Change Watch: Kevin Jennings, Assistant Deputy Secretary for the Office of Safe and Drug Free Schools
by Tom McClusky
June 8, 2009
POSITION: ASSISTANT DEPUTY SECRETARY FOR THE OFFICE OF SAFE AND DRUG FREE SCHOOLS
NOMINEE: Kevin Jennings
Born: Winston-Salem, N.C.
Occupation: Executive Director, and founder, of GLSEN, the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network.
Education: graduated magna cum laude from Harvard College
View of Christians
Addressing a church audience on March 20, 2000 in New York City — just days before “Fistgate” — GLSEN Executive Director Kevin Jennings offered a stinging (and quite intolerant) assessment of how to deal with religious conservatives:
Twenty percent of people are hard-core fair-minded [pro-homosexual] people. Twenty percent are hard-core [anti-homosexual] bigots. We need to ignore the hard-core bigots, get more of the hard-core fair-minded people to speak up, and we’ll pull that 60 percent [of people in the middle] … over to our side. That’s really what I think our strategy has to be. We have to quit being afraid of the religious right. We also have to quit — … I’m trying to find a way to say this. I’m trying not to say, ‘[F---] ‘em!’ which is what I want to
say, because I don’t care what they think! [audience laughter] Drop dead! It should be noted that GLSEN and Jennings make heavy use of the words “respect” and “tolerance” in their public rhetoric and in descriptions of their programs. [Source]
GLSEN and “Fistgate”
GLSEN, which promotes homosexual clubs and the homosexual lifestyle in high schools, middle schools and grade schools and is the driving force behind the annual “Day of Silence” celebration of homosexuality
“The most notorious education scandal involving homosexual activists is a GLSEN sponsored conference that occurred on March 25, 2000, dubbed ‘Fistgate’ by conservatives. Three homosexual activists employed by the Massachusetts Departments of Health and Education led a youth workshop titled ‘What They Didn’t Tell You about Queer Sex & Sexuality in Health Class’ — part of the annual Boston-GLSEN ‘Teach Out’ conference held at Tufts University. The ‘Queer Sex’ session, advertised to ‘youth only ages 14 to 21,’ was attended by Massachusetts family advocate Scott Whitemen, who taped it while standing in the back of the room.
In the workshop, instructor Michael Gaucher, prompted by a teen’s question, verbally guided the students on the mechanics of ‘fisting’ — a homosexual slang term for a sadistic sex act in which a man inserts his hand and arm into another person’s anal cavity.
Another instructor, Margot Abels, said fisting ‘often gets a really bad rap,’ and described it innocuously as ‘an experience of letting somebody into your body that you want to be that close and intimate with.’ Abels and Gaucher also guided the students on techniques
of oral sodomy and lesbian sex.” [Source]
On Statutory Rape
‘In his own writings and books listed on the GLSEN [Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network] Website, I’ve reported, Kevin Jennings has given tacit nods of approval to sex between young teens and adults,’ (Linda) Harvey told WND. ‘In addition to that, the writings and books, many of which I’ve read and are incredibly graphic, seem to
normalize early teen same-sex sexual behaviors.’” [Source]
Excerpts: “Winning the Culture War” speech, presented by Kevin Jennings at the Human Rights Campaign Fund Leadership Conference March 5, 1995
“”If the Radical Right can succeed in portraying us as preying on children, we will lose.”
“In Massachusetts the effective reframing of this issue was the key to the success of the Governor’s Commission on Gay and Lesbian Youth.”
“We immediately seized upon the opponent’s calling card– safety–and explained how homophobia represents a threat to students’ safety by creating a climate where violence, name- calling, health problems, and suicide are common. Titling our report ‘Making
Schools Safe for Gay and Lesbian Youth,’ we automatically threw our opponents onto the defensive and stole their best line of attack.” [Source]
GLSEN: Kindergartners as Targets
“During a celebration of National Ally Week, Tara Miller, a teacher at the Faith Ringgold School of Arts and Science in Hayward, Calif., passed out cards produced by the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network to her class of kindergartners. The cards asked signers to be ‘an ally’ and to pledge to ‘not use anti-LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) language or slurs; intervene, when I feel I can, in situationswhere others are using anti-LGBT language or harassing other students and actively support safer schools efforts.’” [Source]
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Comments
May God protect our children and grandchildren.
I am absolutely appalled at what I have read about Kevin Jennings whom Obama has chosen for the assistant deputy secretary for the office of safe and drug free schools. He is wanting to introduce our youth and younger children to the wiles of sexual perversion. He nor President Obama have no right to influence our American youths’ minds and hearts in this way. Together we must stand against this outrage!!
