I am saddened by the vote tonight which will be so costly to the district, so discriminatory in putting gays above all other protected classes, turns an ‘overall’ curriculum meant to be a “framework” into an LGBT-exclusive ‘victory’, and dividing the house that was our school district’s community.

This curriculum could have been valued by all if it had similar tenants for all classes and was achieved by a “unified” group of diversified opinions gathered together to benefit all the classes. Now this is perhaps a turning point for our schools. AUSD’s use of lies and deceit to support this curriculum is the saddest part. We cannot disregard truth to support ideals, or all is lost. The district has lost integrity and also lost my trust.

The lawyers were in the room and there is no way of knowing how much this will cost the district in terms of funds. No way of knowing how many lawsuits will result. No way of knowing if the curriculum will achieve the goals for the gays, or if it will create more name calling after the curriculum is taught as it has at Otis School after the test classes.

Most disappointing is the exclusive way the curriculum was put together, and the lies which were fed to the public by staff. This is fundamentally unacceptable. Shocking were the board member’s public put-downs of religions with which he does not agree. Right on the dais as he is saying he wants tolerance and equity, he blasphemies religions he is ignorant of, and cheered by those saying the proposal is about tolerance. Surely those who are going to be suing the district will be glad to have his remarks recorded.

If the BOE did not want to vote to start over with a new and balanced committee, they should have at the very least, waited until the guidelines were established to utilize the CSC curriculum for equal benefit to all protected classes, and determine how these lessons would be used without infringing on the religious rights of others. But this too was rejected.

Almost all the problems cited in support for this curriculum take place in high school, yet this curriculum ignores high school and middle school. Teachers wanted help how to intervene with harassment, instead we ignore them and present a new set of LGBT lessons for our littlest, youngest children.

It is a shame the new superintendent was invited into our district and let this prejudiced committee’s proposal continue to go out of control. It has been overwhelmingly obvious that the majority of Alamedans rejected this proposal, and did so for a wide range of reasons. Since this is the way this superintendent and Board want to run our schools, they will do it without any more parcel tax support. This is a sad turning point and a heartbreaking way for a new board and a new superintendant of a broke school district to establish a relationship with the community.