F O R     I M M E D I A T E     R E L E A S E

Major national gay groups, ACLU, and others file brief in federal court opposing David Parker’s civil rights lawsuit on teaching homosexuality in elementary school.

Groups include: Human Rights Campaign, ACLU, Massachusetts Teachers Association, Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders, plus local gay organizations.

WALTHAM, MASSACHUSETTS (OCT 5, 2006).  Major national and state pro-homosexual groups have filed an amicus curiae brief in Massachusetts District Court opposing Lexington parent David Parker’s federal civil rights lawsuit, filed earlier this year.

Given the high degree of interest that these groups have shown toward the Parker incident and court case, it’s expected that they will offer continued legal and financial support to stop the Parker lawsuit. On Wednesday evening in Bedford, Massachusetts, the ACLU held a “Human Relations Council”/No Place for Hate forum at which the David Parker issue was a primary topic by the presenter.

“Why are all these groups – especially the national groups -- so interested in a parent’s right to decide what moral issues are taught to his children by adults in elementary school, especially regarding homosexuality?” asks Brian Camenker, president of MassResistance. “This is outrageous and very frightening. They must see David Parker’s case as quite a threat to their ability to push their message on children.”

The legal brief attempts to make the point that the state has a legal obligation to teach homosexual issues to young children in the public schools (justified in part by the same-sex marriage ruling), and that parents do not have the right to be remove their children from those topics, or even be notified.  “This really seems to expose their true agenda,” added Camenker.

David Parker was arrested and jailed in Lexington, Massachusetts in April 2005, over his request – and the school’s refusal – to notify him when adults discuss homosexuality or transgenderism with his 6-year-old kindergartner, despite state law which requires parental notification. The incident made national news, with even Gov. Mitt Romney agreeing with Parker. Then in March 2006, the same school presented the book “King and King”, about homosexual romance and marriage, to second graders, and again refused to grant parental notification.  In April 2006, Parker and the other parents filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against school officials and the Town of Lexington over the incidents and the town’s refusal to follow state law.  The suit is pending trial.  The families are being represented by Denner, Pellegrino, LLP, of Boston.

For more information (or interviews) call:
MassResistance  781-890-6001