by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
A controversy is raging over a San Francisco charter school’s decision to take a busload of first graders to their lesbian teachers “wedding.” At a time when voters are locked in a fierce battle over whether or not to permit same-sex marriage in the state, some say the offbeat field trip may be enough to sway voters away from the idea.
The first grade class at the Creative Arts Charter School in San Francisco were bused to City Hall on Oct. 11 to attend the wedding of their lesbian teacher, Erin Carder, and her “bride” Kerri McCoy.
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, McCoy and Carder both wore white and held hands on the balcony of San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom as they recited their vows and the mayor officiated.
“With this ring, I thee WED!” Carder said, shouting the last word for emphasis.
The couple then walked out of City Hall’s main doors where the students were lined up on the steps with bags of pink rose petals and bottles of bubbles. Witnesses say the children giggled and squealed as they hugged their teacher after the event.
Apparently, the idea came from a parent who thought it would be a nice surprise for the teacher on her “wedding” day.
The school’s interim director, Liz Jaroflow, agreed, and justified the academic requirements for the trip by noting the significance of same-sex marriage and other civil rights issues.
“It really is what we call a teachable moment,” she told the Chronicle. “I think I’m well within the parameters.”
Jaroflow’s timing has certainly aided the cause against gay marriage at a critical time in the state’s history. Californians are engaged in a fierce battle over whether or not to amend the state’s constitution to define marriage as between one man and one woman after a recent California Supreme Court ruling allowed same-sex marriages to begin taking place in the state.
A new ballot to amend the state’s constitution, Proposition 8, will go before voters on Nov. 4 and the race is tight. An Oct. 8 poll found 47 percent of the public in favor of an amendment with 42 percent opposed and 10 percent remaining undecided.
The first grader’s field trip is providing a real-life example of what proponents of Proposition 8 have been warning about in their latest television ads – that children may be forced to learn about gay marriage in school.
“It’s just utterly unreasonable that a public school field trip would be to a same-sex wedding,” said Chip White, press secretary for the Yes on 8 campaign. “This is overt indoctrination of children who are too young to have an understanding of its purpose. It shows that not only can it happen, but it has already happened.”
Parents had to give their permission for the field trip and could choose to opt out of the trip, but only two families chose to do so. Those children spent the duration of the 90-minute field trip back at school with another first grade class, the interim director said.
Other administrators and parents acknowledged that the field trip was controversial, but didn’t think it was such a big deal.
“How many days in school are they going to remember?” asked parent Mark Lipsett. “This is a day they’ll definitely remember.”
One student, six year-old Chava Novogrodsky-Godt was happy to see the wedding, saying about her teacher, “I want her to have a good wedding.”
The child went on to announce that her two mothers would also be getting married in a few weeks.
© All Rights Reserved, Living His Life Abundantly/Women of Grace. http://www.womenofgrace.com
