Utah's Republic

WHEREAS heterosexism is the exclusion of lesbians, gay males, bisexuals, transgender, and queer people (LGBTQ) in every aspect of the individual, cultural, and institutional aspects of life, and in policies, procedures, events and activities; and,

WHEREAS heterosexism creates an environment of violence and hatred towards LGBTQ people  and their allies, where 83.2% of LGBTQ students report being verbally harassed because of their sexual and/or gender identity; and, 

WHEREAS heterosexism is the institutionalization of a heterosexual norm or standard, which establishes and perpetuates the notion that all people are or should be heterosexual; and,

WHEREAS heterosexism hinders the growth of individuals by confining all people to rigid roles of gender and sexual orientation; and,

WHEREAS heterosexism excludes the needs, concerns, cultures, and life experiences of LGBTQ people; and

WHEREAS heterosexism contributes to violence in schools contributing to the increasing risks of the LGBTQ youth population where 58% of LGBTQ youth have substance abuse problems and where 30% of all youth who complete suicide are LGBTQ people; and

WHEREAS heterosexism is oppression;

BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that the National Association for Multicultural Education (NAME) condemns the use of the United States Constitution and the Constitutions of the States within the Union to deny people any rights on the basis of sexual orientation; and

BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that members of NAME are committed to eliminating heterosexism through the development and implementation of educational material and programs promoting an inclusive society; and,

BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that members of NAME will actively seek to create safe schools for all students; and,

BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that NAME partners with other organizations active in the promotion of a multi-sexual oriented society.

Adopted by the NAME Board of Directors on October 30, 2004 at the NAME Board Meeting in Kansas City, MO.
Reaffirmed by the NAME Board of Directors on Feb. 4, 2006 at the NAME Board Meeting in Phoenix, AZ.

To summarize, NAME believes heterosexism is the root of all evil in schools and children must be taught through “safe schools” (anti-bullying) multicultural programs that a multi-sexual society is not only appropriate, but proper for all people. I’m not sure what BYU’s Education Department values in an association with this organization which is in direct conflict with the LDS church’s Proclamation on the Family which clearly states “gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose.”

Please note the term “inclusive society” above. In 2006, John Goodlad’s NNER (National Network for Educational Renewal) organization held an Executive Meeting. BYU’s Education Department was a founding member of the NNER and at this particular meeting, Vern Henshaw, Alpine School District Superintendent, and member of the NNER Executive Board was in attendence. The minutes of the meeting can be found at this link but here is the relevant clip.

“Ada Beth Cutler shared copies of an Op Ed that took a stand against a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage written by a BYU adjunct faculty member and a newspaper article about the firing of this faculty member for writing the Op Ed piece. She shared her grave concern about BYU’s action and policies that discriminate against homosexuals, given the principles of the Agenda for Education in a Democracy. She asked for discussion on the implications for the NNER and the mission of access and inclusion. Vern Henshaw responded, noting that he was reflecting only his perspective, not representing the larger partnership. He noted that the BYU partnership governing board does not have the authority to change policies at BYU, that the decision and policies do not reflect the actions at the partnership level. He indicated that the partnership co exists with the BYU policies and includes not only BYU but also public school districts that are not bound by the BYU policies.”

The NNER is all about promoting the homosexual agenda. They had an expert panel several months ago discuss how to put the gay agenda into classrooms using the principles of the Agenda for Education in a Democracy which you can read here.

Ada is concerned that the NNER “mission of inclusion,” similar to that of NAME above, is being violated because this non-tenured BYU professor got fired for taking a stance which conflicted with the LDS church policy to protect heterosexual marriage. I’m not sure, but Vern Henshaw, seems to be stating that the Public School Partnership coexists with BYU and can’t directly affect BYU policy, but that the school districts aren’t bound by BYU policy so the NNER mission can go forward. I don’t want to put words in his mouth, but that’s sort of how I read the minutes above.

For BYU’s Education Department to belong to two organizations that are all about the social justice redistribution of wealth, the transformation of the American Republic into a Democratic welfare socialist state, implementing the gay agenda into classroom education, maintain close affiliations with Bill Ayer’s the Marxist revolutionary who was the keynote speaker at both organization’s conferences in the last year, and have members of the BYU Education Department sitting on Executive Boards and speaking at these conferences is stunning. But it doesn’t end here. Stay tuned…

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