Sexual Orientation Policy PASSED WITHOUT REQUESTED CHANGES!
On Monday, JUNE 2nd, 2008
The Hamilton Wentworth District School Board (HWDSB) Policy Committee approved the draft Equity Policy (Sexual Orientation) on June 2nd, 2008 (despite the objections of more than 86% of public responses!) and despite hearing objections and concerns on May 12th from the
Pan-Orthodox Church,
the HWFAC
with its Appendix,
and from the school council representative on its steering committee. Then the Trustees applauded themselves for their 'coming out of the closet.'
After hearing five delegations in favour of the Equity Policy Sexual Orientation Strand, and upon hearing the report of the Equity Department (who did not address any of the numerous specific objections or concerns raised by the public but instead talked about the development process), voted unanimously in favour of the draft policy. There was only one abstention, that of Trustee Lillian Orban who raised the need for the inclusion of heterosexual protection in the policy. The public audience in support of her motions made it very clear they would like to see this issue discussed. However, neither of her two motions were seconded by another Trustee.
The five delegations represented: Home and School Council, Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation (OSSTF, a major driver of the policy), Centenary United Church, and a delegate , GLBT Advisory Committee of Hamilton, and Health Initiatives for Youth Society of Hamilton (HIFY, formerly Planned Parenthood).
Speak with your Trustee. Ask them why, when more than 14 other Ontario public school boards have not passed 'homophobia' policies but anti-harassment policies instead, that they must go this route when clearly the public is demanding otherwise.
Ask them why they do not acknowledge regulations enacted by the Canadian Blood Services, The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Health Canada and case law from the Ontario Court of Appeal (January 12, 2007) which identify homosexual conduct as high-risk and thus find bona fide reasons to permit 'rational discrimination' which is health-based. They do not impinge upon the Charter of Rights or human rights legislation. According to our Equity Policy, these organizations are homophobic.
Our question on May 12, 2008 to the Committee of the Whole was, “If Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board’s Equity Policy results in a broader acceptance of homosexuality, what impact will this have on HIV rates?
See draft sexual orientation policy here. And here is the Trustee List.
We now encourage everyone to contact and meet with your MPP and file a complaint. Here is the MPP contact list.
Consider reviewing the research information and
how others have responded. According to the draft policy's glossary definition, all 'legal' sexual orientations are included in the draft policy. The School Board has refused to consider including as a sexual orientation reference to heterosexuality. They refer only to 'heterosexism.'
It is presently unknown which of the 'not illegal' sexual orientations may demand to be included in the Equity Policy in the future. See CFAC's list of all 22 possible so-called sexual orientations. And see NARTH'S website for further information on the subject of sexual orientation.
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Dr. David Herbert
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Welcome!The HWFAC strives to keep you up-to-date regarding local, provincial and national news pertaining to the political and cultural pressures on families with Judeo-Christian beliefs and values. We are in dialogue with the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board (public schools) with regard to maintaining respect for Judeo-Christian families and their beliefs, in their revision of the sex education curriculum, and in their development of the Equity Policy, Sexual Orientation component.
Our desire is to help you to fulfil the Lord's mandate to be 'salt & light' in our society.
See below our April 2008 Newsletter Articles to bring you up to date on HWFAC's activities and information on how you can be involved in being 'salt and light' in this culture, and fight to retain our freedoms and liberties that were fought for so long ago by generations before us.
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Sexual Orientation Policy
- Further Information
Here is the Equity Policy (sexual orientation strand) approved on June 2th, 2008.
See also HWDSB's Public Consultation Policy and HWDSB's Parent Involvement Committee Information and decide for yourself whether or not HWDSB has met the requirements of either document. While you are praying and acting on this information, please consider applying to sit on HWDSB's Parental Involvement Committee.
For all Equity Policy information, go to our Equity Policy Main Index Page.
See below our April 2008 Newsletter Articles to bring you up to date on HWFAC's activities and information on how you can be involved in being 'salt and light' in this culture, and fight to retain our freedoms and liberties that were fought for so long ago by generations before us.
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Petition ISPs to Ban Child Porn Sites
CFAC and a coalition, including our friends at the local CFAC branch in Jordan, are asking for your support to put pressure on Internet service providers to ban child pornography Internet sites. Their petition is to be presented to several Internet service providers (ISPs).
Become involved and join this effort to enforce the victory of Jesus Christ over the darkness crouching in the Internet. Find out more here and then email us for further local contacts. Every signature counts!
COUNT ME OUT! Campaign
A local community organization has produced a brochure to help inform Greater Hamilton citizens of the likely consequences of the new Equity Policy (sexual orientation strand) with a postcard that can be printed off and mailed in to the Public School Board.
HWFAC supports this great effort! Print the brochure and mail-in card, and you may write count.me.out@hotmail.com directly for more information.
