Quite a few conservative Christians have an impression of the GLSEN workshop based on the email sent by Brian Camenker prior to the publication of the article he coauthored with Whiteman.  Cindy Beal's article,  "Context Matters"  describes differences between the widely circulated email version, and the version on the Massachusetts News website.    We have not yet seen the print version of the published article.  [I used fonts to provide  clarity to the separation between the article itself and Camenker's request for feedback. MAH]

Dear friends,

The following article has been submitted to Massachusetts News, and will bepublished in the upcoming issue.  That issue will, I am told, be distributed to a quarter million households in Massachusetts. It is, unfortunately, somewhat explicit. But it is the most disturbing thing I have ever experienced in all my years of dealing with any of these issues. Things are obviously worse than I ever imagined. Everything quoted-and much more-was tape recorded at the conference in question.

I am interested in your reaction, and that of others in Massachusetts and beyond.
 

Massachusetts Gov. Cellucci's destructive deception of parents:  Funded by the Legislature and covered up by local school officials. The gay community 'having its way' with schoolchildren.

by Brian Camenker and Scott Whiteman

"Fisting [forcing one's entire hand into another person's rectum or vagina] often gets a bad rap. It usually isn't about the pain, not that we're putting that down...[It's] an experience of letting somebody into your body that you want to be that close and intimate with...[and] to put you into an exploratory mode."

Massachusetts Department of Education employees describing the pleasures of homosexual sex to a group of high school students at a state-sponsored workshop. March 25, 2000.

Last year a mother from the western suburbs joined some other parents and went to the State House to appeal to the Governor's office. She was becoming frantic. Her son at the local high school had been told by his musician friends how "cool" it was at the school's Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) club meetings. She soon found out that the club had watched at least one R-rated video of two boys having a love affair. She discovered some provocative handouts in his room. He became detached, and she suspected that he was experimenting with homosexual relationships.

The principal would not look into it, nor would any other officials. It was suggested that maybe she was homophobic.

No one from the Governor's office would speak to her or the other parents. A Department of Public Health official finally listened to them, but afterwards would not return her calls. Later the Boston homosexual newspaper, "Bay Windows" published a blistering article warning that bigoted, homophobic parents were trying to endanger the money for the state's gay school clubs.

Each year Governor Paul Cellucci budgets $1.5 million for his "Governor's Commission for Gay and Lesbian Youth." Made up of homosexual activists from across the state, since 1992 the Commission has used the "safe schools" mantra and state money to persuade over 180 schools in Massachusetts to accept the clubs and their activities. Parents and others who offer any criticism of the programs are regularly accused of homophobia and endangering students' safety. In addition, the Governor, who gets much support from the gay community, shields the GSA programs from scrutiny.

The Commission now does much of its work directly through the Massachusetts Department of Education and other state agencies.

The Commission also works closely with a national homosexual activist organization, the Gay and Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) to give the clubs materials, movies, literature and funding for various activities. In all, there are over 700 GSA clubs in the country, many of them partially federally funded.

School officials use several arguments to deflect criticism of GSAs. In an April 5 Boston Herald article, Newton assistant superintendent Jim Marini brushed aside a parent's questioning of Newton's high school GSA activities. "This is not about sex. This is about human rights," he said. The school counselor, Linda Shapiro, added that, "the purpose is to make gay students feel safe..."

On March 25, the Massachusetts Department of Education, the Governor's Commission, and GLSEN co-sponsored a state-wide conference called "Teach-Out." Among the goals were to build more GSAs in Massachusetts and expand homosexual teaching into the lower grades. Scores of gay-friendly teachers and administrators attended. They received state "professional development credits." Teenagers and children as young as 12 were encouraged to come from around the state, and many were bussed in from their home districts. Homosexual activists from across the country were also there.

To say that the descriptions below - workshops and presentations of this taxpayer-sponsored event for educators and children - are "every parent's nightmare" does not do them justice. It is beyond belief that this could be happening at all. One music teacher who attended out of curiosity said that she could not sleep for several nights afterwards and had nightmares about it.

