Homophobia and Intelligent Design Preferred On Fox
Reported by Deborah - August 8, 2005
David Parker's son, attending kindergarten in Lexington,Mass., brought a book home about family diversity last April. One of the families pictured in this book had two Mommies prompting Parker to contact the school. Today Parker appeared on Fox&Friends to talk to ED Hill about the situation and the circumstances that landed Parker in court. The version offered on F&F was very different from the one offered in newspaper reports. 8/8/08
E.D. Hill, looking shocked, marveled that a five year old brought home a book about homosexuality, transgender and same sex marriage.
Hill and Parker suggested that there was an intention by the schools to teach five year olds about homosexuality. David Parker told Hill that the school told him that there was no planned curriculum but he acted as if that was not true.
Parker said that after communicating by e-mail he was invited in for a meeting. He requested that he be notified before they planned to teach his son about homosexuality. He claimed that first they agreed and then changed their minds and had him arrested. Parker added that he is now banned from school. However, there was no indication of what Parker might have done to create this situation.
Hill asked how the other parents feel about the situation. Parker stated that there is support but there is a "very vocal and prominent lesbian" force against him.
The book in question, "Who's In A Family" was not discussed or shown on air. The book that Parker found so threatening is a very age appropriate, well illustrated book about different kinds of families.
The cover page has illustrated snapshots of kids with their different parents and even animal families are included. There is one snapshot of two women and a child representing the family with two moms.
A report from Boston Channel had a more detailed version of what happened at the meeting. It seems that David Parker refused to leave the school until all his demands were met.
E.D. Hill stated that the Lexington Schools were contacted for their side but did not respond.
comment: This week Bill O'Reilly and Tony Snow supported the inclusion of Intelligent Design in our school curriculums. O'Reilly actually called the National Academy of Sciences fascist for rejecting the theory behind Intelligent Design.
The way this story was presented today was clearly a distortion of the facts to create a ridiculous notion that kindergarten kids in Lexington, Mass. are learning their numbers, letters, colors, shapes, transportation and homosexuality each day at school.
As a teacher, I think that the David Parkers in this country need to accept the fact that there are many kinds of families now and teachers have a responsibility to make every child feel accepted. I want to teach my students to be tolerant, open and inclusive and hopefully they will grow up to be decent human beings. Fox is very wrong to continue promoting this right wing fear, hate and homophobia.
The David Parkers in this country should send their kids to private schools or homeschool them. They have every right to teach their kids to fear and hate diversity but people with the true moral values are sick of their toxic whining.
