.asc.edu/boe.html Below is the information on the State Board's page as of 1/28/96: There are eight members on the State Board of Education, which differs from the State Department of Education headed by State Superintendent Dr. Ed Richardson. The body holds meetings regularly in the Auditorium of the Gordon Persons Building, in the Capitol Complex, Montgomery. Governor Fob James, Jr., serves as president of the Board by virtue of his elected office. Dr. Ethel Hall serves as vice president, and secretary to the Board is Judy Atchison. The mailing address is P.O. Box 302101, Montgomery, AL 36130-2101; and the telephone number is (334) 242-9700. Here is an alphabetical listing of each member and the school district he/she represents: Bell, Stephanie - 03 (John) Home: (334) 272-2777 Work: Same 3216 Lancaster Lane Montgomery, AL 36106 Byers, David - 06 (Karen) Home: (205) 967-4700 Work: (205) 870-0555 2001 Southbridge Parkway, Suite 525 Birmingham, AL 35209 Byrne, Bradley - 01 (Rebecca) Home: (334) 476-9027 Work: (334) 432-1414 P.O.Box 46 Mobile, AL 36601 Caylor, Dr. Mary Jane - 08 ( ) Home Work: (205) 536-8260 P.O. Box 2197 Huntsville, AL 35804 Hall, Dr. Ethel H. - 04 ( ) Home: (205) 923-6093 Fax: (205) 923-5700 7125 Westmoreland Drive Fairfield, AL 35064 Higginbotham, G.J. "Dutch" - 02 ( ) Home Work: (334) 297-1007 709 Laurel Street Opelika, AL 36801 Paul, Dr. Willie - 05 (Magnolia) Home: (334) 288-1769 Church: (334) 262-6795 4309 Sunnybrook Drive Montgomery, AL 36108 Ray, Sandra - 07 (Martin) Home: (205) 345-3243 Work: (205) 758-7777 1019 21st Avenue Tuscaloosa, AL 35401 [for related information on Alabama, see http://www.youth.org/loco/PERSONProject/Handbook/alabama.html ] *+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+ OK TO RE-POST. Jessea Greenman The P.E.R.S.O.N. Project (Public Education Regarding Sexual Orientation Nationally) CHECK THIS OUT FOR TONS OF INFO - - http://www.youth.org/loco/PERSONProject/ Please cc us (for our files) on correspondence you send or receive re our action alerts.