by Joseph Wardy

Created on: January 10, 2011

The question " Should schools or parents lead the way in teaching children about homosexuality" is posed in the typical Western way of creating debate with a dual question requiring a position identifying parents or schools. ideally, it is a partnership of schools leading the way with parents supporting the effort.

But you asked to take the either/or position which must be the schools leading the way. This position is based on my experience as a retired high school teacher and a School Board member. The idea of teaching children about homosexuality cannot be led by parents and if so would result in a disaster based on bottom up structure rahter than leadership through the hierarchy.

For example, would position would parents take in the teaching  of homosexuality?  The degree of hostility from other reluctant or opposing parents would be limitless. Parents supporting the teaching of homosexuality would too easily fall in the trap of promoting that behavior much to the chagrin of parents who are conservative or moderate. 

With this issue, school boards or the district's governing body must take leadership and present the teaching of homosexuality in a skillful and caring manner. This can be accomplished in part by adopting the position taken at Seton Hall University in New Jersey in a recently completed course on gay marriage.  As a Catholic University, the idea was first met with criticism citing the gay marriage was against Church teaching.

It is against Church teaching but the purpose of the course was not to promote homosexuality but to pose its merits or the lack thereof as a current debate of public policy. With this approach, the course was then approved.

The teaching of homosexuality in public schools must take the identical approach with added features. For example, a skillful teacher could present why a majority of Americans favor gays serving in the military while at the same time only a minority of Americans favor same sex marriage. So, the course can be all inclusive and not limited to these two arenas but also to include why there is still a ban against gays in the Boy Scouts. 

Will there be school boards in the nation willing to face the inevitable scrutiny of teaching homosexuality? Those that can rise above the scrutiny are not teaching about homosexuality . They are creating awareness and consciousness about its legitimacy in educating our children  minimizing the ignorance and unfair stigma this sexual orientation still suffers from!

Learn more about this author, Joseph Wardy.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.