Parent Petition Prompts Changes in LGBTQ Acceptance Week Participation at San Ramon Middle School

SAN RAMON, CA- A San Ramon middle school has made lesson plan changes following an online uproar lead by a group of parents petitioning to block the school’s week-long participation in LGBTQ Acceptance Week beginning April 11.

The petition, signed by more than 500 people, says that school's intense participation demonstrates discrimination for other inequalities, stating the resources devoted to the topic exceeds attention to other equality concerns including religion, race, social status and more.

Windermere Ranch Middle School officials notified parents that lessons for the week would be themed around acceptance, safety and respect for all students with a specific focus on the LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual, Transgender, Questioning) community.

Parents demanded that efforts be limited to the district approved National Day of Silence on April 15, threatening a student walk-out if their concerns were ignored.

The petition reads:

Acceptance Week clearly involves public efforts that are focused on the LGBTQ community. Such public efforts are well beyond any activities for any other single group, and are believed to be discriminatory. Inequalities in such efforts are evident when comparing the time, resources and intensity devoted to lessons, activities, and promotional fanfare dedicated to the acceptance of the Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual, and Transgender group while ignoring acceptance and promotion of values represented in other diverse groups within our community. We are not against LGBTQ, but believe that the following represent equally important areas of concern, which are not addressed:

• Acceptance without condemnation for differing religious values or practices;
• Acceptance without regard to race or culture;
• Acceptance without regard to social status;
• Acceptance without regard to physical, social, emotional, mental or academic ability;
• Acceptance of first generation multi-ethnic minorities with diverse cultures and religious beliefs.

San Ramon Valley School District Communications Specialist Meaghan Krakoff explained that the idea of the lesson came from the school’s leadership students who wanted to plan lessons to address acceptance and respect for all leading up to the National Day of Silence.

"This is the second year in a row that the leadership students have created and presented lessons on this theme," Krakoff said, "Throughout the year, each week, leadership students present 'character education' lessons to their fellow-students."

Krokoff says students have addressed other topics including bullying, 'Words Matter Week,' and 'Holocaust Teaching Week'.

School Principal Dave Bolin reportedly shared the intended lesson plans with all parents, in order to provide them with an opportunity to review the lessons and choose to opt their children out, says the district.

"This is part of a common practice to provide parents an opportunity to review and opt out of lessons of a sensitive nature," Krokoff said, "Another example would be sexual education lessons."

Because of the response from parents, the district says Principal Bolin has had revisions made to the lesson plans.