Subject: Poll on Parents Concerned About HIV
From: [email-masked]
Date: Mon, 4 Dec 1995 17:21:33 -0500

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NEWS from the
Human Rights Campaign

1101 14th Street NW
Washington, DC 20005
email:  [email-masked]
WWW:    http://www.hrcusa.org
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, December 4, 1995

          POLL SHOWS PARENTS MORE CONCERNED ABOUT         AIDS/HIV THAN  WHAT
STUDENTS ARE TAUGHT ABOUT
                                          HOMOSEXUALITY 

               GO TO HRC'S WEBSITE TO SEE WHAT YOU CAN DO
                                            http://www.hrcusa.org

Washington -- On the eve of controversial hearings instigated by
a noted anti-gay extremist, Lou Sheldon, the Human Rights
Campaign released the results of a bipartisan poll showing that
-- by more than two to one -- parents worry more about their
children receiving enough information about AIDS and HIV in
school than about homosexuality being presented as acceptable.
The Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee of the House
Economic and Educational Opportunities Committee is convening
hearings this week entitled "Parents, Schools, and Values." The
hearings were the fulfillment of a promise to lobbyist Lou
Sheldon, head of the Traditional Values Coalition, a religious
political extremist group, by House Speaker Newt Gingrich.

"Congress should take note that parents are much more concerned
that their children receive the facts about AIDS and HIV than
they are about Lou Sheldon's paranoia about homosexuality," said
Daniel Zingale, the Human Rights Campaign's political director. 
"Most parents believe that schools should help protect their
children from HIV and AIDS, regardless of the scare tactics used
by some extremist groups to distort the purpose of AIDS education
programs."

According to the survey, a strong majority of parents (59
percent) said they worry more about "not providing children with
enough information to protect themselves from AIDS" than they do
about "exposing children to information about homosexuality." 
Majorities of Republicans (53 percent), independents (66 percent)
and Democrats (65 percent) agreed, as did  majorities in every
region of the country (Northeast, 66 percent; North Central, 62
percent; South, 57 percent; West, 63 percent). The national
survey of 773 registered voters was conducted between Nov. 30 and
Dec. 3 by Democratic Lake Research and the Republican firm of
Bailey, Deardourff & Associates.  The margin of error for the
sample is +/- 3.1 percent.

While subcommittee spokespeople continue to deny Sheldon's
involvement in the hearing, Sheldon continues to claim credit for
the forum and maintains their purpose is to examine the
"promotion of homosexuality" in schools, according to literature
produced by Sheldon's lobbying organization.

Former Reagan/Bush official and Sheldon ally William Bennett is
scheduled to testify before the committee tomorrow. School
officials, parents, and education experts are expected to testify
Wednesday, Dec. 6. Bennett appeared in "Gay Rights, Special
Rights," an anti-gay propaganda video produced by the Traditional
Values Coalition that has been used to vilify gay and lesbian
Americans and promote discrimination.

The Human Rights Campaign, the largest national lesbian and gay
political organization, with members throughout the country,
effectively lobbies Congress, provides campaign support, and
educates the public to ensure that lesbian and gay Americans can
be open, honest, and safe at home, at work, and in the community.

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