"Queer sex for youth 14-21"

In one well-attended workshop, "What They Didn't Tell You About Queer Sex & Sexuality In Health Class: A Workshop For Youth Only ages 14-21," the three homosexual presenters acting in their professional capacities coaxed about 20 children into talking openly and graphically about homosexual sex. The purpose appeared to be for adults running the student clubs. The three presenters, who described themselves as homosexual, were:

Margot E. Ables, Coordinator, HIV/AIDS Program, Massachusetts Dept of Education

Julie Netherland, Coordinator, HIV/AIDS Program, Massachusetts Dept of Education

Michael Gaucher, Consultant, HIV/AIDS Program, Massachusetts Dept of Public Health

The workshop syllabus included:

What's it like to be young, queer and beginning to date? Are lesbians at risk for HIV? .We will address the information you want about queer sexuality and some of the politics that prevent us from getting our needs met.

The workshop opened by the three public employees asking the children "how they knew, as gay people, whether or not they've had sex." Questions were thrown around the room about whether oral sex was "sex," to which the Department of Public Health employee stated, "If that's not sex, then the number of times I've had sex has dramatically decreased; from a mountain to a valley, baby." Eventually the answer presented itself, and it was determined that whenever an orifice was filled with genitalia, then sex had occurred. 

The Department of Public Health employee, Michael Gaucher, had the following exchange with one student, who appeared to be about 16 years old:

Michael Gaucher:  "What orifices are we talking about?"

Student:  [hesitation]

Michael Gaucher:  "Don't be shy, honey; you can do it."

Student:  "Your mouth."

Michael Gaucher:  "Ok."

Student:  "Your ass."

Michael Gaucher:  "There you go."

Student:  "Your pussy. That kind of place."

But since sex occurred "when an orifice was filled," the next question was how lesbians could "have sex." Margot Abels discussed whether a dildo had to be involved; when it was too big or too small; and what homosexual resources students could consult to get similar questions answered.

Role playing and "carpet munching"

Then the children were asked to role play. One student was to act the part of "a young lesbian who's really enraptured with another woman, and it's really coming down to the wire and you're thinking about having sex." The other student played the "hip GSA (gay, straight alliance) lesbian advisor, who you feel you can talk to." 

The "counseling" included discussions of lesbian sex, oral-vaginal contact, or "carpet munching," as one student put it. The student asked whether it would smell like fish. At that point the session turned to another subject.

"A lesson in fisting?"

There was a five minute pause so that all of the teenagers could write down questions for the homosexual presenters. The first question was read by Julie Netherland, "What's fisting?" A student answered this question by informing the class that "fisting" is when you put your "whole hand into the ass or pussy" of another. When a few of the students winced, the Department of Public Health employee offered, "A little known fact about fisting, you don't make a fist, like this. It's like this," forming his hand into the shape of a tear drop rather than a balled fist. He informed the children that it was much easier.

Margot Abels told the students that "fisting" is not about forcing your hand into somebody's "hole, opening or orifice" if they don't want it there. She said that "usually" the person was very relaxed, and opened him or herself up to the other. She informed the class that it is a very emotional and intense experience.

At this point, a child of about 16 asked why someone would want to do that. He stated that if the hand were pulled out quickly, the whole thing didn't sound very appealing to him. Margot Abels was sure to point out that although fisting "often gets a really bad rap," it usually isn't about the pain, "not that we're putting that down." Margot Abels informed him, and the class, that "fisting" was "an experience of letting somebody into your body that you want to be that close and intimate with." When a child asked the question, "Why would someone do this?" Margot Abels provided a comfortable to the children: to "put them into an exploratory mode."

"Rubbing each others' clits."

Michael Gaucher presented the next question, "Do lesbians rub their clits together?"

Michael Gaucher and Margot Abels asked the kids if they thought it was possible, and whether someone would do a "hand-diagram" for the class. No one volunteered, but a girl who looked about 15 or 16, then stepped up to the board and drew a three foot high vagina, and labeled each of the labia, the clitoris, and "put up inside the 'G'-spot." 

