News Release
For Immediate Release: July 8, 2011
Contact: Diane Gramley 1.814.271.9078 or 1.814.437.5355
Secretary of Education Duncan’s Letter Leaves Out an Important Aspect
(Harrisburg) — On June 21st Secretary of Education Arne Duncan sent a letter to all school districts in the nation telling them that the Equal Access Act requires them to allow homosexual clubs called Gay Straight Alliances (GSAs). However, the American Family Association of Pennsylvania (AFA of PA), a statewide education advocate, noted that he left out a very important aspect of the act which is designed to protect the learning process in public schools. The Equal Access Act does not “limit the authority of the school, its agents or employees, to maintain order and discipline on school premises.”
“Gay Straight Alliances which were first started by President Obama’s former Safe Schools Czar, Kevin Jennings, when he was the head of the Gay, Lesbian Straight Education Network are designed to disrupt the education process through the promotion of the gay Day of Silence, Transgender Remembrance Day and other GLSEN Days of Action. Schools should have the option to prevent disruptive clubs from meeting on campus,” stated Diane Gramley, President of the AFA of PA.
GSAs, with the help of the Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network (GLSEN), encourage students to remain silent, hand out “speaking” cards and place duct tape over their mouths during the national gay Day of Silence in April. Such actions are disruptive to the education process. Additionally, they work to create political activists of those who participate in the clubs. GLSEN has specific steps outlined to get GSA members to sign and distribute petitions, send letters to Congress, and seek action on federal bills promoting the normalization of the homosexual lifestyle.
“A school district may be faced with the tough decision of having to ban all extra-curricular clubs in order to prevent the formation of a disruptive Gay Straight Alliance. This action, in the long run, would be in the best interest of all students. Parents need to understand that a GSA is not about tolerance or safe schools; it is about promoting the homosexual lifestyle by sending the message that ‘gay is okay.’ They need to back a school board’s attempt to protect all students and the learning process by not allowing a loss of discipline and order on school grounds,” Gramley further stated.
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