Legal Commentary

The New York Times yesterday had an interesting story about anti-bullying curricula in public schools, specifically concerning the GBLT community.  Some educators believe, understandably, that it is difficult to guard against bullying of students for reasons of sexual orientation without actually discussing sexual orientation and teaching a positive acceptance of LGBT orientations.  Some parents believe that doing so, in practice if not necessarily in theory, ends up promoting "acceptance of the homosexual agenda" or, in a more pert and ambiguous phrasing, teaching "homosexual lessons."

Although I tend to support one side of this debate, far be it from me to try to resolve it here.  It seems to me at least quite possible to teach the fact that some people are gay, and to promote the value that all people should be free from violence, without taking a stand on the question of whether homosexuality is moral or immoral.  Whether most educators want to slice the educational point this finely, or are reliably capable of doing so, is another question.  Whether some parents would accept even this lesson, even if they agree that bullying of anyone is wrong, is yet another question.  And despite my general desire to reach a rapprochement on these issues that finds ways of including a broad range of religious voices and values, including those whose conclusions differ from my own, I would quite understand if LBGT advocates wanted a thicker lesson to be taught and not just a narrow lesson about tolerance.