APRIL 1981-HIGH GEAR Page 9
UP YOUR RIGHTS
Beginning with this issue we are pleased to introduce a new legal column by Alexandria Ruden and Chris Quarnieri. We hope that this information will be of continuing value and Interest to the readers of HIGH GEAR. We believe that an informed lesblan and gay community will build a strong and viable community and to that end the authors will use this column as a forum for discussing legal and political issues. Comments and topics are welcome.
With this issue Alex and Chris are beginning an analysis of HB 311, commonly known as the Family Protection Act. This bill was introduced in the US House of Representatives by Rep. Hansen (R) of Idaho. If passed, this bill would be a dramatic step towards the erosion of traditional safeguards surrounding the BIII of Rights, primarily the Right to Privacy.
The purpose of this Act, according to the drafters, is "To strengthen the American family and promote the virtues of family iiie ihrough education, tax assistance, and related measures." The Act provides that:
1) a stable and healthy American family is at the foundation of a strong American society;
2) the Government has frequently fostered policies which undermine the viability of the American family, through its policies of taxation and spending; and
3) a reversal of Government policies which undermine the American family is essential if the United States is to enter the twenty-first century as a strong and viable Nation.
(b) It is the purpose of this Act to
“(d) No funds authorized under any applicable program shall be made available to any State or any State or local educational agency for use in a school district of such agency which requires the forced payment of dues or fees as a condition of employment for teachers."
Comment This section would seem to prohibit the unionization of teachers and would bar the use of Federal funds to any school where the teachers were already unionized.
"Sec. 440B. No funds authorized under any applicable program or any provision of Federal law shall be made available to -
"(1) any State or any State or local educational agency which does not provide for parental review of text books prior to their use in public school classrooms;
“(2) any program which produces or promotes courses of instruction or curriculum which may, directly or indirectly, inculcate values or modes of behavior which contradict the beliefs and values of the community as demonstrated by parents, representatives of parents, and recognized religious groups; or
"(3) purchase or preparation of any educatonal materials or studies relating to the preparation of edu cational materials, if such materials would tend to denigrate, diminish, or deny the role differences between the sexes as they have been understood historically in the United States."
Comment Section (1) would seem to foster censorship of classroom texts by parents, Section (2) would seem to foster censorship of classroom attitudes and instruction and could be used to regulate those attitudes and values considered
education. This section would seem to encourage churches to take over the role of sex educators.
Sec. 104 (a) Section 501 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 is amended by redesignating subsection (j) as (k) and by inserting after subsection (i) the following new subsection:
"(j) SCHOOLS..
“(1) In General An organization shall be treated as an organization described in subsection (c)(3) organized and operated exclusively for educational purposes, if
"(C) the bylaws of the organization prohibit discrimination in the hiring of teachers or admission of students, on grounds of race, nationality, or ethnic background:
Comment This section would eliminate safeguards in hiring on the basis of religion and sex. Schools would be permitted to use sex and religion or lack of it -as hiring criteria.
In next months issue of HIGH GEAR we will discuss the danger posed by the Family Protection Act's treatment of Welfare; First Amendment Guarantees; Childbirth or Adoption; Domestic Relations; Abortion; Legal Assistance Restrictions; and Homosexuality.
ATHENS (IGNA) The Greek government on January 21, 1981, presented a revised version of a proposed law on veneral diseases and relevant matters to the parliament.
Certain sections of the proposed law are punitive for homosexuals. The bill was originally introduced during the period when an anti-democratic junta
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strengthen the American family and progressive in our society. It ruled Greece. It was thought the Sunday thru Thursday
to remove those Federal govern mental policies which inhibit its strength and prosperity.
would allow parents and religious groups to set the norm for our behavior. Section (3) would Because of the length of the take us back to the days when a Bill, we will be continuing Alex' woman's place was in the home and Christ' discussion in a while the man was the only second column in the May issue. accetable breadwinner. It For the most part the language of attempts to negate the social the Bill is self explanatory. changes of the past two decades Comments following the secwhich sought to equalize the tions reflect the authors' opinsexes and ignores the economic lons as to possible negative raml-realities of an inflation ridden fications of the Bill.
Once again, those groups of Americans most commonly discriminated against now will suffer from the passage of this Bill. Blacks, single mothers, lesblans, and gay men and the poor will be most affected if this Act becomes law.
This month the authors will examine the education section of this Act. A cursory examination of the tax assistance provisions enables the authors to say with some degree of certainty that the... benefits inure to the traditional middle-class family unit.
"Sec. 440A. (a) No funds authorized under any applicable program shall be available to any State which prohibits voluntary prayer on the premises of any public building.
Comment The Constitution provides that church and religious activities must be separate from state activities. States are prohibited from adopting programs which aid or oppose any religion. This Constitutional separation of Church and State would be assaulted and weakened with passage of this Act.
world.
(c) Funds shall not be withheld under any provision of Federal law nor shall any provision of Federal, law be construed to prohibit-
(3) the right of any State or any State or local educational agency, in consultation with parents of students enrolled in the schools of such
agency, to limit or prohibit the intermingling of sexes in any sports or other school-related activities.
CommentThis section would basically undermine Title IX of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which seeks to normalize discrepancies in the athletic opportunities for both sexes through funding and availability of sports in the school systems.
Sec. 103. Nothing contained in this Act, any amendment made by this Act, or any other provision of Federal law shall be construed to prohibit release time for parenthood education to be conducted by churches in fulfillment of school requirements for required parenthood education courses.
Comment It is the opinion of the authors that parenthood education translates into sex
more democratic present government would oppose such legislation.
The specific sections that can be used against homosexuals are Article 5 (Paragraph 1) and Article 15 (Paragraphs 1 and 2).
Gay activists organizations are encouraging gay tourists to send telegrams and letters to the Greek Parliament and to Greek embassies around the world to remind Greek legislators that many gay tourists visit Greece each year.
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