Maine AG on Gay Marriage Law's Effect on Schools: "I have found none"

The state's same-sex marriage law has no bearing on what can be taught in public schools, Attorney General Janet Mills said Thursday.  Mills examined the issue at the request of Education Commissioner Susan Gendron, who had been fielding questions from school officials and the media. The issue has been a central part of the Yes on 1 campaign, which is seeking to repeal the state law that allows gay and lesbian people to marry. "I have scoured Maine laws relating to the education of its children for any references to marriage in the public school curricula," Mills wrote in her opinion. "I have found none." Full Story from the Morning Sentinel: http://morningsentinel.mainetoday.com/news/local/6984138.html

Planning to marry your partner? Click here for gay marriage resources in Maine.

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New Yes on 1 Ad in Maine Tries to Stir Fears Using "Who's in a Family" Book

In the latest campaign spot by Stand for Marriage Maine, a school counselor at Nokomis High School in Newport suggests that if Maine's same-sex marriage law isn't overturned, young children in Maine could soon be introduced to a book called "Who's In a Family." The ad uses an excerpt from a telephone interview with the Book's author, Robert Skutch of California, that was conducted by a Boston-based public radio program called Here and Now in 2005. In that same interview, Skutch goes on to say that he can understand why people might be afraid of the reality of same-sex couples, but he says his book is about all different kinds of families: those headed by single parents, grandparents, immigrants and two men or two women. "The book was written basically because my niece and her partner decided they wanted to have a family," Skutch said. "I was involved with seeing them when they were very little, this little boy, and it occurred to me, you know it's a shame that he's going to go to school and that he's going to be made fun of because he's got two mothers. And I thought that isn't right and that's what inspired the book. And that's only one little part of the book." Full Story from MPBN: http://www.mpbn.net/Home/tabid/36/ctl/ViewItem/mid/3478/ItemId/9321/Default.aspx

Planning to marry your partner? Click here for gay marriage resources in Maine.

To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at info@purpleunions.com. Or find us on Facebook - just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you'll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We're also tweeting daily at http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc.

Maine's AG Asked to Put Lies About Gay Marriage's Effect on Schools to Rest

Maine's attorney general is being asked to look into what effect the state's gay marriage law would have on the public schools' curriculum. Education Commissioner Susan Gendron asked for the analysis. Gendron has said the law will have no impact on curriculum decisions. But the campaign supporting repeal of the law in a Nov. 3 referendum says it could lead to gay marriage being taught in schools. In her request to Attorney General Janet Mills, Gendron says questions about the impact of gay marriage on school teachings have persisted and are now being directed to superintendents. fFull Story from WGME: http://www.wgme.com/template/inews_wire/wires.regional.me/31c2c55d-www.wgme.com.shtml

Planning to marry your partner? Click here for gay marriage resources in Maine.

To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at info@purpleunions.com. Or find us on Facebook - just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you'll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We're also tweeting daily at http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc.

Maine's Yes on 1 Campaign to Attack Diverse Families

Using the same right-wing consultants that passed Proposition 8 in California, the “Yes on 1” campaign in Maine is once again trying to scare voters into believing gay marriage will be “taught” in public schools. But supporters of marriage equality this time have effectively re-framed the issue, arguing that schools should be “safe havens” for all Maine families – and that opponents want the children of gay parents to “feel ashamed.” Faced with more savvy adversaries than what they had last year, “Yes on 1” now plans to attack an award-winning film schools have been using for years (and was screened at the Clinton White House) that teaches respect for all families – beyond the children of gay couples to include mixed-race families and adopted children. If they want to re-play the Prop 8 game, it won’t work. Yesterday, President Obama issued a proclamation honoring families “from all walks of life” – including those raised by same-sex couples. Last year, Prop 8 went from being 17 points behind in the polls to winning on Election Day – because campaign manager Frank Schubert used two very effective tactics. First, the specter of gay marriage being “taught” in public schools scared enough parents into believing it would change their lives. Second, the campaign selectively quoted Barack Obama to make voters believe he supported Prop 8 – when in fact the opposite was true. The latter was very effective in getting African-Americans to vote to repeal marriage equality. Full Story from Beyond Chron: http://www.beyondchron.org/articles/_Yes_on_1_Set_to_Attack_Diverse_Families_7397.html

Planning to marry your partner? Click here for gay marriage resources in Maine.

To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right. You can also email us at info@purpleunions.com with "subscribe blog" as the subject. Or find us on Facebook - just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you'll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We're also tweeting daily at http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc.