BOE of MCPS- please keep our schools safe by stopping PFOX from distributing materials to our students and staff as they promote harassment and bullying of LGBT people and their allies.

To:  MCPS BOE and Dr. Jerry Weast

To: The Montgomery County (Maryland) Board of Education.
To: Dr. Jerry Weast, MCPS Superintendent.


We, the undersigned, petition the MCPS BOE and Dr. Weast to rescind a decision that allows "ex-gay" groups such as Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays and Gays (PFOX) to distribute materials to our students and staff about "ex-gay" therapy as it directly violates Montgomery County Public School´s nondiscrimination statement as follows:

"MCPS prohibits illegal discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender, religion, ancestry, national origin, marital status, socioeconomic status, age, disability, physical characteristics, or sexual orientation."
(http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/info/nondiscrimination/)

All mainstream medical organizations agree that "ex-gay" therapy is dangerous and that there is no scientific evidence that supports changing one´s sexual orientation is possible:

“For over three decades the consensus of the mental health community has been that homosexuality is not an illness and therefore not in need of a cure. The APA’s concern about the positions espoused by NARTH and so-called conversation therapy is that they are not supported by the science. There is simply no sufficiently scientifically sound evidence that sexual orientation can be changed. Our further concern is that the positions espoused by NARTH and Focus on the Family create an environment in which prejudice and discrimination can flourish.”

(http://www.exgaywatch.com/wp/2006/08/apa-releases-st/)

We find the distribution of these materials extremely offensive and counterproductive in ensuring the safety of both students and staff in Montgomery County Public Schools.

Sincerely,

The Undersigned

The BOE of MCPS- please keep our schools safe by stopping PFOX from distributing materials to our students and staff as they promote harassment and bullying of LGBT people and their allies. Petition to MCPS BOE and Dr. Jerry Weast was created by and written by Derrick Ryan (mcpsequality@gmail.com).  This petition is hosted here at www.PetitionOnline.com as a public service. There is no endorsement of this petition, express or implied, by Artifice, Inc. or our sponsors. For technical support please use our simple Petition Help form.