Pattonville Schools Asked To Address Sexual Orientation In Employment Policy
More than two dozen stood in support of adding language to the district's employment policy.
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Pattonville School Board members are being asked to support changes in the district's equal opportunity policy regarding sexual orientation.
At the board's meeting April 12, more than 30 people stood in support of six speakers who read anonymous letters from teachers who did not feel comfortable addressing the board due to their sexual orientation.
Pattonville's Equal Opportunity policy currently states: "It is the policy of the district to afford equal employment opportunity to qualified individuals regardless of their race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, sex, age, disability, veteran status, or to the extent required by all applicable laws. The policy of equal opportunity applies to recruitment, selection, placement, promotion, transfer, compensation, benefits, and termination."
Reached Thursday, Pattonville Superintendent Dr. Michael Fulton told Patch the matter is part of an ongoing dialogue with the Pattonville National Education Association. Fulton said the language has been a discussion point for several years but that the PNEA's proposal about it came up in March.
Fulton said the issue of one's sexual orientation or perceived sexual orientation was added to the district's policy against harassment within the last few years. With or without the language, Fulton said sexual orientation does not play a role in the employment process.
"It does not factor into our hiring of anyone," Fulton said.
Another meeting between the district and PNEA representatives is scheduled for later this month, according to Fulton. He added that this negotiation is not part of the larger teacher's union contract with the district.
Kelli
6:16 pm on Friday, April 15, 2011
There were closer to forty people who were at the meeting in support of changing the policy and they were there representing the more than two hundred staff members who signed the petition in favor of these changes. Over 95% of Fortune 100 companies include "sexual orientation" in their non-discrimination policies and districts like Special School District and Ladue already have this in their policy and have for many years. The people who spoke at the meeting were not saying the same thing over and over but were sharing how they personally view the need for a more inclusive policy. There were staff members, community members, parents, alumni and students. After two speakers Mr. Dillon told the crowd that he had heard enough and didn't need to hear from anyone else but the other four speakers exercised their legal right as residents and tax payers during the public comment period of the meeting. The last speaker was told by Mr. Dillon that she couldn't speak unless she had filled out a card which she had and Mickey Schoonover confirmed that the card had been filled out and turned in. Mr. Dillon then found her card and she gave her statement.
Bob Hanson
2:28 pm on Saturday, April 16, 2011
Its time Education leaders stop this indoctrination of our children in the Elementary and High Schools that they must accept those abnormal individuals that prefer same sex relations.
The minority want the majority to accepted Gay and Lesbians as being a normal human trait. Well, I say BS to this and personally will never accept it. Its a sickness of the mine and if God wanted a one sex society he would have created it.
This is just one more issue the Liberal Left is using to destroy this country and it very moral fiber.
Integr8er
10:37 am on Monday, April 18, 2011
Thanks Bob for your Opinion, I am with you 100% on that. Let’s send this out to the general population in Pattonville and you will pretty quickly see that the vast majority of parents and taxpayers in this district believe in a wholesome non depraved setting in the schools. This means we don’t teach our kids that this is a moral or acceptable lifestyle.
B.P.
2:09 pm on Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Separation of CHURCH and state!. SCHOOLS are government building! Also no were does it say Homosexuality is a sickness!
Integr8er
3:08 pm on Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Where does church come from, I never mentioned the bible or church?
B.P.
3:24 pm on Tuesday, April 19, 2011
I am talking to Bob
Gregg Palermo
5:02 pm on Monday, April 18, 2011
We encourage people to comment on stories that are making news in our community. But please take a moment and look at our Terms of Use--bottom of the page, under PATCH INFO.
Integr8er
5:20 pm on Monday, April 18, 2011
Are you suggesting that someone here has not respected your terms of use? I have reviewed you TOS and I see nothing here that even comes close, other than possibly using 2 letters that could be construed as an acronym for Bull feces’. If so please advise as to who and what has been said that violates, or even comes close. If it is simply that one or more us doesn't agree with the message then that is another case entirely.
Karol Plawsky
5:22 pm on Monday, April 18, 2011
Bob & Integ8er: While I respect your views & opinions, I will stand up & challenge your comments: God commands us to: "Love others as I have loved you"...would God want you to be the judge & jury over the "sinners" of the world--or should this be God's responsiblity?? I do NOT believe that adding a policy regarding sexual orientation is an "indoctrination for us to accept abnormal individuals". Actually, I think it is an attempt to show love & tolerance despite one's personal beliefs of ALL human beings--a symbol of God's love for ALL of His children. I cringe at your comment of "abnormal individuals". This issue is not about "indoctrination" or "acceptance" as you suggest, but rather, it is about tolerance, love & realizing that every individual has a right to believe &/or choose their own path--& we are not responsible to be the judge or jury. You will free yourselves tremendously if you leave that job to God. I believe your hateful, narrowed intolerance is the main reason behind the rise in teen suicides today. So, whether someone is not the right color, race, religion, creed, sexual orientation or whatever else "YOUR" definition of "normal" is, my suggestion is that you both set aside your own personal ideals or beliefs & start living by the principle to, "Love one another as I have loved you"-- without judgement, condemnation or ridicule. You may actually save & change a few young, precious lives in the process. I challenge you to ask yourselves, "WWJD"?
