MPR’s Bill Catlin reports on disagreements over potential use of gay lifestyle panels in Minneapolis schools, a curriculum designed by educator Polly Kellogg. The latest debate involves different policies on curriculum submitted by Minneapolis School District.
SPEAKER 1: Six years ago, Polly Kellogg, a feminist activist and educator in the Twin Cities, approached [? Kathy ?] [? Swirski, ?] the Minneapolis school district health resource teacher. Kellogg says she proposed developing a panel and slide presentation on lesbian and gay lifestyles.
SPEAKER 2: She was excited about the panel and she was excited about developing more materials. When I went to see her, she had, you know, a stack of 300 pages of family life curriculum. And I said, what do you have in there on lesbian and gay issues? And she says, well, we've been waiting for you.
SPEAKER 1: Kellogg says she and [? Swirski ?] agreed to develop a curriculum for use at no charge in secondary schools. However, some Minneapolis school teachers objected to using such material in schools, and school superintendent Richard Green decided the curriculum would not be used in elementary schools. Further, he decided it would be used in any secondary school, only with permission from the principal and parents. Minnesota Civil Liberties Union executive director Matthew Stark.
SPEAKER 3: He banned the panel initially because of pressure he got from Jerry Falwell and his likes, and some other people who said, we don't want anything about gays.
SPEAKER 1: The MCLU objected to the policy, saying it was censorship. The Minneapolis Federation of Teachers also objected, saying the policy violated their academic freedom. Over the next five years, a different policy was developed by the school district, which apparently backed off from earlier restrictions. But the Civil Liberties Union objected to the language in the new policy, and in June, sought to bring the whole matter to trial in Hennepin County District court. The motion was denied by Judge Robert Schiefelbein. Still, says Stark, the MCLU got what it wants. Because as he reads the judge's decision, things are back to square one.
A teacher who wants to use the panel need only call Polly Kellogg, he believes. Stark says the new policy, which had tried to go to court over, is not in effect because it hasn't been approved by the school board. But both Judge Schiefelbein and the school district say it is in effect. And superintendent Richard Green says things are not back to square one.
SPEAKER 3: But It does not provide open access to any panel carte blanche, which is what they were arguing for over these past five years.
SPEAKER 1: Minneapolis school superintendent Richard Green. Curriculum developer Polly Kellogg, says the curriculum is now ready for use in classrooms. Whether a teacher wants to step into the breach and use it remains to be seen. Given the different perceptions of the MCLU and the school district, a teacher's request to use the curriculum could precipitate a new round of debate, and possibly court action. This is Bill Catlin reporting.
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