On April 27, 2005, David Parker, of Lexington, MA was arrested and charged with “trespassing” at the Estabrook Elementary School.

This occurred during a meeting scheduled by the Principal of Estabrook, Joni Jay, to discuss the Parkers’ request that the school abide by the Massachusetts Parental Notification Law concerning curriculum involving human sexuality issues.

Parker said he met with school officials to gain those assurances and then refused to leave until he got them. Parker stayed at Estabrook School for more than two hours as officials and Lexington police urged him to leave. Finally, they arrested him for trespassing.

Parker, who refused to bail himself out of jail, said he spent the night in custody to prove a point. (The trespassing charges were later dropped.)

”I chose to stay, which I’m not sure was a wise move,” he said. ”But I wanted to see how far they would go for asking something simple.” Parker said he wanted to control ”the timing and manner” in which his son learned about ”adult themes.”

The controversy began when Parker’s son, a kindergarten student, brought home a “diversity bookbag” with several items in it. Among them was the book, ”Who’s In a Family?” by Robert Skutch showing different kinds of families, including same-sex couples.

The night before Parker’s arrest, he addressed the Lexington School Committee during their public meeting.

“Children who are successfully indoctrinated that same-sex marriage is normal and correct will eventually understand that sexual intimacy is a part of this union. Let’s not be naive about the implied human sexuality aspect of same-sex unions. Let’s be honest with ourselves. When we accept same-sex unions, we accept its implied . . . sexual intimacy. These concepts are indeed inextricably linked.”

Parker and his wife requested that the school, in the future, ensure that teachers remove their children from discussions of same-sex households.

It was explained to Parker and his wife that the policy allowing students to opt out of discussions of human sexuality was not relevant here.

Judge Mark Wolf dismissed the Parker’s federal civil rights lawsuit, stating that because Massachusetts allows same-sex “marriage,” the state has a “rational interest” in fostering its acceptance.

More than a dozen groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union, the Anti-Defamation League and the Massachusetts Teachers’ Association, have backed the Lexington schools. The Supreme Court has refused to hear the Parker’s appeal.

According to Boston lawyer Daniel Avila, associate director for the Massachusetts Catholic Conference, “Parents shouldn’t have to check their moral values at the door when their kids enter the public school system. Books about same-sex coupling clearly transmit values even if they aren’t labeled sex education.”

Sources:

http://www.davidparkerfund.org

http://www.massresistance.org