Public Schools and Sexual Orientation:
A First Amendment Framework for Finding Common Ground
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Press Conference Statement: 03/09/06

Christian Educators is a professional association for Christian educators in both the public and private schools. Most of our members are in public schools and we are, in fact, the only association specifically serving Christian Educators in our public schools and have done so since 1953. Our focus is to encourage, equip, and empower Christian Educators…now estimated to total over 650,000…to make a positive impact in the schools where they serve.

In our role we have been called on in many situations to provide support to members or friends of education when they feel they or their children have been a target of an agenda that violates their strongly held convictions and their voices are not being heard. By the time we have been contacted emotions are high and all sides seem to be frustrated.

This effort seems to be a proactive effort to bring positive resolution to all sides on the issue. We have all seen the growing hostility in the schooling community centered on sexual orientation. It is evident that emotions escalate when not all stakeholders are included from the onset and the issues surrounding homosexuality
come in "under the radar."

We have consistently supported traditional family values and Biblical standards. Our endorsement of this framework is in no way a compromise of our long established support of traditional family values and Biblical standards.

The strength of these guidelines is the focus to include all stakeholders impacted by this issue, which includes the Faith Community. We need to be sensitive to listen and show respect for individuals with opinions on all sides of this issue even if we don't agree with them. In this type of environment, those expressing views based on religious convictions or personal experience can do so without violating their own personal convictions.

Finn Laursen
Executive Director
Christian Educators