Karol Plawsky
5:35 pm on Monday, April 18, 2011
My guess is that Mr. Palermo is referring to the term of use policy that: "is threatening, harassing or that promotes racism, bigotry, hatred or physical harm of any kind against any group or individual"..."treat others the way you would want to be treated". I think your initials of "BS" are understood by most and probably boardering on the terms of use regarding "profanity".
Integr8er
5:48 pm on Monday, April 18, 2011
Show my anything "threatening, harassing or that promotes racism, bigotry, hatred or physical harm of any kind against any group or individual" to disagree is not any of these things. If that is the case then it lowers this site to nothing more than a mouthpiece for the publisher, in which case there is little reason to stop by to be schooled in their ideals. In regards to your tolerance stance, does that mean that you tolerate ANY sexual activity, such as incest or bestiality? I bet not, but why then do find it ok to "Judge" based on your selective moral code when you suggest that we should not? There are limits, and I set mine in a different place than yours, you allow yours to just keep slipping, one day people like you will argue that if a man loves his dog why should he not be allowed to marry it?
Gregg Palermo
7:34 pm on Monday, April 18, 2011
Patch is not a mouthpiece for any publisher and will not become a breeding ground for bigotry. The idea of commenting on stories is to foster a conversation about the subject matter in the stories, not to call people names or infer attitudes and behavior. We want Patch to be a place where people can communicate with one another, and everyone's cooperation will help us stay on that path. Thanks!
Karol Plawsky
8:06 pm on Monday, April 18, 2011
I commend Mr.Palermo for his stance to foster constructive communication and discussion. I do not believe Patch is a mouthpiece for any publisher, but rather an informative, well-written news outlet reporting the facts in a sensitive and careful manner--certainly far from anything resembling a breeding ground for bigotry. Integr8er, I find your last post offensive and insulting so I will refrain from giving it any comment or reply. Alex, I encourage you to continue reading all articles and comments in Patch on a daily basis. I believe you will find them to be news-worthy, enlightening and relevant. I find these one or two distasteful posts to be the exception, not the rule.
Integr8er
11:06 pm on Monday, April 18, 2011
It is simply a logical philosophical argument for where you set the bar, this should not be offensive to anyone who wants to deal with a subject that could use a little open honest discussion, and I am NOT the one who opened this topic, the people who went to the meeting and spoke opened the discussion. I have not threatened anyone, I have not called anyone names, I have not used curse words. I have made some correlations that those with an agenda don't want exposed. I didn't say this site was a mouthpiece, I said IF..IF you don't allow discussion on both side then that is what the site is, I hope that you keep both side open for honest logical forthright debate.
B.P.
4:23 pm on Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Karol you are so right! i cant even say any more
Integr8er
11:31 pm on Monday, April 18, 2011
Alex, it seems to me that you find offensive anything that is not in full agreement with your liberal ways. I have not violated the TOS, I simply disagree with you, there IS a difference. And the reason I comment is that, "all that is required for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing"
I won’t stand by while you happily spew your mantra and speak not a word. If I am disallowed so be it, but I will stand my ground so far as I am allowed. Sorry this doesn’t promote your agenda, that is just how it is.
LDN
5:44 pm on Tuesday, April 19, 2011
The point of the showing at the last school board meeting seems to have been lost. It seems to me that no one was asking people to agree with homosexuality or its expression. Instead, a respectful, thoughtful group of concerned people connected to Pattonville got together to initiate a change in the board's policy. They were--simply enough--asking that people of varying sexualities be equally protected under the nondiscrimination policy for employment.
The guarantee that a person not be fired because of their sexual orientation doesn't seem like too much to ask. And that was really the intent of group that attended the meeting.
B.P.
5:52 pm on Tuesday, April 19, 2011
YES that is so correct thank you i couldnt say that any better.
Integr8er
10:11 pm on Tuesday, April 19, 2011
well it seems odd that only select groups get protection.
JLB
1:50 am on Saturday, April 23, 2011
Well said, LDN :) I've been following this topic over this past week and it's really caught my attention. Pattonville should be proud to boast a nondiscrimination policy that includes sexual orientation. As Dr. Fulton said, sexuality does not play a factor in hiring teachers. Now, we need a policy that will protect their job just like the policy protects teachers of various race, religion, ancestry, gender, disabilities and more. Pattonville is a leader, and I believe that it would benefit Pattonville to take the steps to make sure that everyone is protected under its Equal Opportunity policy.
Integr8er, your comment about "only select groups get protection" seems very ill-founded. The equal opportunity policy is an umbrella that encompasses almost every group around. The policy as it is written now is actually the opposite of what you say. It does not give select groups protection. As it is written now a select group is EXCLUDED from protection. That is what so many of the members of Pattonville are trying to change. They are not trying give homosexuals or bisexuals special protection, but they want Pattonville to give protection to everyone under its equal opportunity policy.
Integr8er
10:38 am on Monday, April 25, 2011
"umbrella that encompasses almost every group around." This is not true, any time you label specific groups you leave someone out, there are already laws for wrongfull termination, so you need not specifially identify select groups for "extra" protection. Why not just define what someone CAN be let go for? that would be a smaller list.
Karol Plawsky
11:28 am on Monday, April 25, 2011
Excellent summary LDN. JLB, you are so right regarding the Equal Opportunity and Non-Discrimination policy. Thank you both for a clear and accurate account of the issue at hand for Pattonville's employment/hiring policy.