Grasy Freeman

Wow, what a discussion when it comes to gays. Let's look at the situation in more detail. As school boards are elected by the public, they play an important role in promoting civility and creating a healthy environment for students to learn. As an independent body of citizens, school boards are uniquely qualified to consider the options and find local solutions to specific problems. While issues of sexual orientation can be difficult to discuss, school boards have a long history of dealing with social change and can continue to show leadership in this regard. Some states, including Tennessee and Arkansas, are enacting laws that ban teaching about LGBTQ issues in school. Others are considering similar laws. In Tennessee, for example, teachers must notify parents before discussing sexuality issues with their students. In Louisiana, students may not learn about the issue in public schools until they are in high school. Across the country, school boards are grappling with how to teach LGBTQ issues. Unfortunately, dueling viewpoints between activists and people who have religious objections to LGBTQ issues can turn a community into a politically-charged powder keg. In a small town like Hood County, a school board can make a big impact on the lives of students and teachers. The pushback to LGBT laws comes despite the fact that many states have adopted laws requiring K-8 students to study LGBT history. Among the reasons for the slow implementation of such laws are conservative groups and state officials. But in California, the law has prompted the creation of the first LGBT-inclusive textbooks for K-8 classrooms. In New Jersey, however, the law could take a little longer to implement because individual school districts have the option to decide the curriculum and standards.