Lexington C.A.R.E.S.By now, it is obvious to everyone that the incident at the Estabrook School was a highly orchestrated event. They chose the wrong town. Lexington cherishes and celebrates its diversity. Our diversity, coupled with a strong sense of community, is what makes Lexington special.
Kudos to the staff at Estabrook, and at each of the other schools in Lexington. We entrust our children to their care on a daily basis. They embrace that trust and manage to do so much more than just teach the ABCs in this brave new world of ours.
Tracy Fischer Oakland Street
There has been some strong criticism of the diversity book bags at Estabrook School many of which include books featuring different configurations of families including those made up of children with two same-sex parents. There is nothing in these books that talks about marriage, sex, or even homosexual orientation. They are just families which look like families the children at Estabrook go to school with.
There is a campaign in town that wishes to "protect" children from these books and from reminding children of the diversity of family configurations by sending home notification when there might be conversations in classes about same-sex headed households. We believe that to consider doing this would be discriminatory and hurtful.
Families with two mothers or two fathers are now a vital part of our community; their children deserve the full acceptance of their teachers, their peers, and other parents. To do otherwise would be harmful not only to them, but to all of the other students by sending the message that some families are not as good as others.
Fortunately Superintendent Bill Hurley and the Estabrook staff have been very supportive of an atmosphere of inclusion and diversity. Gay/lesbian couples are now celebrating the first year anniversary of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court's ruling legalizing gay marriage; the children deserve to celebrate as well.
As members of Pilgrim Congregational Church United Church of Christ, an Open and Affirming congregation, we feel it is important to state that there are people of faith who welcome all people of every sexual orientation, racial, religious, economic background. Pilgrim is also one of eight houses of worship in Lexington who are sponsors of the Respecting Differences Coalition whose mission is to affirm the dignity of all human beings and to provide education about the safe and respectful treatment of all in our community regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.
Martha Kimbal
for the Pilgrim Church Opening Hearts and Minds Committee
Gleason Road
In the 1850s, many Americans believed that it was morally upright to deny slaves their freedom. It took a civil war and reconstruction but eventually the slaves were free and the moral position of those Americans changed.
In the 1900s many Americans believed that it was morally correct to deny women the right to vote. It took many years of work by the suffragettes but eventually women could vote and the moral position of those Americans changed.
In the 1960s, many Americans believed that it was moral to deny blacks their civil rights. It took many years of nonviolent demonstrations and legislation but eventually blacks were given their civil rights and the moral position of those Americans changed.
In 2005, many Americans believe that it is moral to deny gays and lesbians their civil right to marriage. It took many years and the moral position of those Americans changed.
The tide of U.S. history is clearly on the side of ensuring equal civil rights for all Americans and the disappearance of the irrational or prejudiced "morality" that opposes it.
If you are one of those moral Americans who are currently against the civil right of gays and lesbians to marriage and the additional rights it confers; consider your moral predecessors above and think about how history and your grandchildren will view you in the not too distant future.
Ed Vail Crescent Road
The father who was arrested at Estabrook School and the school authorities cannot agree on teaching children about the different types of families because the father's form of Christian beliefs instruct him that homosexuality is a sin.
When he views the book "Who's in a Family," he cannot see pictures of same-sex parents in a loving family washing the dog and setting the dinner table; instead, he can see only people engaged in sexual activity he fears and finds repulsive. He cannot consider a discussion about a child's two moms or two dads without thinking about sexual activity and therefore such a discussion by its nature involves "adult themes."
For this reason, he cannot tolerate or "include" such families in his life for that would condone or even mandate sin. Thus, he wants the school and our community to "shield" his sons from "exposure" to this disease of sin to make him feel more comfortable so he does not have to think about their sexual activities.
As Lexington has a number of families headed by same-sex parents, and as Massachusetts has recognized same-sex marriage as legal, perhaps the father would prefer that the same-sex parents wear brown paper bags over their heads when they drop their son off at school so that his child will not be exposed to such "adult themes."
Perhaps he would welcome some advance warning when a same-sex headed family buys their weekly groceries at the Stop & Shop so that he can make sure that his son does not see them loading up their Chrysler minivan in the parking lot. Perhaps he would appreciate the Estabrook School principal's instructing his son's classmate not to mention on school grounds that she loves both her moms. Perhaps he would feel more assured if Lexington posted signs marked "SS" at the corners in which same-sex headed families reside so that he can ensure that his son does not walk down those streets and see the same-sex parents mowing their lawn and cooking hot dogs on the grill.
Perhaps these steps will make him feel more comfortable in this community and shield his son from learning on his own that same-sex headed families are really no different from his.
Thomas H. Day
Wood Street