Focus on the Family Alerts Arizonans to Growing Threat to Families

Focus on the Family
Tuesday, 2 April 2002

Pro-family Organization Brings National Conference on Homosexuality to Phoenix on April 6

The growing influence homosexual activists have over what children are taught in public schools will be just one of the topics to be discussed at Focus on the Family's "Love Won Out" conference, coming to Phoenix on Saturday, April 6. The one-day symposium for teachers, pastors, youth workers and concerned citizens features an array of workshops and question-and-answer sessions led by nationally acclaimed experts on gender-identity issues.

Of particular interest to Arizonans will be a presentation by Dick Carpenter, Ph.D., a former public high school teacher and principal, who will address the dangers groups like the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) pose to families. Eight so-called "Gay-Straight Alliances" are currently registered in Arizona through GLSEN, which recently opened a Phoenix chapter led by an area high school history teacher. The goal of these efforts is to coerce schools across the country to teach students as early as first grade that homosexuality is a normal, healthy "alternative lifestyle" while forbidding any challenge to that belief.

"As an educator, I am concerned about this trend toward suppressing religious diversity in schools," Carpenter said. "Students deserve to have their beliefs protected in the classroom. This conference is a place for their parents to obtain balanced information and help.

"Safe schools that welcome the beliefs of every child must be a priority," Carpenter added. "We need to defend students facing abuse or harassment for any reason. Unfortunately, school safety has been clouded by pro-homosexual rhetoric."

Len Munsil, president and general counsel for The Center for Arizona Policy, an organization associated with Focus on the Family, encouraged Arizonans concerned about their children's education to attend.

"Parents with deeply held beliefs about homosexual conduct should not have their moral convictions undermined and attacked by pro-homosexual propaganda in the classroom," Munsil said. "Unfortunately, many parents aren't even aware of this politically correct indoctrination of their children."

Focus on the Family's "Love Won Out" conference will be held from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 6 at Bethany Bible Church, 6060 North 7th Ave., Phoenix. Additional topics to be covered include the clinical development of homosexuality; clarifying the relationship between homosexuality and genetics; the process of recovery from homosexuality; and how the church should respond to this issue in truth, compassion and love.

For more information, or to contact Focus on the Family, see their website at: www.family.org