Philadephia School District Drops 'History' Months After 'Gay' Flap

Newsmax reports:

A controversy stemming from the inclusion of "Gay and Lesbian History Month" in last year's calendar has prompted the Philadelphia School District to release a 2007-08 schedule that omits any tributes to the history of any groups of people.

But this change has sparked a new dispute: The head of a homosexual advocacy group called the move "appalling," and the leader of a pro-family organization hailed it as "a courageous step" to protect students "from the dangerous message that 'gay is okay.'"

Cecilia Cummings, the school district's senior vice president for communications and community relations, told Cybercast News Service that until six years ago, the calendar, which is mailed to 200,000 parents and district officials each August, contained only academic dates and a list of public holidays on which the schools would be closed.


"Then one year, someone would say, 'What about Black History Month? Put it on'[the calendar]", Cummings stated. "In another year, someone else would say, 'What about Ramadan? Put it on.' Items such as that were added as part of a very informal process, and while we had some controversy, it was never very loud."

When approaching the 2006-07 academic year, the district decided to expand the calendar format using the theme of "diversity," she said. For that edition, months honoring the contributions of African-Americans, Hispanics, and Asian-Pacific Americans were included, as well as the International Day of Disabled Persons.

Nevertheless, the designation of October as Gay and Lesbian History Month drew the most attention -- and complaints, Cummings indicated.

"We were just not prepared for the controversy," she said. "We were besieged by calls, threats and letters, and we didn't have the manpower to staff it. Nor did we have the preparation or training to really figure out how to deal with this issue in a way that could keep kids safe. We had meetings where adults were calling kids names."

Maybe it's time to separate school from state, that way consumers can choose what kind of school they want their children to go to.Here's a long paper on how important lesbians were in developing the American welfare state.