When I read through this information I am sickened … it makes me sad, it makes me cry … God loves us so much and has blessed us all with so much goodness. I understand from Scripture that the heart of man is desperately wicked; however, it frightens me to think how much further our country will slip away. My hope is in the fact that God has a plan and nothing and no one can stop him.
Two words: Jeffrey Curley.
Who in Washington is standing up to this guy and GLSN? Are good Christians and conservative, moral people(whether Christian or not)saying something or do they fear being called the gay activists’ favorite terms – “homophobe”, “bigot”, or radical right-wing extremist? We need to press on despite the verbal abuse.
In Romans 13 we are instructed to respect authority which has been appointed by God- I am very troubled in my soul as I can not understand how God would want me to address this issue. I believe we are to stand up against unrighteousness and speak the truth boldly, yet I have been chastised and told “God” is in control and to wait on the Lord. The scriptures about rendering to God what is God’s and to Ceasar what is Ceasar’s…I believe we are facing a new challenge and I believe it would be a sin to pray and yet remain silent. Suggestions?
This has nothing to do with “god,” religion, or the bible. If that’s your only, or main, argument against this nominee, then you’re playing to a very small and bigoted audience. If you believe in “god,” then this “god” surely made us all, including homosexuals. Accept them and move on to a fight you should be fighting, like maybe health care for everyone or tolerance (surely those are “christian” principles, unlike the hatred and intolerance exhibited in attacks like this).
While President Obama has so far convinced Americans that he is a moderate and will listen to the opposition, he has nominated and appointed to policy positions and positions of influence some of the most radical anti-life, anti-family, anti-God people he could find.
What better way to make it appear that you are not the one promoting and approving of evil?
Satan used this very tactic by using Eve as his pawn for destruction and evil men and women have followed suit throughout human history.
As a teacher, I am left in a quandry here. While I fully oppose the homosexual agenda, and I hate the idea of my students (middle school age) being drawn into the disgusting and hurtful practices of the GLBS lifestyle, I also don’t like it when students use hurtful language towards each other or in their flippant manner, say “this is Gay!” How do I respond to students when they use this language without seeming to be pro-homosexual?
To: Barbara Ratliff – If it makes you feel any better, everything you read that made you cry is untrue. So wipe your tears, FRC is just trying to scare you into sending them more money.
To Fran: Two words: Polly Klaas. Heterosexuals shouldn’t be allowed to hold jobs in education.
Please concerned people don’t sit back on your laurels. Write or call your Representatives and Senators. We must do all we can do to fight for the sanctity of marriage and the establishment of wholesome families. We don’t hate the homosexual; we just don’t want their way of life imposed on us and our children.
I am a Christian and am not surprised at the ignorant people that bring me back to Germany and just how Hitler gained power; those people wanted “change” and were also interested in what each of those people would get for themselves; they got it!!
Now for people that make the comment that God made gays also, God gave us a “free will” which allows one to destroy themselves morally if they want to. It is sad that Christian people, who use to be the average are now referred to as bigots and are experiencing a “change” in a clean way of life.
Thank you for raising awareness on Mr. Jennings… this is the first I had heard about this. Given some of the quotes and activities of this man, he has no business being anywhere assoicated with educating our children.
I might take these accusations more seriously did they not origionate from WorldNetDaily. I have trouble accepting any claims that can be traced back to a website with such a history of distortion and outright lying.
Most of the accusations arn’t even directly related to Jennings – they are all one or two steps removed. Claims that people who work for an organisations he founded may have gone too far, or that he wrote just the forward for a book which contains a few problematic paragraphs written by another author.
In response to Suricou Raven – You sound like Neville Chamberlin up to his eyeballs in appeasement. “Well, that’s not really true is it? How can we be sure he’s murdering all those people?” I am a musician and have been involved in all types of music making since I was 8. For 15 yrs many of my closest friends were gay and I observed this life styled up close and personal. I don’t have any trouble, at all, believing the lengths the LGBT advocates will go to in order to convince themselves, and the rest of us, that their lifestyle is not sick and dangerous. It is and the general public doesn’t hear the half of it. Their prey is children and everyone, including the conservative media, tippy-toes around this truth in complete intimidation. One of the most prolific ways people become twisted in their sexuality is through child molestation and that’s just the plain spoken truth. If we don’t guard our children, they won’t be safe anywhere. Come on, wake up America.