While drawing, Michael Gaucher told her to use the "pink" chalk, to which Margot Abels responded, "not everyone is pink, honey." All of the children laughed.

After the chalk vagina was complete, the children remarked on the size of the "clit," and the presenters stated that that was a gifted woman. Then, Margot Abels informed all of the young girls that indeed, you can rub your "clitori" together, either with or without clothes, and "you can definitely orgasm from it." Michael Gaucher told the kids that "there is a name for this: tribadism," which he wrote on the board, and told one girl who looked about 14 to "bring that vocabulary word back to Bedford." Julie Netherland informed the children that it wasn't too difficult, because "when you are sexually aroused, your clit gets bigger." "Should you spit after you suck another boy (or a man)?"

Michael Gaucher read the following from a card: "Cum and calories: Spit versus swallow and the health concerns." Gaucher informed the children that although he didn't know the calorie count of male ejaculation, he has "heard that it's sweeter if people eat celery." He then asked the boys, "Is it rude not to swallow?" Many of the high school boys mumbled, "No," but one, about the age of 16, said emphatically, "Oh no!" One boy, again about the age of 16, offered his advise on avoiding HIV/AIDS transmission while giving oral sex by not brushing your teeth or eating course food for four hours before you "go down on a guy," "because then you probably don't want to be swallowing cum."

Another question asked was whether oral sex was better with tongue rings. A 16 year old student murmured, "yes," to which all of the children laughed. Michael Gaucher said, "There you have it," and stated something to the effect that the debate has ended.

Use a condom? It's your decision, really.

As often one hears that there is an aggressive HIV/AIDS prevention campaign, the session ran 55 minutes before the first mention of "protection" and safer sex came. In the context of the "safer sex" discussion, however, it was pointed out that these children could make an "informed decision" not to use a condom. Outside in the conference hall, the children could easily obtain as many condoms, vaginal condoms, and other contraceptive devices as they wished from various organizations which distribute such.

Well, yes.it really is about sex!

Another popular session was presented by the same three public employees in their professional capacity and was called, "Putting the 'Sex' Back Into Sexual Orientation: Classroom Strategies for Health & Sexuality Educators." The workshop description included:

What does it mean to say "being gay, lesbian and bisexual isn't about sex?".How can we deny that sexuality is central for all of us? How do we learn to address the unique concerns of queer youth?.This workshop is for educators to examine strategies for integrating sexuality education and HIV prevention content specific to gay, lesbian and bisexual students into the classroom and GSA's..additional strategies will be discussed. The three presenters now assumed the task of teaching teachers how to facilitate discussions about "queer sex" with their students.

Tired of denying it

Margot Abels opened by telling the room full of teachers (and two high school students) "We always feel like we are fighting against people who deny publicly, who say privately, that being queer is not at all about sex. We believe otherwise. We think that sex is central to every single one of us, and particularly queer youth."

Margot Abels, Julie Netherland and Michael Gaucher reviewed a few "campaigns" that have been used to demonstrate to queer youth how to best "be safe" while still enjoying homosexual sex.

The campaign, "Respect yourself, protect yourself," was thought good in getting the message to kids that they should use protection, but since it made children who didn't protect themselves feel bad, it ultimately was a poor message. Michael Gaucher pointed out that children "with an older partner, that they are not feeling they can discuss things with, does that mean that they don't respect themselves?"

The campaign, "No sex, no problem," was ridiculed, as it assumed that children could opt not to have sex. Additionally, it made those children who had already had sex feel bad, or think they had a problem, since they had sex.

