Proposition 8: Of Field Trips and Indoctrination

The "Yes on 8" campaign has recently taken issue with a field trip taken by a San Francisco Public School First Grade class to City Hall. See their side of the story ( http://tinyurl.com/49ec7n ) for their take on it. (Sorry, you'll have to cut and paste it; I simply do not want to drive traffic to their site.)

What they do not tell you in that story is:

• The field trip was the idea of a students parent.
  
• Like all field trips, the students needed parental permission to go.
• Only two families opted out of the field trip.

The Yes on 8 campaign tries to tell you that your children will be "indoctrinated" into thinking that gay marriage is the same as heterosexual marriage by such trips. That your children will be educated without your consent on the subject. And that's just a lie. Permission slips are required for field trips; parents can opt out of having their children included in the health discussions that would involve any discussion of marriage. Children aren't educated in a vacuum devoid of parental involvement.

(Why is "indoctrination" bad only when it isn't what you want indoctrinated?)

The Yes on 8 Campaign's Co-Manager, Frank Schubert, said "I doubt the school has ever taken kids on a field trip to a traditional wedding." Of course they haven't. Heterosexual marriages are commonplace; there's nothing educational, remarkable or otherwise noteworthy in them. However, for the first time in California's history, same-sex couples are getting legally married. That is a very noteworthy occurrence regardless of one's personal feelings on the matter of marriage.

(According to the original story in the San Francisco Chronicle the students had a personal relationship with the person getting married! It's not like the school trotted the class off to just any marriage ceremony. It was, indeed, a teachable moment.)

In their ridiculously slanted "story" the Yes on 8 campaign trots out Santa Ana Unified School District board member Rosemarie "Rosie" Avila who says,

"Prop. 8 protects our children from being taught in public schools that 'same-sex marriage' is the same as traditional marriage. We should not accept a court decision that results in public schools teaching our kids that gay marriage is okay. That is an issue for parents to discuss with their children according to their own values and beliefs. It shouldn't be forced on us against our will."

According to the California Secretary of State's webpage, Orange County (which is where Santa Ana is located) voted 60% for George W. Bush, Republican, in the 2004 General Election. San Francisco County voted 83% for John Kerry, Democrat. Clearly, Orange County is more conservative than San Francisco County. So, does the comparisons in school boards really hold up? I think not.

Surely, Ms. Avila knows that a field trip requires the parent's permission. And surely, she also knows that a parent can opt out

Asolutely nothing is preventing parents from taking an active role in the education of their children. Ms. Avila seems to ignore the facts and react only on her fears.

I welcome your comments.