live in, and in Massachusetts same-sex
two families launched a suit against the
marriage is legal."134
Lexington school district for failing to
· Sturbridge--In planning Tantasqua Senior
notify them when their kindergarten-
aged children were going to be taught
High School's annual Diversity Week for
about same-sex marriage, and for having
the 200506 school year--during which
one of the fathers, David Parker, arrested
the school's Gay-Straight Student
when he refused to leave a Lexington
Alliance would be sponsoring a day of
school. "In many parts of the United
silence to protest discrimination and
States, we could have presented our con-
harassment against gay students--in
cerns and objections, and it wouldn't
October school board members argued
have been a problem," said Parker's wife,
over whether the activities were dispro-
Tonia. Glenn Koocher, executive director
portionately about homosexuality rather
of the Massachusetts Association of
than all kinds of diversity. "You are allow-
School Committees, denied that there is
ing one group special access," member
a pro-gay campaign in the schools, and
James Cooke of Brookfield complained
said there were really just a few anti-gay
to Principal James N. White. Member
marriage activists whom he said suffered
William Gillmeister went further, sug-
from "narcissistic activist personality dis-
gesting that children who felt homosexu-
order." Amidst such strong feelings, Eliza
ality is wrong felt intimidated during pre-
Bayard of the Gay, Lesbian and Straight
vious days of silence. Superintendent
Education Network said simply that
Kathleen H. Reynolds, however, support-
"one of the basic realities of American life
ed the day of silence, noting that "there is
is that all of us have to deal with beliefs
an incredibly high suicide rate" among
we disagree with."133
gay students, and the day of silence
· Lexington--One of the incidents that fed
would help to mitigate that.135
into some people feeling that gay mar-
riage had opened the door to indoctrina-
Religion
· Medway--When elementary school stu-
tion in the schools was the reading of King
& King--a book that depicts a prince
dents failed to sing "We Wish You a
falling in love with and marrying another
Merry Christmas" at a holiday concert,
prince--to second-graders at Lexington's
one grandfather got into such a heated
Joseph Estabrook Elementary School.
dispute about the program with a
Parent Robin Wirthlin complained to the
teacher that police had to be called to
school system about the book in April,
the scene. And it was not the first holi-
asserting that reading such a story to
day dispute to rock the Medway
seven-year-old children is tantamount to
schools: Earlier, a middle school mother
indoctrination. "They're intentionally
became upset when her son brought
presenting this [gay marriage] as a norm,
home red and green elf hats she had
and it's not a value that our family sup-
sewn for his class, saying his teacher
ports," she complained. Superintendent
asked her to replace the red trim with
Paul Ash responded that the district had
white to avoid Christmas colors. Also,
no legal obligation to notify parents
Memorial Middle School replaced the
about the book, and said that "we could-
words "Merry Christmas" with "swing-
n't run a public school system if every par-
ing holidays" in a holiday concert, set-
ent who feels some topic is objectionable
ting off alarms. Dale Fingar, who sewed
to them for moral or religious reason
the controversial elf hats, seemed to
decides their child should be removed."
sum up the confusion: "I thought it was
He added that "Lexington is committed
a celebration of the seasons and not
Christ."136
to teaching children about the world they
35