THE DES MOINES REGISTER, September 26, 1997
Box 957,Des Moines,Ia.,50304
(Fax 515-286-2511, print run 212,700)
(E-MAIL: letters@dmreg.com)

HORN'S NEW GROUP TAKING ON THE NEA
HE SAYS he wants to educate parents about what he calls the teachers union's `pro-homosexual agenda.'

By John Carlson, Register Staff Writer

Bill horn, a former television sportscaster sent to Iowa three years ago to spearhead a California church's anti-homosexual agenda, has formed an organization that is taking on the nation's largest teachers union.

The 38-year-old Horn says his new organization, Renew America, is beginning a national campaign to inform and educate the parents of America on the National Education Association's liberal and strongly pro-homosexual agenda."

Renew America, operated out of Horn's Altoona home and registered as a tax-exempt, nonprofit corporation, will sell 30-minute videotapes titled "NEA Abuse of Power," The tapes, produced by the California-based American Investigative Reports, will sell for $20 each.

"It's time America finds out what's going on with this powerful teachers union," said Horn. "This is not confined to Iowa. We're going national with this."

HADN'T HEARD

Robert Gilchrist, president of the 32,000-member Iowa State Education Association, a state branch of the 2.2 million-member NEA, said he was unaware of Horn's latest activity.

"I haven't seen the videotape, and I don't know what he's doing," said Gilchrist, a junior high school math teacher in the Linn-Mar school district. "But this kind of thing has been promoted and talked about by conservative organizations for several years. There's nothing we can do about that. We are a strong, viable organization on the state and national level, and we act on behalf of teachers and quality education."

Horn is experienced in finding an issue and promoting the sale of videotapes. The "Gay Agenda" tapes, sold through his former employer, the Springs of Life church in California, sold more than 100,000 copies, and Horn was its chief salesman. He feels the potential is there for a similar response with the anti-NEA tape.

In the past week, he has appeared on radio talk shows out of Denver, Seattle, Los Angeles, Buffalo and Pittsburgh, discussing Renew America and the Abuse of Power tape.

The tape alleges the National Education Association has a "startingly aggressive liberal agenda as well as a close relationship with the Democratic Party."

A CONCERN

Horn insists such allegations are based on fact. He said the gay-rights issue, particularly, is a concern of his organization.

"I'm getting back into these gay issues," said Horn, who for the past year has headed the Iowa Family Policy Center. "I've been silent the last year, and it's time to speak out again. People would be shocked to know what the NEA does, what its leadership thinks. They're in favor of bringing homosexual education into the schools, starting in kindergarten."

Gilchrist said the Iowa organization has never supported such an agenda.