_____________________________ may 5, 2000 »
y spring cleaning this year includes
moving my mental categorization of
the Parent Teacher Association from
my “school social activities” file to my
“exciting grass-roots movement” file.
Throughout our childrens school careers,
we’ve been pretty typical PTA moms: We pay
our dues in the fall, attend at least one of the
annual fund-raising activities, and dutifully buy
I a magazine subscription, a few candy bars or a
bunch of plants during the school
wide sale. But last month I attend
ed the Oregon PTA as the delegate
from Lincoln High School in Port
I I
land and discovered a people’s
movement that is alive and well.
Back in 1994, we turned to the
PTA for support when the Oregon
Citizens Alliance was trying to
drive us right out of our children’s
I
schools. When I attended the state
convention this year, 1 discovered
that the resolution they passed
back in 1994 is not only a part of
the organizations history, it
remains an active part of the Ore
gon PTAs policies. Right there in
the convention notebook, under
health and welfare policies and the
BY
legislative action program for 2000-
2002, it says: “The Oregon PTA
BONNIE
supports
federal and state legisla
TINKER
tion toward the following goals....
To oppose all legislative attempts to suppress
information about family diversity and sexual
orientation.”
The 1994 resolution has not only become
an active part of the PTAs ongoing policy, this
commitment to safety and respect for all stu
dents and families was reflected in workshops
offered at the convention. A workshop on dan
gers of teen suicide included information about
the increased risks among lesbian, gay, bi and
trans youth. The workshop on bullying and
sexual harassment intervention and prevention
acknowledged that children of lesbian and gay
parents are at increased risk for harassment.
And when I shared my concern about this
issue, heads around the room nodded in sup
port.
Katherine Firestone, president of the Ore
gon PTA, is clear about the organization’s com
mitment: “The PTA has always dedicated itself
to the belief that no child should suffer because
a few people believe that the child isn’t being
raised according to a given individual’s stan
dards. Every child deserves respect, love and
caring, adequate health care, and the best pub
lic education that we can provide. To single
any one child out is heresy to the work of our
founders 104 years ago and the mission of the
M
ABCs
of
the
PTA
This is not your parents PTA it s
— ’ queer-friendly
and ready to welcome you
’
LrJ
Last month I attended the Oregon PTA
as the delegate from Lincoln High School
in Portland and discovered a people's
'movement that is alive and well
PTA that remains unchanged to this day.”
In advocacy workshops presented by
National PTA Vice President Vicki Rafel and
state Vice President Lisa Thirkill, I learned
that the PTA backs this commitment with a
comprehensive platform to support safety, wel
fare and a quality education for all children. At
an April 16 meeting, the state board of direc
tors reaffirmed its opposition to all legislation
that discriminates against our families in
schools—including the proposed ballot mea
sure currently being circulated by the Oregon
Citizens Alliance and the Christian Coalition.
The PTA also recognizes that school dis
crimination and censorship measures pushed by
groups such as the OCA are only a part of a
comprehensive attack on public education.
The Oregon PTA is focusing on some very real
threats to the already fragile funding system
that is used to run Oregon’s public schools.
One of the threats comes from Bill Sizemore,
whose proposed initiative would allow all fed
eral tax liability to be deducted from income
on state returns, drastically cutting revenue.
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“While it may sound dramatic,” said
Thirkill, “the reality is that if this proposal
were passed into law, it would essentially mean
the end of the public education system in the
state of Oregon. There would simply be no
money.”
The PTA was there for lesbian, gay, bi and
trans students, teachers and parents in 1994,
and they are with us again this year as we fight
for equality for our students in public schools.
It’s time for the sexual minorities community
to return this support for all children and for
public schools. I hope you will all join me in
taking the following actions:
1. Support local school funding measures
while continuing to insist on equitable, full
funding for all public schools. In Oregon this
means voting for local-option levies. In Port
land, join members of the Sexual Minority Par
ent’s Advisory Group at the Support our Local
Schools committee office for phone banking
on May 11. Call (503) 221-7922 for more
information. And remember to vote yes on
26-2 and yes on 26-1!
Although the Oregon PTA is afraid local
options are part of the divide-and-conquer
strategy being used by legislators who wish to
abdicate their responsibility to support all
schools adequately, the organization encourages
a yes vote as long as you also send a strong
message to your state representatives and sena
tors that we need sufficient and stable funding
for all schools, especially those in poort districts
with low tax bases.
2. Oppose all efforts to undermine the pub
lic school funding base. The attack on school
funding may be disguised as a tax cut for ordi
nary citizens. The Sizemore measure in Oregon
is sold in just this way. In reality, a family of
four with an adjusted gross income of $40,000
would receive a $20 tax cut, while at $60,000
the cut would be $290 and at $200,000 it
would be $3,912. If the measure passes, schools
would lose $323.1 million next year, forcing a
30 percent cut in programs.
3. Join the PTA in calling for common
sense gun laws to protect our children. Join the
Million Mom March in Washington, D.C., or
in Portland on May 14. (In Portland, gather at
Southwest 12 th Avenue and Salmon Street at
11 a.m.)
4. Most importantly, get involved with your
neighborhood schools. Join the PTA!
Firestone says: “Anyone can join a local
PTA—we have a lot of units that encourage
neighbors, or local businesses, or grandparents
to join and support what they do. It’s a great
way to get the surrounding community
involved—they should receive the local school
newsletter, be invited to events, and just in
general be asked to be involved to whatever
degree they choose.”
You can also become an “acorn” member
through the state office. Part of the National
PTA mission is “to encourage parent and pub
lic involvement in the public schools of this
nation.”
■ To contact the P arent T eacher A ssocia
m Oregon, call (503) 234-3928. For other
contact information, check out the National PTA
Internet site at www.pta.org, send an e-mail to
info@pta.org or call (312) 670-6782.
tion
B onnie T inker is the executive director of
Love Makes a Family Inc., an international mem
bership organization providing a public voice for les
bian, gay, bi and trans families. To join, send a
contribution to P.O. Box 5163, Portland, OR
97208, or visit www.teleport.com/~lmfamily and
join using your favorite plastic. To join the group’s
e-mail list, send a message to lmf@divanw.com
with the word subscribe in the subject line. For
further information, call (503) 228-3892.
49