Letters to the Editors

Attack on values program troubling

© St. Petersburg Times, published October 1, 2000

Re: Schools' citizenship program questioned, Sept. 21.

It is amazing to me, and I'm sure many others, how organizations that promote good behavior and morality have come under fire from such a small minority that gets so much publicity.

Of course I'm speaking of far-left liberals such as Pinellas School Board member Linda Lerner. It seems she is all atwitter at the prospects of a Boy Scouts of America program that teaches young students character and morals and values -- things like taking responsibility for their actions and treating others with respect. Gee, that could be troubling, children learning proper behavior for a change. "It was good for the kids," said history teacher Jim Dimillo. "They actually learned how to get along better."

I would like to commend Superintendent Howard Hinesley, School Board chairman Max Gessner, all of the board members who are supporting this program, and the fine organization that sponsors it.

As for Ms. Lerner, you and your liberal friends have had your 15 minutes of fame, so get over it.
-- Robert E. Guthrie, Seminole

Scouts discriminate against gays

I thank School Board member Linda Lerner for expressing her concern over allowing and paying for the Boy Scouts of America to be involved in a public school program. If the course teaches the importance of being a good citizen, then why shouldn't that reflect the parent organization, which openly discriminates against constitutionally protected groups in our society?

In addition to discriminating against gays, the Boy Scouts of America also practices a form of religious discrimination against agnostics, freethinkers, Buddhists and atheists. Discrimination against nonbelievers is a form of religious discrimination.

So this seems to make the Boy Scouts of America a religious organization, and then they definitely should not be involved in school programs.
-- Edwin Corl, Gulfport

Lerner's stance on Scouts on target

Linda Lerner is to be thanked for challenging the use of a program by a subsidiary of the Boy Scouts, since the program discriminates against a minority. Gay and lesbian students are a part of the student population. To deny them the same rights and protections as other citizens of this country is to devalue our Constitution, which states we are all created equal. If the School Board insists on using such material, it should request its teachers to add sexual orientation to the program's list of negative effects of discrimination. To do otherwise is to indirectly teach that some students are better than others, a very un-American point of view.
-- Robert E. Schneiter, Clearwater

Thanks to Lerner for speaking out

As the president of PFLAG Pinellas, I applaud Linda Lerner's stand against the Boy Scouts Learning for Life program in our public schools. It seems to be a step backward for our county. One's sexual orientation is separate from one's moral actions and values. The negative stereotypes and attitudes engendered by BSA's exclusionary practice are detrimental to all youths and society as a whole, causing further alienation and lowered self-esteem among gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered youth.

We would not allow another organization to teach a leadership course, no matter how successful, if they were discriminatory because of race, creed or gender. Discrimination because of one's sexual orientation should be treated equally. Thank you, Mrs. Lerner, for speaking out and trying to preserve the integrity of our school system.
-- Kathleen Miller, St. Petersburg

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