Religious Right 1, Academic Freedom 0

Staunch Moderate blogged on Friday about a decision by a US District court judge which ruled a sex ed program unconstitutional and also promotes homosexuality. This means that the Montgomer County, Maryland Schools have to pull their sex-ed curriculum. A lawsuit was brought by two organizations on the Religious Right who believed the curriculum was biased in favor of homosexuality and dismissed a religious viewpoint.

Here is part of the judge's opinion:

Montgomery County Public Schools "open up the classroom to the subject of homosexuality, and specifically, the moral rightness of the homosexual lifestyle," the judge wrote in his decision.
"However, the Revised Curriculum presents only one view on the subject -- that homosexuality is a natural and morally correct lifestyle -- to the exclusion of other perspectives.
"The public interest is served by preventing [school officials] from promoting particular religious beliefs in the public schools and preventing [the officials] from disseminating one-sided information on a controversial topic," Judge Williams wrote.

There are so many things wrong with this. First, the people bringing suit only have are representing one religious viewpoint: that is, that homosexuality is sinful. Of course they won't say sinful, but that's what they will say in other words. Second, there are many people of faith who don't think homosexuality is sinful. Would their view be represented? I don't think so. If you are going to teach a religious viewpoint of homosexuality in a public school, then it should represent all religious viewpoints, not just fundamentalist Christians.

What makes me mad about this is that these far right activists don't give a damn about gays. They don't care that many gay teens face violence and discrimation and some take their own lives because they can't take people not liking them. These people talk about being Christians and yet act so unchristlike.

I don't believe in saying who is and who isn't a follower of Christ. As a Christian myself, I leave that up to God and try to love everyone-including the far right. But I do think they are a poor representative of what a Christian should be all about-loving God and our neighbors, be they straight or gay.