Gay rights task Both sides of the gay rights issue are meeting separately on an education task force, but some say this may cause further division in implementing a school anti-harassment rule.
force meetings
split by view
School officials say separate
meetings will impair discussion
on the harassment ruleSchools may get leeway
for commercializationBy Crystal Kua
Star-Bulletin"It's kind of troubling to not participate as a task force together," said member James Hochberg. "I'm going to a meeting (tomorrow) having no idea what the other half of the task force said Friday."
The Board of Education voted in November to add to administrative rules on student misconduct a section that prohibits harassment based on race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, religion, disability or sexual orientation.
The debate over the rules -- which divided the school board during the election -- centered on whether "sexual orientation" should be included.
Groups favoring the rules said sexual orientation should be mentioned because gay and lesbian students are targets of harassment.
Those against argued that all students should be protected from harassment and that a select group should not be given special rights. Critics also believe the rules could open the door to the teaching of homosexuality in the schools.
After the rules were adopted, the task force was convened by Deputy Superintendent Pat Hamamoto to help the department come up with ideas on how to implement the rules and related issues of training and awareness.
Half the task force, who mainly represented gay rights advocates, met last week and the other half this week, said Francine Grudzias of the Department of Education.
Grudzias said separating the groups would allow them to openly share their concerns but that both sides would come together as one group.
Board member Carol Gabbard said that even though the groups may not agree on the issue, they should not be a divided task force. "Maybe your dividing the group may be emphasizing or creating even more of a division."
Board member Shannon Ajifu said some of the task force members may not know they were on a particular side, "because all they're concerned about is that the issue be resolved and kids are taken care of. And I agree that we need to bring all the people together as quickly as possible."
Hochberg agreed that the process is starting out flawed. "It makes it really difficult to say this task force is really going to be able to do anything."
Hochberg said he was told the two sides were meeting separately because they would not be able to discuss the subject civilly.
"And if that's the case, then maybe the wrong people are on the group," he said.
Schools would have the ultimate discretion over how much commercialization would be allowed on campus under a proposed policy approved by a Board of Education committee yesterday. Schools may get leeway
for commercializationBy Crystal Kua
Star-BulletinThe policy, passed by the Student Services Committee, allows for business partnerships with schools for fund-raising and academic endeavors, but it advises schools to be protective of the welfare of students and the integrity of the learning environment.
"There's corporate involvement in many different facets of the schools," board member Shannon Ajifu said. "We realize we can't get rid of it all."
The policy sets eight criteria for determining positive, ethical business-education partnerships.
The committee's discussion centered on two of those principles. One permits corporate logos for sponsorship recognition, as in the case of the Pizza Hut "Book It" literacy project, while another would prohibit selling or providing free access to advertising on school property except for approved school fund-raisers and functions.
Board member Sherwood Hara said he wondered whether soda machines could carry the logo of the company selling the product if the soda machine contract did not prohibit it.
"So long as the logo is being provided for recognition purposes only," committee Chairman Matthew McLane said.
The proposed policy now goes to the school board for consideration.