Date: Fri, 1 Mar 1996 06:53:27 -0800 From: jessea@uclink4.berkeley.edu (Jessea NR Greenman) Subject: FW: Religious Liberty Rally in MS; support Ptld OR superintendent >From: Melissa Goldberg >To: Jessea >Subject: Religious Liberty Rally > >Jessea: >Would you please post the following rally announcement to the P.E.R.S.O.N. >Project list. Even though this is not about attacks based on sexual >orientation, this incident is about discrimination and persecution. Lisa >Herdahl and her children have been attacked and ridiculed by their community >and need our support. The people who are organizing against them are the >same people who attack gays and lesbians. > - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - >PROTECT RELIGIOUS LIBERTY >ATTEND A RALLY ON MARCH 4TH TO SUPPORT THE >SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE > > Two and a half years ago, Lisa Herdahl and her family moved to Ecru, >Mississippi from a small town in Wisconsin where they attended a Lutheran >Church. When Mrs. Herdahl learned that sectarian prayers and morning >devotionals were broadcast over the school+s intercom to captive audiences >of students in their classrooms and that religious Bible classes were taught >in the town+s public schools, she assumed that many parents would share her >belief that religious teaching belongs in the church and the home, not in >school. She was wrong. > > After many attempts to end the proselytizing in her children+s school, >Mrs. Herdahl was driven to take legal action in what she called "a last >resort to protect my families religious freedom." > > This case is not about the rights of children to voluntarily pray in >schools. Children already have that right under the Constitution. This >case is about imposing specific religious beliefs on a captive audience and >about school-sponsored religious teaching. > >PLEASE JOIN US IN OUR SUPPORT OF LISA HERDAHL AND HER ATTEMPTS TO DEFEND >RELIGIOUS LIBERTY > >What: A Rally >Where: Federal District Court > 911 Jackson Avenue - Oxford, MS >When: 9:00 am, Monday, March 4th > >Those who trample on religious liberty are planning to have between 500 - >1000 people demonstrating against Lisa Herdahl and her family. We urge you >to come out in support of the separation of church and state. > > > >Melissa Goldberg >People For the American Way >Suite 400 >2000 M Street, NW >Washington, DC 20009 >1-800-326-7329 ============================================ from pflag-talk comes: "Greetings from Oregon--I thought you might find this information interesting. Yesterday's Sunday Oregonian carried a front page article, "Schools try to give gays equal footing." The article discusses a gay, lesbian and bisexual sensitivity program that has been used to train faculty at Portland's Grant High School and Lane Middle Schools. Funding for the program comes from a private grant of $4,300 from the Peace Development Fund in Massachusetts. Superintendent Jack Bierwirth defends the program pointing to the federal Department of Health and Human Services study showing that gay, lesbina and bisexual students commit suicide, abuse drugs and drop out of school at disproportionate rates. He wants the district to help provide a safer environment for them. Lon Mabon, who sponsored anti-gay ballot measures in Oregon and who is head of the Oregon Citizens Alliance, says the Portland School District's efforts are what he's been trying to fight. "I believe basically that there are some teachers and some administrators who may have a good motive in doing this, But I believe that this is just another step in promoting the homosexual political agenda." Bierwirth says, "We are not advocating homosexuality. We are recognizing there are gay, bisexual and lesbian students in the school district.... they deserve to be treated in a way that gives them every opportunity to succeed, as any other student would. One significant aspect of the program is that teachers who are willing to listen to students will put special stickers on their classrooms, indicating gay, lesbian and bisexual safe zones. And those who are not comfortable dealing with the issue have other teachers they can refer students to. According to the article, the superintendent has the support of school board member Carol Turner. If any of you would like to send Superintendent Jack Bierwirth a letter of support, the address is: Dr. Jack Bierwirth, Superintendent Portland Public Schools Portland District No 1J 501 N Dixon Portland, OR 97227 The Oregonian writer, Paloma McGregor can be reached by fax at 503 294-7660 or snail mail 1320 S.W. Broadway, Portland, OR 97201 " *+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+ YOU MAY RE-POST. Jessea Greenman The P.E.R.S.O.N. Project* Oakland, CA CHECK THIS OUT FOR LOADS OF INFO: http://www.youth.org/loco/PERSONProject/ Please cc us (for our files) on correspondence you send or receive re our action alerts. *Public Education Regarding Sexual Orientation Nationally.