Editor,

I’m writing in response to the January 20, 2010 article, “School Board: banners need to go.”

I lived in Wheatland from 1979 until 1991; the year I graduated Wheatland High School.

I am absolutely appalled by the board’s decision to remove “anti-hate” banners from the school on the basis that one of the sponsors is a gay and lesbian organization.

The board’s decision is ironic. They say they want their schools to participate in a program that encourages respect and tolerance. Yet, they won’t even let students hang a banner that supports the program because a majority of the board members cannot tolerate gays and lesbians.

In only a matter of days, I have read numerous articles in newspapers and on websites that address the board’s decision, from the East Coast to San Francisco, and everywhere in between. Stories have appeared on websites as varied as the National Public Radio and Bloomberg Business Week. And, articles are appearing in nearly every major newspaper in the country. I have even founds sites in Europe that mention the absurdity of the board’s bigotry-laden decision

What astonishes me most about this whole situation is that only three groups thought it was important enough to financially sponsor the No Place for Hate program, a program geared at helping today’s youth. No one is talking about that fact. We as humans trying to make it in this tough world should be thankful that there are groups out there that care about making this world a better place. Educators and parents should be doing everything they can to make children feel great about themselves, because growing up is hard enough.

Almost everyone has a member of their family or group of friends, that might be gay or lesbian, but most will never know, because “these organizations (comprised of our fellow human beings (teachers, friends, family, idols and political, religious, sports and entertainment figures),” might never feel comfortable enough to tell anyone.

Teaching someone tolerance for their fellow human beings should not ever be looked at as propaganda. The trustee quotes that have appeared in the papers show obvious homophobia. In situations like this education is important for everyone. If the people who are overseeing our schools reek of intolerance, then how do we expect our children to understand that everyone should love one another, regardless of our differences?

Eventually all children will grow up and, hopefully, be the person, the individual, that they want to be. Hopefully they will find happiness, and be comfortable with who they are. That is the most important thing we can all want for our children.

If hate wasn’t instilled in us from various different sources throughout our lives, then we wouldn’t need posters to remind us to be good to one another. It is unfortunate that we have to remind each other not to hate, but since we do, the school board should rethink its decision-do some soul-searching, and recommend that the banners be allowed to hang once again.

When we truly don’t need banners that remind us that we should love one another, only then should we take them down.

Sincerely,

Antonio G. Fernandez