Task force to oversee LGBT national curriculum

By Kelly Rayburn
Daily Bruin Senior Staff

The National Education Association created a task force last
week to look into developing educational materials on the struggles
of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students and staff after
withdrawing a resolution which aimed to make education more
inclusive to LGBT students.

The proposed resolution supported the development of curriculum
and instructional materials for LGBT students and programs that
would address problems they face.

But opponents of the proposed resolution charged that it would
promote homosexuality in schools.

NEA President Bob Chase said creation of the task force was not
an attempt to side-step LGBT education issues.

“Let me be clear,” Chase said in a statement on July
5. “In no way is the NEA backing away from dealing with
important issues raised by the resolution. Those who are attempting
to interpret the creation of a task force in this manner could not
be further from the truth.”

The NEA, which lists the advancement of education for all people
as one of its goals, regularly lobbies legislators for school
resources and files legal actions to protect academic freedom.

According to the NEA, LGBT students have high dropout and
suicide rates and are often teased and treated with hostility by
other students.

NEA President Bob Chase added that gay teachers can face losing
their job for being open about their sexual orientation.

The decision to designate the task force for Resolution New B
came on July 5, the second day of the NEA’s meeting and two
days after 600 protesters with signs reading, “schools are
for education not indoctrination” picketed the NEA’s
meeting.

The decision to withdraw the resolution was made to the chagrin
of UCLA LGBT studies Professor Peter Hammonds, who said he feared
creation of a task force was “no more than a delaying
action.”

“Like other minorities, (LGBT) resistance to …
injustices is a proud aspect of American history,” Hammonds
said in an e-mail. “It’s disgraceful that the NEA does
not regard materials on the continuing struggles of LGBT people as
worthy of consideration in materials designed to educate students
about American society.”

One protester, Alexandria Coronado, a trustee for the Anaheim
Union High School district, said the resolution “provides for
a radical social agenda that the vast majority of American people
do not support.”

Chase said the NEA was not influenced by the protests.

“We will not allow our policy or our discussions to be
dictated by any outside group, particularly those that wish to
demagogue on the issue instead of focusing on the needs and
problems of these students,” he said.

Cathy Figel, co-chair of the NEA’s gay and lesbian caucus,
said a task force is a step forward.

“This is an emotional topic for everyone and we believe a
task force is the best way to hear everyone’s voice and then
develop actions that will create safer schools for children and
staff,” she said.

With reports from Daily Bruin wire services.