Posted 10:40 AM by Susan Darst Williams

SCHOOLS CAN LEARN FROM ‘’TOLERANCE’’ COURT DECISION

People who’ve had just about enough of ‘’forced tolerance’’ in public schools for forms of ‘’diversity’’ that are excessively ‘’diverse’’ from their family’s moral standards can take heart from a court ruling in Colorado.

Albert Buonanna was awarded nearly $150,000 in lost wages and compensation for emotional distress. He had been fired by AT&T Broadband for refusing to sign a certificate swearing he would ‘’fully recognize, respect and value the differences among all of us.’’ That included homosexuality and other sexual activities outside the purview of Buonanna’s moral code, Christianity.

According to a Focus on the Family report, John Whitehead of the Rutherford Institute represented Buonanno and said such forced compliance sent his client the message that ‘’the gay lifestyle would be on equal par with his Christian beliefs.’’

Whitehead said, ‘’We're hoping this case will send a signal to the major corporations in this country and around the world that they have to accommodate the beliefs of Christians and some Jewish people who contact us on this issue.’’

Buonanna’s refusal to sign was based on his own First Amendment right to not be forced to violate his own religious precepts. That’s different from actively disparaging or discriminating against people of ‘’diverse’’ moral choices, which he did not do.

Schools should think twice about this decision and the risk of litigation before they:

-- Force attendance at a pro-homosexuality school assembly.
-- Downgrade a student in health class for ‘’failing to demonstrate tolerance’’ for homosexuality.
-- Use biased, pro-homosexual curriculum in class at any grade level, including, increasingly, early grade school.
-- Punish a student for wearing a T-shirt or otherwise expressing the belief in school that homosexuality is ‘’’wrong,’’ especially if they have allowed a Gay-Straight Alliance club in the school.
-- Make ‘’respecting or valuing’’ homosexuality or other controversial behaviors a condition for graduation.

More information on how public schools are violating children’s religious freedom, and what can be done about it, is available in ‘’Persecution: How Liberals are Waging War Against Christians.’’ Author David Limbaugh exposes the subtle but pervasive discrimination against biblical Christianity in our culture.