“Gay” Family Video Producers Speak Out

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Remember how a New Jersey school pulled the apparently inflammatory, certainly information film, That a Family! after parents objected to it its realistic depiction of gay families? Well, the film’s production company released a statement in response.

We’ve gone ahead and posted the entire message from Women’s Educational Media executive director, Debra Chasnoff after the jump, but here’s a taste:

That’s a Family! takes the lesson of the Golden Rule and illustrates it with real world examples for children and by children. The unfortunate anti-gay hostilities expressed recently by some politically motivated parents in Evesham Township are proof that this lesson is needed now more than ever.

We urge the [Evesham Township school district] to consider these facts: families like those in our film exist in their school district – including families with same-sex parents – and all of their children deserve a safe environment, an environment devoid of harassment, intimidation and bullying that enables the students to focus on learning.

Sure, it’s a nice little statement, but we’re not sure the “politically motivated parents” are so keen on learning. It seems to us they’d be happier teaching their children babies come from the stork and masturbation makes you blind.

The following statement can be attributed to Debra Chasnoff, Executive
Director of Women’s Educational Media:

“That’s a Family! is part of Women’s Educational Media’s Respect for All
Project that seeks to create safe, hate-free schools and communities. The
film was made to help children in grades K-8 understand the different shapes
families take today. One look at the latest census report by the U.S.
government confirms that families in this country take many forms.

That’s a Family! shows the lives of diverse families through the eyes and
the words of children. It’s important to note that all of the issues
explored within the film are expressed in developmentally appropriate
language. None of the children we interviewed for the film talked or asked
about sex. That is simply not what is on the minds of third-graders.
Instead, the children in the film talk candidly about what it’s like to grow
up in a family with parents of different races or religions, divorced
parents or a single parent, gay or lesbian parents, adoptive parents or
grandparents as guardians.

Simply put, That’s a Family! takes the lesson of the Golden Rule and
illustrates it with real world examples for children and by children. The
unfortunate anti-gay hostilities expressed recently by some politically
motivated parents in Evesham Township are proof that this lesson is needed
now more than ever.

Some parents have argued that these issues should be addressed at home,
which – of course – they should. But the reality is that teachers in
elementary schools across the country report a phenomenon of bullying and
harassment based on individual and family differences – especially using
homophobic slurs – beginning as early as kindergarten.

That’s the reason that the New Jersey Department of Education encourages
schools in the state to use That’s a Family! within a third grade curriculum
and why the film is distributed with the support of many nationally
respected organizations, including the National Education Association, the
Child Welfare League of America and the National Association of School
Psychologists.

We appreciate that the Evesham Township school district already has fair and
inclusive policies around harassment, intimidation and bullying. Indeed, we
hope that the review committee will uphold the values stated in the school
district’s own policies about preventing bullying based on sexual
orientation and will follow through on its own mandate to maintain
anti-bullying programs.

We urge the committee to consider these facts: families like those in our
film exist in their school district – including families with same-sex
parents – and all of their children deserve a safe environment, an
environment devoid of harassment, intimidation and bullying that enables the
students to focus on learning.

That’s a Family! is an excellent tool to help create an environment of
mutual respect within Evesham Township schools, and Women’s Educational
Media’s is confident that – upon thoughtful examination – the review
committee will indeed see the tremendous value of That’s a Family! and the
principle it promotes of respect for all.

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