District disavows sponsorship of 'gay' event:Parent had challenged support for AIDS Day program

Potential litigation over a school district's involvement with an "event" that just a year earlier was called a "prayer" service has been headed off with an agreement for officials to renounce any sponsorship or affiliation with the AIDS Day program, according to a lawyer involved in the case."The Dec. 2 event [is] not sponsored by the school district. It is being organized and promoted by certain student clubs and individual students who have an interested in the world-wide AIDS issue," said a letter from the Murrietta Valley Unified School District to attorney Richard Ackerman as part of a settlement over the dispute.The district earlier had issued on its website an announcement about the event at St. Catherine's Catholic Church in Temecula.The agenda shows the event it is to be opened with "remarks" from Rev. Benita Ramsey. It also showed a religious presentation would follow. "Students from several school clubs will take part in the event including the Gay Straight Alliance, Black Student Union, Ballet Folklorico, Si Si Puede, MVHS Dance and members of the MVHS Choir, Temecula Valley Choir and Riverside City College Choir," the school said.The district announcement provided a contact name and number for Murrieta Valley High School teacher Mary Byun-Kallevig.Such publicity drew the attention of Richard Ackerman, of the Pro-Family Law Center, who suggested to the district a separation of the school from the "event," especially in light of the fact the district previously had tried to stifle Christian students' speech with a code that imposed a penalty of expulsion for students who said something that made someone feel bad."It appears rather obvious to our office that this is an abject violation of separation of church and state constitutional policy," Ackerman's letter to the district said."If you do not take immediate action to remedy the appearance of M.V.S.D's endorsement of St. Catherine's theology and acceptance of the homosexual lifestyle, we will take immediate action to restrain any further support of this event."He noted the same event in 2006 was advertised as starting with a "prayer service."Ackerman also pointed out Byun-Kallevig "is the acting supervisor for the Murrieta Valley High School Gay Straight Alliance, a district-sanctioned school cub for students" which receives economic and other support from the school.Ramsey, he said, is "a clergy person associated with the Inland Valley Unit Fellowship of Christ Church and is known to be a public religious figure… Pastor Ramsey also serves as a director of the Rainbow Pride Youth Alliance, whose stated purpose includes, 'The Rainbow Pride Youth Alliance is a support organization for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning youth and their families…' "Ackerman had suggested that the district either withdraw its support for the event, or admit that it will "openly support all student clubs/club supervisors, and whatever lawful activities they wish to involve themselves in. If Christian or other clubs wish to invite other students to church services and the like, this is completely permissible and the District will take no action to interfere with evangelism on campus by clubs and their supervisors."The district opted to withdraw its sponsorship."I also assure you that the District has not and will not authorize the use of its name in connection with the event. Moreover, the MVHS has been put on notice of this position," the letter from school officials said.Ackerman confirmed to WND the district, in fact, had removed its promotion of the event from the school website, so he had withdrawn the paperwork that would have called for a court hearing on the issue today.Ackerman had elaborated on the earlier dispute with the district, in which officials considered a policy that could cause students to be expelled for "rejecting" each other, for sharing "unpleasant stories" about each other – even if true – or for associating with like-minded peers in groups if others feel "left out.""This is a brutal affront to the First Amendment," Ackerman said at the time. "Students have a right to associate with each other and should not be punished for dividing themselves into groups that allow individuals to better relate to each other."
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=58958

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