Random Thoughts

Below is a story from The Boston Globe about a father who was arrested for tresspassing after the school refused to inform him when any sort of pro-gay discussions would be taking place in his son's classroom.

It is definately a sad day for America's public schools. I know there is no way that I'll send my future children to public schools with all that could go on.

Disputed school's lesson on diversity

By Maria Cramer and Ralph Ranalli, Globe Staff | April 29, 2005

CONCORD -- For David Parker, the first alarm went off in January, when his 5-year-old son came home from his kindergarten class at Lexington's Joseph Estabrook School with a bag of books promoting diversity.

Inside were books about foreign cultures and traditions, along with food recipes. There was also a copy of ''Who's In a Family?" by Robert Skutch, which depicts different kinds of families, including same-sex couples raising children.

The book's contents concerned Parker and prompted him to begin a series of e-mail exchanges with school officials on the subject that culminated in a meeting Wednesday night with Estabrook's principal and district director of instruction. The meeting ended with Parker's arrest after he refused to leave the school, and the Lexington man spent the night in jail.

For more

Just got an e-mail from the ADF at least someone is standing up for the Constitution!

For more on what this could mean check out From the Morning

Gov. Blagojevich’s “emergency rule” at odds with state Right of Conscience law
Friday, April 15, 2005, 2:23 PM (MST)
ADF Media Relations | 480-444-0020

WAUKEGAN, Ill.—The Christian Legal Society and Alliance Defense Fund filed suit today against Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich on behalf of a Lake County pharmacist. Blagojevich’s “emergency rule” filed this month compels pharmacists to fill prescriptions for contraceptives, including abortion-inducing drugs, regardless of any moral objections they may have.

“The governor’s order is a bitter pill that no one should have to swallow,” said ADF Senior Counsel Gary McCaleb. “It is not legitimate to force a pharmacist to violate his conscience in this manner. A patient ordering ‘morning after’ pills can easily be referred to another pharmacist who has no moral objection to filling the prescription.”

The lawsuit, David Scimio v. Rod R. Blagojevich, et al., was filed in the Circuit Court of the 19th Judicial Circuit of Lake County, Illinois. Scimio, a Christian pharmacist whose conscience would be violated by filling prescriptions for abortifacients, decided to file suit after Blagojevich filed his “emergency rule.”

The lawsuit contends that the rule violates the Illinois Health Care Right of Conscience Act, which states that the public policy of Illinois is to “respect and protect the right of conscience” of health care professionals. The act also prohibits “all forms of discrimination, disqualification, coercion, disability, or imposition of liability” upon persons who refuse to deliver such services based upon a matter of conscience.

“Governor Blagojevich must not be allowed to ignore the law and elevate convenience over individual rights of religious belief and moral conscience,” said CLS Litigation Counsel Casey Mattox. “We are hopeful that the judicial department of the State of Illinois will fulfill its proper function by restraining the governor from remaking state law in the image of his own personal political viewpoints.”

The lawsuit also contends that Blagojevich also violated Illinois law by not allowing any public hearing on his rule and by failing to obtain proper authorization from a majority of the Board of Pharmacy. The suit additionally argues that the rule violates Scimio’s religious freedoms guaranteed under the Illinois Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

ADF is America’s largest legal alliance defending religious liberty through strategy, training, funding, and litigation.

www.telladf.org

Interesting story, I grew up not too far from this high school. I'm glad the Christian students on campus stood up for themselves. It seems that it is fine for Gay groups to protest and show their "pride", but when Christians do so, they are viewed as hateful....

The NBC story at least is pretty neutral on topic, although they have a lot more pictures of the pro-gay T-shirts.

From NBC5

CHICAGO -- Several students at a suburban high school wore contrasting T-shirts Tuesday in support of and against gay tolerance, but some students and school officials had differing views on whether it created a problem.

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Updated Images: T-Shirts Cause Controversy School spokesman David Thieman said the T-shirts did not create any problems."The day is off to a normal school. We're not expecting to have any major issues or disruptions. H.F. High School is a three-time blue ribbon award-winning school and we've been recognized nationally because we are diverse," Thieman said.There were no visible signs of conflict outside the school, Vatis reported, and security officers were posted on the campus. Students who tried to speak with the media were guided away, Vatis reported.Vatis spoke with two staff members of the student newspaper, Voyager, who gave a much different account of the scene inside the school."There was pretty much chaos in my first class -- students wearing the God T-shirts and students wearing the 'Gay Fine By Me' T-shirts," student Joe Maloney said. "Students (were) arguing with each other about the justification for wearing the T-shirts.""People who had gotten along in the past, and seeing each other in these different shirts saying, 'What's wrong with me? Do you have a problem with me?" student Sara McKee said.But school officials maintained that any disruptions would not be tolerated."Should there be a disruption we will immediately take the appropriate action to remedy it, but so far, normal school day, business as usual," Thieman said.Members of the Christian group said their campaign wasn't in opposition to the other campaign, but was instead a promotion of their own beliefs.

Well, I had my final committee meeting (aka preliminary oral exam for the PhD). Overall it went very well and I can move on to the next phase. Of course that means I'll going to have even more to do! I need to find a postdoc, finish my research, and write my Theisis. Oh what fun!

At least I can relax a little bit now and maybe post some more frequent updates.

Well, I've had a busy year so far. I'm finally having my PhD committee meeting this week Thursday. So I've been busy preparing for that. My report is finally done, so now I just need to try and review everything I can, while practicing my presentation.

I'll post more at then end of the week....