February 1, 2008

GLAD Applauds Decision Affirming Schools Diversity Teaching

(February 1, 2008) Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (GLAD) applauds yesterday’s decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit upholding the right of Lexington schools to teach about diverse families and marriage between people of the same sex as public school educators see fit.

Judge Sandra Lynch wrote for a unanimous court that the parents who brought the suit have no constitutional “right to be free from any reference in public elementary schools to the existence of families in which parents are of different gender combinations.” The Court also states, “Given that Massachusetts has recognized gay marriage under its state constitution, it is entirely rational for its schools to educate their students regarding that recognition.”

“We’re delighted that school systems remain free to include age-appropriate material featuring a wide variety of families, including those with two moms and two dads,” said GLAD Staff Attorney Nima Eshghi. “As a result, gay and lesbian parents and their children can feel safe and supported in their schools, and all children can learn about the true diversity of the society we live in.” GLAD filed an amicus brief in support of the Lexington Public Schools, on behalf of a number of gay & lesbian organizations, including GLSEN, the Human Rights Campaign, and Greater Boston PFLAG.

The Court’s decision affirms District Court Judge Mark L. Wolf’s earlier dismissal of the lawsuit, in which David and Tonia Parker and Robin Wirthlin claimed that a Lexington elementary school violated their constitutional rights by exposing their children to books portraying different kinds of families, including those headed by same-sex couples.

Now celebrating its 30th anniversary, Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders is New England’s leading legal rights organization dedicated to ending discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, and HIV status.