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Oregon PTA passes
resolution to respect
different views on sexual
orientation
ronment for all children. We don’t tolerate or
accept racial slurs but, three or four times a day,
you can hear kids calling people queer, faggot or
lesbo— and that’s hard for children who have gay
or lesbian parents to hear.”
Murray described the resolution’s approval as
“A big coup,” and added, “I hear Lon Mabon is
really pissed about this— and I’m glad.”
Parent-Teacher Associations throughout Or­
Martha Allen
egon must oppose legislation that tries to keep
information about family diversity and sexual
orientation out of the schools, the state PTA
decided last month.
A resolution in support of family diversity—
and rejecting prejudice based on sexual orienta­
Turn Loose the Voices has won a Golden
tion— was approved by a handful of votes last
Apple, the highest award given by the Na­
month, at the Oregon state PTA convention in
tional Educational Film and Video Festival.
Portland. The resolution, which was proposed by
m em bers o f the
Ainsworth Elemen­
tary School PTA
and the Robert Gray
M iddle
School
PTA, was in tro ­
duced at the last
minute of the con­
vention in an effort
to increase its
chances of approval.
Introduced un­
der an emergency
clause because of
the pressure of pend­
ing OCA initiatives,
the reading of the
resolution struck si­
lent a crowd of more
than 2,300 chatting
mothers, according
to PTA m em ber
Marla Murray.
“This was after a
day and a half of
changes in the by­
Haneefah Dudley (foreground), Joseph Lyons and Giang Pham sing “I ’m
laws,” Murray said.
Gon' Stand! ” in Turn Loose the Voices, the award-winning video produced
“All these mothers
by 21 local youth to educate about bigotry.
had been hopping up
to the microphones to testify. When they heard
Based in Oakland, Calif., the festival is the
this resolution, a hush fell over the room. All of a
largest and most prestigious educational film
sudden, nobody was going up to the mike.”
and video competition in the country. Turn
When those in opposition to the new resolu­
Loose the Voices was chosen from 1,500 fes­
tion recovered from their initial shock, they lob­
tival entries.
bied to table the resolution, Murray said, which
What makes this achievement exceptional
would have delayed action on it until next year’s
is that the video was developed by Portland-
convention. The four Portland-area parents who
area youths. Originally produced on stage, un­
presented the resolution had a limited time to
der the direction o f the artistic staff of the
speak and only a few opportunities to refute their
Young Actors’ Forum, the show features a
opposition.
multicultural cast o f 21 local young people
“I felt like I was in a basketball game and down
whose songs, stories, dram atic and comic
to my last couple of timeouts,” Murray said.
scenes, and choreography communicate the
By breaking the resolution into two sections,
painful impact o f bigotry, and the value of
the parents were able to get it approved by the
diversity.
200 voting delegates at the convention, which
For more information about the video con­
was held in Portland on April 29 and 30. The
tact M edia M atchm akers, PO Box 1007,
first section was approved fairly easily, Murray
Clackamas, OR 97015. A teacher’s study guide
said, winning about a 70 percent yes vote. It
is available.
says:
Jann Gilbert
“Resolved, that the Oregon PTA does not
accept prejudice, harassment, discrimination or
intolerance directed against students, parents,
teachers or staff members as a result of their
sexual orientation.”
The second half of the resolution was harder to
The group Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Physi­
get passed, Murray said, and it ended up winning
cians of Oregon has organized a network to pro­
approval by only a handful of votes. That section
vide assistance for sexual minorities seeking health
says:
care.
“Resolved, that the Oregon PTA opposes all
The group’s goals are to work with the medi­
legi slati ve attempts to suppress information about
cal community to fight homophobic bias and
family diversity and sexual orientation.”
HIV-status discrimination for both doctors and
When it appeared that the resolution was
patients; to network with existing sexual minority
headed toward defeat, Murray stepped to the mike
groups; and to establish a speakers bureau to
for a final plea.
inform the public on health concerns specific to
“I just explained,” Murray said, “that we’re
the sexual minority community.
here as parents to protect our children. That’s the
For more information, call the group at (503)
role of the PTA, to provide a safe learning envi­
241-0886.
Jann Gilbert
Young people’s video
wins award
Health network formed
for sexual minorities