The Board of Education on Tuesday voted unanimously to oppose the November ballot measure that would ban gay marriage.
The district's press release follows:
LAUSD BOARD OF EDUCATION OPPOSES PROPOSITION 8
Los Angeles - The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) Board of Education voted unanimously to oppose Proposition 8 which would eliminate the right of same-sex couples to marry in the state of California. The measure will appear on the November ballot in California.
The United State of America was founded on the principle that all people should be treated equally. The equal protection under the law is a foundation principal in our society. Marriage is the institution that conveys dignity and respect to the lifetime commitment of any couple. The passage of Proposition 8 would deny gay and lesbian couples the same dignity and respect others enjoy.
"This is an issue of simple fairness and basic human rights," said Board Member Marlene Canter. "We have an obligation to educate every student and support every family in this District - we can not stand by while the right to marry for all is threatened."
"Proposition 8 undermines the culture we are all working to create here in LAUSD: one of respect, inclusiveness, and strength through diversity. I am very proud that the Board voted to affirm the right of all committed couples to marry, and rejected the bigotry behind Proposition 8," Board President Monica Garcia.
"As a district, we must model for our students and employees our commitment to issues of equality, diversity, and acceptance of all loving relationships and lifestyles," said Board Vice President Yolie Flores Aguilar. "Standing up for the rights of gay couples to marry sends a strong message that we all have the right to pursue our own happiness, and models this important commitment toward equality."
"This resolution is not only good for LGBT kids, but LGBT headed families and employees. We must work together to create an environment that supports respect and equal treatment," said Francisco Dueñas of Lamba Legal. "Eliminating fundamental rights - from anyone - is just plain wrong."
The Board's action was supported by a host of community organizations who praised the effort to protect the basic rights and dignity of gay and lesbian people to marry.
Is it true that the LAUSD donated $1 million to the effort against Prop 8? Is this where are dues go?
Interesting how schools are so involved in sexually related agenda. The Los Angeles school board should truly focus their attention on READING, WRITING, and MATH. PERIOD.
They are churning out idiots by the thousands each year. Outrageous is fact that schools are already pushing the homosexual agenda as early as kindergarten. Do a Google search for it.
During a celebration of National Ally Week, Tara Miller, a teacher at the Faith Ringgold School of Arts and Science in Hayward, Calif., passed out cards produced by the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network to her class of kindergartners.
Yes on 8 - Voting any other way is unnatural.
I support the LAUSD's decision and am glad that the school board is standing up for EQUALITY and HUMAN RIGHTS.
Are you serious? According to someone, just because there is only "2% of the population, who live the lifestyle" that means they shouldn't be entitled to equality? It's like saying, women shouldn't have rights because they are 2% of the population, or *insert ethnicity here, like African American" are only 2% of the population, so they shouldn't have rights. It's sad that people dismiss other people and marginalize them. Aren't we all human? Don't we all bleed the same? Why can't we be equal? What does race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation have to do with the characters or kinds of people we are?
Furthermore, calling the gay population 2% of the population here in Los Angeles County is a grave miscalculation.
"I say to you today, my friends, that in spite of the difficulties and frustrations of the moment, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal." -MLK
"Let freedom ring from the curvaceous peaks of California!"
MLK
Ms. Patrick, I too am a Black woman, with two grown children and four grandchildren, as well as two foster children. I am also a lesbian. In response to your comment, I have only this to say:
"The United State of America was founded on the principle that all people should be treated equally. The equal protection under the law is a foundation principal in our society. Marriage is the institution that conveys dignity and respect to the lifetime commitment of any couple. The passage of Proposition 8 would deny gay and lesbian couples the same dignity and respect others enjoy.
"This is an issue of simple fairness and basic human rights," said Board Member Marlene Canter. "We have an obligation to educate every student and support every family in this District - we can not stand by while the right to marry for all is threatened." (from the article on LAUSD's opposition to Proposition 8)
Would you rather we just sleep together Ms. Patrick? How are we the "SELECTED ELITE" when we are the ones who cannot marry and support our children and each other as you can? Allowing us to marry has nothing to do with what the schools are teaching, other than showing them that this country actually is what it supposedly has been for hundreds of years: a country where ALL MEN/WOMEN ARE CREATED EQUAL.
Dear LAUSD Board of Education members:
I am extremely disappointed in the decision of LAUSD to unanimously oppose Proposition 8. As a candidate for the 52nd Assembly, and a black woman, married, 5 adult children and 2 grandbabies, I know that this decision which supports the lifestyle of only 2% of the population could not be the concensus of the majority of the administrators, teachers, parents, and students in LAUSD. I hope the school board did not decide to make this statement without checking with the stakeholders it is sworn to serve!
What happened to the freedom of choice for the majority who have decided NOT to engage in or support same-sex lifestyles? You err when you support the will of the SELECTED ELITE. Where's the example of true democracy wherein is reflected equality for all? A quick reflection upon the state of our troubled schools, i.e. escalating drop out rates, low test scores, teen pregnancies, gang involvement, etc. shows clearly the need for a focus on character and values to be inserted into every phase of learning. Since when has the teaching of tolerance of sexual preferences to babies as young as pre-kindergarteners more important than teaching reading, writing, math and morality?
LAUSD school board, at best you may want to rescind your proclamation (which will become dangerous dogma for the district), until you ask the taxpayers who pay your salaries what they think.
I'm calling on church and community leaders to express their views to our local papers and networks concerning this outrage!