February 28, 2012

Peter Sprigg, board member of Parents and Friends of Ex-gays and Gays (PFOX), gave PFOX’s side of their dispute with Montgomery County Public Schools Superintendent Joshua Starr in a commentary in the Washington Times.

Here is an excerpt from Sprigg’s commentary: – “The message that “change is possible” with respect to sexual orientation means just that. It does not mean change is mandatory; it does not mean change is easy; it does not even mean change is desirable for those who do not desire it. It also does not mean that people “choose” to experience same-sex attractions. However, people do have a choice what to do with those attractions – whether to engage in homosexual conduct, whether to self-identify as “gay” and, yes, whether to seek help to change those attractions.”

“The county curriculum on sexual orientation fails to even acknowledge that ex-homosexuals exist. In fact, before the curriculum was adopted in 2007, the Board of Education added to it a statement that was never reviewed by the Citizens Advisory Committee and never recommended by MCPS staff – the manifestly false statement, contradicted by the APA finding above, that homosexuality is “innate.” It was a deliberate and specific insult to ex-gays everywhere.”

“PFOX is permitted to participate in the backpack flier program because courts have ruled that if this service is made available to any nonprofits, it must be made available to all, without discrimination as to content or viewpoint. Now, the county Board of Education has voted to look at abolishing the backpack-flier program altogether – potentially punishing every nonprofit in the county simply to censor one message of freedom and self-determination for all.”

The full text can be found at http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/feb/28/censoring-the-ex-homosexual-message/.