We have posted the HWFAC's copy of the sexual orientation strand, and updated our Trustee contact list. Act NOW!
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Equity Policy/Sexual Orientation
... Since March we have run two workshops for those who were concerned with the sexualization of their children, one Pastors' training session to assist them in speaking at a school board community session, one strategy session where we strategized to design effective questions for individuals/ organizations to submit to the Board to be answered at a Community Session, and sent several e-mail alerts encouraging people to respond with letters of concern which were received by the Steering Committee. In addition to the above, we have attended each monthly steering committee session at the Board. It has been very intense and this strand of the Equity Policy will be in front of Trustees for final approval as early as December. We began addressing this concern when it first appeared as an agenda item at the Board in February of 2004 and so have fought for almost 4 years. Has it been worth it? ...More.
The draft policy is posted on the HWDSB website at http://webserver.hwdsb.on.ca/about_us/policies/pdfs/equity_policy_may_2007.pdf. A more up-to-date draft version (with the problem areas highlighted) is here. See also the concerns and research on our Equity Policy Web Page.
See also portions of a video for teachers called "It's Elementary" found on the Massachusetts Resistance website. This is real-life video of children being indoctrinated/brainwashed into the normalcy/affirmation of homosexual conduct.
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Lesbian Urges Christian Love, Not Rejection for Homosexuals
Christian Post.com
It's unfortunate that, in the Christian context, homosexuals are the modern day lepers, said a former lesbian.
Beyond the advancement of the homosexual agenda in the nation's school systems and popular culture, the greater tragedy is that Christians have misrepresented God's character to the gay community and have alienated them from the Gospel, said Christine Sneeringer, director of Worthy Creations, an Exodus International ministry.
Sneeringer was walking out of homosexuality for two years when during one Sunday school session on abortion and homosexuality, she was met by harsh comments from Christians that were not unfamiliar to the gay community, she said in a testimony featured in a recent Coral Ridge Ministries broadcast.
One fellow believer said she doesn't have any compassion toward homosexuals while another agreed and added that AIDS is God's judgment against them. Both were unaware of Sneeringer's sexual history.
"It's no wonder that the average homosexual expects rejection from Christians," said Sneeringer, who was speaking to hundreds of Christians ... More
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Medical Evidence
Presented
to HWDSB
To bring you up to date, HWFAC recently met with HWDSB (Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board) Associate Director Chuck Reid and presented him with significant statistical evidence concerning the incidence and prevalence rates of HIV in the MSM (Men who have Sex with Men) group.
We had a profitable and respectful dialogue with him and he assured us that he will pass this information along to executive members of the HWDSB that are involved in the Equity Policy development.
For your information and use, please find attached an HWFAC article and a Ministry of Health Long-Term Care (MOHLTC) table reflecting the statistical evidence concerning HIV incidence and prevalence by region.
The Equity Policy Steering Committee, of which we sit as representatives of HWFAC and the Judeo-Christian community, will meet again on Monday, September 24, 2007 to discuss the community consultation findings. Please continue to be in prayer.
Sincerely, HWFAC
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The HWFAC continues to bring leadership to the sex education issue in our community, as well as to the contentious Equity Policy development at the Public School Board.
The Lord has placed on many of our hearts the necessity for leadership in other areas of concern as well, areas that require fellow Christians to lead. If you are involved in an issue, and would like to join the HWFAC leadership, in one of the following areas, or in another important area of concern, please apply in writing with a reference from your clergy, to the HWFAC via email or regular mail.
Intelligent Design - Equal Time Requirement (not currently recognized by our local School Board), Public Health Researcher, Web site design, Prayer Coordinator.
Being a part of what God is doing in Hamilton is both a great challenge and a blessing and helps to bring critical information and representation to fellow Hamiltonians so that we can better serve the Lord.
HWFAC Council
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Become a 2008 HWFAC Partner
The HWFAC Council is dedicated to keeping abreast of local issues as they affect our living out our faith, and to encouraging our numerous churches and individuals who have signed up with us to be involved, to be at the public table, and to be a voice for righteousness in your sphere of influence.
We would very much appreciate your physical, prayerful and financial support for 2008, as we set a goal to prepare, mail out and post a quarterly newsletter, and to prepare for workshops and seminars if and when they become necessary. We attend many meetings at the Public School Board and review and copy many materials. Our costs are low; however, there are photocopies, postage, envelopes, and website costs to be covered each year.
Please consider partnering with us as we represent you at the public table, in particular, within the H-W Public School Board, and many times, City Hall, regarding issues of moral and eternal significance to the people of God. Our membership/partnership page can be found here. Any donation is appreciated. Membership for one year to HWFAC is $15.00, and membership for one year for both HWFAC and CFAC is $36.00. Thank you. Sincerely, HWFAC Council.
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Hamilton-Wentworth 
