Nah, they’re not trying to indoctrinate kids about sexual orientation, are they?

If you’re a Republican who has ever gotten into a debate with an staunch advocate of teaching sexual education – including sexual orientation – in public schools, I’m sure you’ve heard the excuse of “the schools aren’t trying teaching kids to be homosexuals, they’re just teaching tolerance of the homosexual lifestyle.” It’s not an accurate statement, but it’s one they make nevertheless.

Case in point, this story from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

Port Washington – Parents are angry and school leaders are promising action in response to a “Heterosexual Questionnaire,” approved by two teachers, that asked students questions such as: “If you have never slept with someone of your same gender, then how do you know you wouldn’t prefer it?”

Hundreds of Port Washington High School students were told to submit written answers and discuss the survey.

The questionnaire was distributed by a student organization, which then led a full class-period discussion. Two teachers approved distribution of the survey. The principal did not.

[…]

Woelfel estimated that the survey was given to about 400 of the school’s 930 students on April 25, the day before the national Day of Silence, an annual event co-sponsored by the New York City-based Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network.

According to the Day of Silence Web site, the event is a “student-led day of action” that attempts to eliminate harassment of non-heterosexual students.

Woelfel said that, in connection with the Day of Silence, the school’s Students for Unity spent the day visiting classrooms. They distributed the surveys and led discussions, he said.

Woelfel said that the Students for Unity’s goal of trying to prevent harassment of all people with “alternative lifestyles” is good but that the survey was not appropriate. The two teachers “are very remorseful,” he said.

Some of the questions apparently were intended to make heterosexuals understand what it’s like to be gay or lesbian. Those questions included: “What do you think caused your heterosexuality?” and “When did you decide you were heterosexual?”

Students in the group presenting the survey were trying to convey that “students who have an alternative lifestyle get asked these questions every day, so please be considerate. It was an exercise in compassion and understanding that did not work out real well,” Woelfel said.

Riiiight. If anyone really believes this was an ‘exercise in compassion and understanding’ I guess I should admit to everyone that I’m really Queen Elizabeth.

Here are the survey questions (the below is the text version of that graphic that I found on this website):

1. What do you think caused your heterosexuality?

2. When and how did you decide that you were a heterosexual?

3. To whom have you disclosed your heterosexuality? How did they react?

4. Could it be that your heterosexuality is just a phase?

5. Is it possible your heterosexuality stems from a neurotic fear of others of your same gender?

6. If you have never slept with someone of your same gender, then how do you know you wouldn’t perfer it? Isn’t it likely that you just haven’t met the right same-sex partner yet?

7. Heterosexuals have a history of failures in gay relationships. Do you think you may have turned heterosexual out of fear of rejection?

8. Why do you flaunt your lifestyle with wedding rings, photos at work and talk of your heterosexual escapades?

9. Your heterosexuality doesn’t offend me as long as you leave me alone, but why do so many heterosexulal try to seduce others into their orientation?

10. Are cancer, earthquakes and floods God’s way of punishing heterosexuals?

11. Considering the battering, abuse and divorce rate associated with heterosexual coupling, why would you want to enter into that kind of relationship?

12. If you should choose to have childern, would you want them to be heterosexual, knowing the problems they would face?

13. How can you ever hope to become a whole person if you limit yourself to a compulsive, exclusively heterosexual lifestyle and remain unwilling to explore and develop your normal, healthy, God-given homosexual potential?

14. And anyway, why do heterosexuals place so much emphasis on sex?

As I’ve asked before, when did public schools become the place to have days of recognition for sexual preferences (in addition to ‘educating’ students on sexual orientation’)? Is there a “right” somewhere in the Constitution for that, too?

Hat tip: RightWinged.com

Related Toldjah So posts on education run amok:

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