Letter: Display educated youth

I have followed with a parent's interest, as well as the interest of an artist and a writer, the controversy surrounding the "diversity" displays, now dismantled, at both West Middle School and the high school in Plymouth. A statement once made by Malcolm Forbes has always been a favorite of mine to quote, and I am proud my three children have chosen his words, as well, to describe education.

"The purpose of education," said Forbes, "is to replace an empty mind with an open one."

How better to open a child's mind than to present the grand diversity of our world and its people for review and unfettered discussion?

Evolution and creationism, the graphic horrors of war described by those who have linked it and the beauties of peace described by those who seek it, "The Virgin and St. Anne" by da Vinci and "The Holy Virgin Mary" by Chris Ofili - all of this can be shared with children. There should be no fear in learning about different ideas and ideals of visions or views, but rather a celebration that these differences exist. There is no need to personally embrace an idea to acknowledge its existence, and to learn about it and from it.

Depriving our children of the opportunity to learn about the differences in the people around them and around the world, the differences in the way these same people view the world or choose to express their view of the world, deprives our children of the very thing we, in this country, have come to value most - our freedom.

What X-Files world this would be if we had no reason to explore beyond our doorstep because there were no new subjects to discuss, no new theories to test, no new discoveries to be made, no new people to meet. Or, worse still, if we were unable to explore beyond our doorstep because someone blocked our way.

- Jan M. Lobenherz, Plymouth

Letter: School board commended

I commend the Plymouth-Canton school administration for their recent order which forced two teachers to take down their displays depicting Gay and Lesbian History Month.

In a day and age in which one is said to be "homophobic" and "bigoted" for stating that homosexuality is unnatural and not a practice to be commended, the Plymouth-Canton school administration should receive many thanks for having enough courage to say no to the display of material that honors such perverse behavior.

In my eyes, fear of homosexuals is not what motivates my stance against the unnatural behavior. Nor do I feel that the vast majority of those who view homosexual practice as being wrong, do so out of fear and ignorance of homosexuals. Rather homosexuality is wrong because first of all it is contrary to God's created order of one man and one woman, and secondly, by reason of this created order, it is quite obviously biologically unnatural.

And until those men and women who promote the homosexual lifestyle as being normal and natural, can convince me of the biological evidence supporting their assertion, I will continue to declare homosexual behavior as being a perversion of God's intended design of one man and one woman.

Schools should be a place of higher learning where one is educated in the traditional disciplines, grounding students in the basics while stimulating them to think for themselves and aspire to great things. It should never be turned into a place of indoctrination regarding one's sexual preferences and practices.

- Jim Gorski, Plymouth

Letter: Angry at display

I wish to thank the Plymouth-Canton School Board for calling for the dismantling of the showcases at West and Salem concerning Gay History Month. Perhaps only a few parents complained, but I want to let it be known that there are many, many more who are angry at the very vocal few gay activists who are pushing their agenda more and more openly in our schools.

We've been accused of being bigoted, right-wing, politically incorrect, etc., but the majority of people in this country are still Christians, and the majority of Christians still hold with God's word on the sinfulness of homosexuality.

Guiding so-called "gay" students through a "coming-out" process is not a part of this school district's curriculum. Many of us feel, to the contrary, that young people are being lied to and led astray by those trying to justify their own chosen behaviors. Sadly, they're dragging many teens down whose parents may have been trying to teach them right from wrong.

I agree with Mr. Salbenblatt that there is little more frightening than active ignorance, but it's ignorance of right and wrong which has made our country a terrifying place to live for many students. Schools complain that parents aren't doing their jobs. How should parents who are attempting to nurture Christian values feel when their children go to school and receive a different message?

Please don't sit quietly by and allow your children to become confused with these varied messages, perhaps to the point of making choices which will affect them the rest of their lives.

- C. Shumaker, Plymouth

Letter: Narrow minded decision

It is regrettable that the Plymouth-Canton School District has decided to send its students the message that only certain forms of diversity are acceptable.

It is equally regrettable that this decision was apparently based on the complaints of a few anonymous individuals.

Diversity is Diversity. Period. The students deserve better than this narrow-minded lesson.

- Dr. Robert L. Merliss, Plymouth

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