After reviewing a few of the campaigns, Margot Abels described the project she works on. The "Gay/Straight Alliance HIV Education Project" goes around five different schools each year conducting up to eight "HIV prevention sessions" in that school's gay club. These same presenters who just told a group of children how to properly position their hands for "fisting" were now telling a room full of educators that they would visit their schools and conduct their workshops for their students. Bringing homosexuality into the middle school

One participant remarked half-way through that Margot Abels just wasn't "talking to" her, since she, the participant, was a lesbian-middle school teacher. She wanted to know specifically what she could do to facilitate discussions about homosexuality in middle school. This was solved in another session entitled, "Struggles & Triumphs of Including Homosexuality in a Middle School Curriculum." Christine L. Hoyle, Special Education Teacher and workshop presenter, told the story of how she turned the holocaust portion of her curriculum into a gay affirming section. Ms. Hoyle allowed the group at the conference to watch a video which she had her students produce and which was narrated by a seventh grade girl. This girl told the audience that ancient Greeks "encouraged homosexuals; in fact, it was considered normal for an adolescent boy to have an older, wiser man as his lover." Thus, this teacher informed her adolescent students that it is okay if an older man approaches them for sexual gratification.

And finally, the handouts

An enormous amount of very disturbing material, most of it aimed at children, was distributed at the conference. Much of it encourages young children to become actively engaged in homosexual activities. The Sidney Borum Community Health Center table was giving out a cassette sized "pocket sex" kit, which included two condoms, two antiseptic "moist" towelettes, and six bandages, which were for "when the sex got really rough" according to the high school aged volunteer behind the desk. There were a countless supply of condoms supplied by both Sidney Borum and Planned Parenthood, all of which was for the taking by any child who wanted them. One could see children as young as 12 or 13 at the conference participating and receiving "information" and materials.

But.there's more

At the front of the conference's program of events is a welcome message from the executive director of GLSEN, the nationwide "gay youth education network" a co-sponsor. It describes how we all need to challenge the "hetero-centric culture that still prevails in our schools.

Next is full-page welcoming letter, on official Massachusetts stationery, from David P. Driscoll, State Commissioner of Education. It says how proud he personally is of the leadership role that Massachusetts has taken in "creating safer schools for gay, lesbian, and bisexual students" - the official phrasing that he uses in much of his communication on this issue. (The conference program also credits The Massachusetts Teachers Association, Starbucks Coffee, Bread and Circus supermarket, and Trader Joe's stores as helping "support" the event.)

Some of the other workshops at this taxpayer-funded conference for educators are more unusual, and even frightening. For instance:

Ask the Transsexuals

Early childhood educators: How to decide whether to come out or not Getting Gay Issues Included in Elementary School Staff Development, Curriculum Development, and the PTA

Lesbian Avengers: How to Promote Queer Friendly Activism in Your Schools and in Your Lives

Strategies and Curriculum Ideas for Addressing GLBT Issues in a High School English Curriculum

The Struggles and Triumphs of Including Homosexuality in a Middle School Curriculum

Teachers Coming Out

Youth Coming Out in High School

Diesel Dykes and Lipstick Lesbians: Defining and Exploring Butch/Femme Identity

The Religious Wrong: Dealing Effectively with Opposition in Your Community

A Strategy to Educate Faculty: Lexington HS's GSA Presentation to Faculty

From Lesbos to Stonewall: Incorporating Sexuality into a World History Curriculum

Starting a Gay/Straight Alliance in Your School

How does this happen in America?

For the reporter and the music teacher, this "conference" was a shock that words can barely describe. One wonders if it was like American GIs who first approached the concentration camps. People had heard stories and rumors. But no one could imagine it was like this. It was a mind-numbing experience

But most shocking of all was that none of the adults attending seemed to be bothered by any of it. In fact, there was an eerie sense of solidarity in the air, against "those bigots, those homophobes who would stop our progress."

Parents has been told deadly lies and deceptions. Certain public officials need to hear from you. Massachusetts Governor Paul Cellucci (617-727-3600) is the unwavering supporter of his Gay-Straight Alliance program and its activities. Senate President Thomas Birmingham (617-722-1500) supports them behind the scenes.

Call your state representative: (617-722-2000) - ask for your representative

Call your state senator (617-722-1276) - ask for your senator

A cassette tape of the sessions described above, and others, can be obtained for $5.00 from The Parents' Rights Coalition of Massachusetts, PO Box 175, Newton, MA 02466. (781-433-7106) They need your help now. They have pledged themselves to stopping this in our public schools, despite the odds, with the help of parents and citizens.