Vermont Religious Schools Leaders Attack Gays

"Homosexual behavior according to the Catholic Church is a sin, "Bishop Marshall School Principal, Bruce Batchelder, proclaimed in late October. He was referring to a consensus made by Catholic School leaders near Rutland, Vermont, after the state education commissioner asked over 1500 school students and leaders to show respect for gay and lesbians students.

The Commissioner's address riled leaders of several religious schools. Their outrage was recorded in several newspaper articles including one in the Rutland Herald.

Mount St. Joseph Principal, Robert Lukaskiewica, proudly blasted gay students by announcing, "homosexual orientation is not immoral, but homosexual activity is."

Other derogatory remarks were made by leaders from Mid-Vermont Christian School, Rice High School, and St. Michael's School.

As we heard this horrendous dialogue unfold, we realize how much work still needs to be done. We need everyone to remember that in all of these schools there are young GLBT persons who are struggling to stay alive amidst sometimes daily doses of anti-GLBT messages. Young men and women who need to know that they are not alone. And that hope, peace, happiness and love are waiting for them outside the lies and attempts to conform everyone to become heterosexual.

Some of these schools do not always expel students suspected of being gay, however, we have not found any religious schools where someone who is GLBT is encouraged to be themselves. Instead we find deans who admonish students not to expose themselves as being gay and not to pursue any homosexual relationships.

The arrogance of a human being denying another human being the opportunity to find love and experience romance is unacceptable. Telling a GLBT student that they are not allowed to pursue a romance with someone of the same sex when opposite sex couplings are encouraged in ever social event at schools from grade school through graduate school is extremely damaging. We know what it can do. We have been there ourselves.