The Revelation to John, Chapter 21 “Then the one who sits on the throne said, ‘And now I make all things new!’ He also said to me, ‘Write this, because these words are true and can be trusted.’ …Whoever wins the victory will receive this from me: I will be his God, and he will be my son. But cowards, traitors, perverts, murderers, the immoral, those who practice magic, those who worship idols, and all liars – the place for them is the lake burning with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.” Today’s English Version Christians don’t hate homosexual people anymore than we hate liars. We understand all types of sinners better than they think we do because all of us Christians were once bound up by our own sin too before we came to understand through the study of God’s words that God, by the sacrifice of His own son, set us free from sins that once held us captive. We don’t have to stay enslaved by our sins. It is His free gift but we must reach out to Him and accept it. This gift is available to absolutely anyone regardless of what they have previously done. But it requires us to turn away our hearts, minds and bodies from following our own thoughts and desires and, instead, commit ourselves to following Him who wants only the best for us in this life and in the next. There is a scripture that, in paraphrase, says, “My people perish because they lack knowledge of me…(they don’t know how valuable they are to me and the high price I have gladly paid for them).” The study of the Holy Bible, God’s word to all His created beings, is where we get that knowledge. This gift also means that if I admit my sins to Him, and stop doing them, He is just and He will continue to forgive me as long as I am sincerely making every effort to turn away from those sins. If we choose to trust God, the Holy Spirit will help us stop doing whatever it is that makes us His enemies and keeps us separated from His goodness to us. Christians are not any better than anyone else. We have simply chosen to follow our Creator’s plan for us; not Satan’s and not our own.
Megan: It truly frightens me that someone so uninformed is teaching children. My main concern if for your gay and lesbian students. I’d be curious to hear specifics on your idea of the “disgusting and hurtful practices of the GLBS (sic) lifestyle” but I’d actually prefer if you didn’t elaborate on them here, further spreading your ignorance. Instead, please take some time to become informed. And I mean truly informed, not just reading the propaganda from FRC, Matt Barber, World Net Daily, etc.
The Bible has clear definitions of how God feels about homosexuality. Anyone that says that Christians should be ‘tolerant’ have not read the Bible. There is no mention of tolerance for sin.
To the person that wrote about being in a quandry about respecting government but standing against evil, it has been very clear what God’s position is on this issue. Read about the apostles in the book of Acts, or see the behavior of Daniel and his three friends in the book of Daniel for clarification.
When a man or a woman find a spouse, they may marry thinking that they will live ‘happily ever after’. They may think that nothing can disturb their happiness and that their life together will be like sunshine every day without any clouds. They may also doubt whether there will be any serious problems in their relationship because everything has gone so well so far.
However, the fact is that we live in an imperfect and fallen world in which nothing is as it was when Adam and Eve lived together in Paradise. In practice, this imperfection means that when people get together, they also bring to the marriage their own difficult personalities and especially their selfishness, which is a result of the Fall of Man and certainly the biggest reason of homes breaking up these days. If we do not want to be freed from this selfishness, it can greatly harm the relationship.
In any case, below we are going to deal with this area especially in the light of the Bible. We are going to concentrate on those common mistakes and ways of doing things of which we might be guilty because we have not seen them in ourselves, nobody has ever told us about them, or because we have not understood them in the light of the Bible. If you notice any of the issues we are going to bring up in your own life, you can be freed from them; especially if you ask for God’s help.
If you think Kevin Jennings should be expelled from our schools as Obama’s education czar, join our Facebook group! http://tinyurl.com/yc4gaqr
Where does such internal rot come from? Well, in the 1960s it came from being over-indulged. But today, our primary school children are having such garbage stamped into their minds, WITH OUR TAX DOLLARS I MIGHT ADD, before they even have a chance to make these decisions for themselves, a luxury that the hippie establishment at least had. Kevin Jennings was appointed by Obama to head the Department of Education’s Office of Safe and Drug-free Schools. He tells children how he used drugs and alcohol all the time when he was younger. Loss on Drug-Free!!! Then he advocates teaching sex acts to elementary school children. Would they have even started as early in life, as some of his child-victims do, but for his “raising awareness?” Great, our children run a much greater risk of pregnancy, STDs, and dropping out of school as a result. That’s a loss on safety too!!! Loss on BOTH COUNTS of his new job title. The Van Jones of education himself!
If you think Kevin Jennings should be expelled from our schools join our Facebook group! http://tinyurl.com/yc4gaqr
This Jennings guy nees a doses of morality! He’s confused! I pray to our Lord and Savior Jesuschrist to show Jennings the Truth!
You have a problem with asking kindergartners NOT to harass other children?
[...] Kevin Jennings, Assistant Deputy Secretary for the Office of Safe and Drug Free Schools [...]
[...] Kevin Jennings, Assistant Deputy Secretary for the Office of Safe and Drug Free Schools [...]
By: Lynn Konold | June 8, 2009 at 6:29 pm
How dp people like that even get an audience?