As gay youth suicides increase, Focus on the Family attacks anti-bullying report

[marmar]

from AlterNet:



Posted by alvinmcewen at 8:37 am
October 2, 2010

As gay youth suicides increase, Focus on the Family attacks anti-bullying report
Posted by alvinmcewen on @ 8:37 am


Candi Cushman of Focus on the Family just released a critique of GLSEN (the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network)’s recent school climate report.

GLSEN’s report found that in 2009:

. . . 7,261 middle and high school students found that at school nearly 9 out of 10 LGBT students experienced harassment at school in the past year and nearly two-thirds felt unsafe because of their sexual orientation. Nearly a third of LGBT students skipped at least one day of school in the past month because of safety concerns.

Naturally, Cushman and Focus on the Family disputes this. To make a long story short, Cushman is claiming that GLSEN’s report is inaccurate because it:

. . . lists four authors—all of whom are employed by GLSEN, including Emily A. Greytak, who became involved with a GLSEN chapter 12 years ago and has worked for the organization since 2006; Elizabeth M. Diaz, who, as a GLSEN employee since 2004, conducts workshops opposing abstinence education; and GLSEN employee Mark J. Bartkiewicz, whose “research interests include LGBT students’ access to comprehensive sexual health education and the effects of inclusive LGBT curricula.”

Hardly what you’d call an objective research team—and then there’s the little fact that they are paid by an organization that has openly acknowledged its goal of getting gay, lesbian and transgender themes “fully integrated into curricula across a variety of subject areas and grade levels.”

Cushman is pushing the same old lie that GLSEN is trying to “introduce homosexual themes” into schools in order to “indoctrinate” children.

It’s the standard lie she and Focus on the Family pushes and it’s nothing new. ............(more)

The complete piece is at: http://blogs.alternet.org/speakeasy/2010/10/02/as-gay-youth-suicides-increase-focus-on-the-family-attacks-anti-bullying-report/