from Gay Activism in the Schools

Conan invited several guests on the program, including Massachusetts Representative Alice Wolf and John Garza, president of Citizens for a Responsible Curriculum in Maryland.

Rep. Wolf is sponsoring legislation to require the teaching of homosexuality to students by the fifth grade. According to Wolf, the teaching of homosexuality is "part of a comprehensive health curriculum" and is designed to help children make healthy choices. Wolf asserts that the curriculum will be balanced and says the parents "should be involved in the development of these curricula." She also claims that there is an opt out provision for parents who do not wish their children to receive this education.

Rep. Wolf discounted the concern of one Massachusetts parent who protested his child being required to read a textbook that described various kinds of families, including gay families.

John Garza described his experience in Montgomery County when the education establishment began forcing students to sit through gay-affirmative teachings, including a condom video that recommended condoms for oral and anal sex. Garza said his group pointed out that the condom manufacturers themselves say that condom use isn't safe for anal sex. According to Garza, "And homosexual sex, especially anal sex amongst men, is highly dangerous. When I came in here, I saw a sign that said NPR is a smoke-free environment. Anal sex is actually much more dangerous than smoking for your health."

Conan cautioned Garza against continuing to discuss anal sex. "Well, let's not get into that today, right now."

Garza said his group had approached five or six law firms to help them in their case against the Montgomery County school district. The Liberty Counsel volunteered to help them at no cost.

The Liberty Counsel sued the school district over its unbalanced presentation of the facts about homosexuality and won the case. A federal judge ruled that the district had engaged in viewpoint discrimination by refusing to allow alternative points of view to be expressed about homosexuality.