Subject: IWG Bergen Record Letter
From: Interfaith Working Group <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 22 Jul 1997 22:37:35 -0400 (EDT)

The following went out on IWG letterhead listing 10 congregations and religious
organizations and 43 clergy from 14 faiths and denominations. If you are in 
the general Philadelphia area and represent a congregation or religious 
organization or are clergy, let us know if you want to be added - all faiths 
are welcome. We will also be happy to help start similar organizations in 
other areas.

July 22, 1997

Bergen Record
150 River Street
Hackensack, NJ 07602

Dear Editors:

In her July 20 letter, Mary DeGrado said that Fair Lawn
is a diverse community with many cultures and large
Jewish and Christian populations.  She then proceeded
use this as an excuse for keeping a gay teacher out of
the schools on religious grounds.  It is extremely
likely in such a diverse community that there are many
parents, Christian, Jewish, and otherwise, who would
welcome a gay teacher into the schools.  It is also
equally likely that there are other teachers and
potential teachers who could be excused for religious
reasons which Ms. DeGrado would not like.  In a
culturally diverse society, personal Biblical
interpretation, no matter how popular, is not a good
basis for public school policy.

Sincerely,
Barbara Purdom     Christopher Purdom
Interfaith Working Group Coordinators

-- 

Interfaith Working Group                Religious organizations, congregations
[email-masked]                      and clergy supporting gay rights,
http://www.libertynet.org/~iwg/         reproductive freedom, and the 
215-235-3050                            separation of church and state.