Date: Sun, 7 Jan 1996 11:10:46 -0800 From: jessea@uclink2.berkeley.edu (Jessea NR Greenman) Subject: fundamentalist NH school board member speaks out Letter to the Editor of _Mother Jones_, appearing in that magazine's Jan/Feb '96 issue, p.5: "The liberal left still doesn't get it. As a mother and conservative school board member in Merrimack, N.H., I cannot allow the continued assault on our children of a failed liberal agenda that seeks to undermine the time-tested values we hold as a family and as a community. "_Mother Jones_ fails to recognize that it's not just the 'religious zealots' who are joining the battle. It is your average middle-class moms and dads in Anytown, U.S.A., who pick up their newspapers on a given day and see our country in a downward spiral of increasing teen suicides, skyrocketing illegitimate birthrates, as well as ever-rising violent crime rates. "I wholeheartedly agree with Pat Buchanan when he stated: 'It is a religious war going on in our country for the soul of America.' For me, it is also a war for the souls of our children. "I don't agree with this psychological concept of moral relativism where there is no right or wrong, which seems to be the prevailing message given to our children in public schools today. Children must be taught traditional American values such as self-discipline, respect for the law, freedom of religion, respect for others and their property, respect for the family, honesty, integrity, premarital abstinence, and patriotism. "If it takes the Christian Coalition and others to get us there, so be it. I for one want to help lead the fight! Shelly A. Uscinski, Merrimack School Board Member, Merrimack , N.H." ----- Dear P.E.R.S.O.N. Project readers, As you may recall, in august of '95 the School Board of MERRIMACK, N.H voted 3-2 to ban teachers and guidance counselors from presenting homosexuality in a positive light. School board Chairman Chris Ager defended his proposal, saying it wouldn't lead to a witch hunt, but rather prevent schools from usurping parents' right to raise their children as they see fit. But board member Brenda Grady, a Nashua high school teacher, and a moderate recently elected by taxpayers tired of the right-wing agenda of the fundamentalists on the Board, said controversial subjects are discussed all the time without passing judgment on them. The other moderate Board member, Kenneth Coleman, ALSO had a letter to the editor published in the same Jan/Feb '96 issue of _Mother Jones_. In *his* letter, Mr. Coleman said "The Christian Coalition (in its many guises) and other radical right organizations have been successful in co-opting values that most of us, as Americans, hold dear. Once they have labeled those values exclusively as their own, they demonize anyone who opposes their organization." Ms. Uscinski's concerns about teen suicide and violent crime seem at odds with her homophobia (she was one of 3 voting for the ban referenced above). As we well know, teen suicide and hate violence stalk the lives of LGBT people. Her concern for the souls of "our" children seems disingenuous...whose children? Those of LGBT parents? LGBT children? Those with LGBT relatives? We think NOT! Her concern for "traditional values" aborts the list, leaving off such important values as liberty and justice for all, freedom of speech, freedom FROM religion, freedom to assemble, freedom to petition the government for redress of grievances, tolerance, and compassion, to name but a few. Her list, short though it is, manages to lay false claim to understanding and control of the values of respect for others, respect for family, honesty, etc., all of which she seems to assume serve her admitted agenda of religious warfare and domination of PUBLIC schools. Letters to Ms. Uscinski and the other Merrimack educational policy makers may be sent as follows... Merrimack School Board (you may write to individuals members or to the President and ask that all others be cc'd) Merrimack School Department 36 McElwain St. Merrimack NH 03054 phone (603) 424 6200, fax (603) 424 6229] Policy makers for the next administrative level up in the state's education system may be contacted as follows: School Administrative Unit #26 Superintendent: James M. O'Neil Asst. Superintendent: Marjorie C. Chiafery 36 McElwain St. Merrimack 03054-3693 Tel. (603) 424-6200 Fax (603) 424-6229 Or, take it to the TOP and contact the state's highest educational policy maker as follows: Commissioner of Education Elizabeth M Twomey New Hampshire Dept. of Education, State Office Park South, 101 Pleasant Street, Concord NH 03301. The Department's phone= 603-271-3144, fax= 603-271-1953 and TDD Access= Relay NH 1-800-735-2964. local activists tracking these issues may be contacted as follow: Ken Coleman (603) 883-3254; fax (603)881-4877 OR Randy Kottwitz (603) 883 8786, fax (603) 880 6153 newspapers to contact to dissect/protest Ms. Uscinski's stances include: The Union Leader,Box 9555,Manchester,NH,03108 (state's leading paper) -(Fax 603-668-0382, print run 71,609) The Telegraph,Box 1008,Nashua,NH,03061 (local paper near Merrimack) -(Fax 603-882-5138, print run 29,580) Letters to Mother Jones may be sent to Backtalk, Mother Jones, 731 Market St. Suite 600, San Francisco CA 94103 or faxed to 415-665-6696 or emailed to INCLUDE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS, AND PHONE. "Letters may be edited for space and clarity." *+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+ YOU MAY RE-POST. Jessea Greenman The P.E.R.S.O.N. Project*; ph/fax: 510-601-8883, 586 62nd St. Oakland, CA 94609-1245 Gopher to "gopher.outright.com" Web sites: http://www.youth.org/loco/PERSONProject/ http://www1.usa1.com/~furball/glb/person.html/ http://www.pride.net/pridenet/person The P.E.R.S.O.N. Project is *always* looking for volunteer organizers. Please cc us (for our files) on correspondence you send or receive re our action alerts. *Public Education Regarding Sexual Orientation Nationally.