Portland Tax Money to Fund Anti-Gay, Church Sponsored School
What happened to the separation of church and state? This is a very troubling story. Portland Public Schools have approved a charter school that is sponsored by the notoriously anti-gay, Mt. Olivet Baptist Church. Get this - they gave one of the single largest contributions to the Yes on Measure 36 campaign. Known for being so anti-gay, how could they possibly follow Portland's anti-discrimination laws? How welcome will GLBT students be there? It couldn't possibly be a safe environment for them.
At the same time why are Portland taxpayers financially supporting this school? That doesn't seem right at all. It is as if PPS did no research before approving this new charter school.
Basic Rights Oregon responded in an email to it's supporters:
The alternative high school sponsored by this Portland church that was one of the primary backers of Ballot Measure 36 has received the approval of the Portland Public School Board to in the fall of 2006 with the support of public funds.
The so-called "Academy of Character and Ethics," or ACE, proposed by Mt. Olivet Baptist Church will open at Jefferson High School in North Portland in 2006 with about 50 students and grow to 200 students, according to the Oregonian .
Mt. Olivet was a major contributor to the Yes on 36 campaign, donating $15,000 to the 2004 measure that banned same-sex marriage.
While the school district says the school will operate independently of the church, Mt. Olivet Baptist Church states clearly on its own website that the school is their project, the school's board of directors has been assembled by the church and its principal is a member of Mt. Olivet Baptist Church.
Basic Rights Oregon supports religious liberty and the ability of churches to open their own private schools. But we have big concerns about a "values-based" public school led by a known anti-GLBT organization and what appears to be an enormous potential breach of the separation of church and state.
In response to this news, BRO requested a meeting with district administration this morning and within hours met with school board members, the Assistant Superintendent of Schools and the Director of Alternative Education Options.
We have urged administrators to investigate our concerns and to put this school on hold until the many very important questions that are arising can be answered. A big thank you to Anne Trudeau and the Northeast Schools Alliance for bringing this to our attention!
SHARE YOUR OUTRAGE WITH PORTLAND PUBLIC SCHOOL OFFICIALS
Tell Portland Public Schools what YOU think about its approval of the Mt. Olivet Baptist Church sponsored alternative school.
Demand that Portland Public Schools investigate this issue immediately, find out the facts, make a promise to uphold the separation of church and state and ensure that no group that is affiliated with any organization with a history of prejudice gets to use the financial or physical resources of Portland Public Schools open a school.
Email your thoughts to:
Maxine Kilcrease, Assistant Superintendant of Schools
mkilcrease@pps.k12.or.us
Visit the Basic Rights Oregon Blog to discuss or feel free to discuss here as well.
This entry was posted
on Friday, March 17, 2006 at 8:04 AM.
Want to discuss? Leave a comment below.
ByI happened to Google my old church (before relocating to the east coast), and came across your site. What interested me most was information re: the progress/status of ACE, which was only a plan of Dr. Martin's when I resided in Oregon. (I'm very proud to see a goal being birthed!!) A few of your readers have recorded their views to your article, in which you questioned "...how welcome would GLBT students be..." at ACE, and stated "...it couldn't possibly be a safe environment for them..." It's rather simple: Mt. Olivet, and the teaching Dr. Martin provides, is a church based on Biblical beliefs. It's goal is NOT to make anyone -- regardless of their own personal beliefs/lifestyle/race/gender/etc. -- feel unwelcomed, unloved or demeaned.
So before you ban something you've obviously never experienced, why not attend, at least, one of Rev. Martin's services? That way, your opinions will be based on actual facts/experience, and not just your fears.
All in all, the bottom line is this: if PPS can choose to teach my child to be accepting of the gay/lesbian lifestyle, why do you feel that I myself cannot choose to teach my child as I see fit in a school that supports my beliefs??!! Simply put, if you don't want YOUR child to attend ACE, then please do not enroll them in Mt. Olivet's school.
By
Jaye. Honey. Sweetie.
It's simple. It has nothing to do with experiencing the church an/or teaching of the Rev. It has to do with the fact that the church gave $15,000 to ban my family and thousands upon thousands of other families to form legal unions to protect one another.
Turn the tables. What if a constitutional amendment was passed to make you unable to protect your children under the law - or even to be at the bedside of your partner as they, God forbid, passed away. Imagine the pain. Imagine the injustice.
I for one do not want my tax dollars going to fund a public school that is run by a church that openly, and proudly discriminates against me and my family.
It is that simple. I am not funding that.
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