Anti-bullying efforts must respect conscience rights

Public schools should respect traditional morality

Theresa and Alan Yoshioka of EnCourage Toronto, a Catholic ministry for friends
and relatives of people with same-sex attraction, experienced bullying growing up.
Alan struggled with same-sex attraction during university. (Photo: CCN)

Traditional views of homosexuality are becoming the target of anti-bullying efforts and gay-straight alliances according to Alan Yoshioka, former gay activist. A seminar by the Catholic Organization for Life and Family focused on the issue, saying public schools should respect varied views on same-sex attraction.

“A public school should respect diversity of convictions about homosexuality by not promoting a single ideology perspective,” developmental psychologist, author and character development specialist Thomas Lickona told the annual Catholic Organization for Life and Family seminar March 7-8.

“A school can do this by teaching: we uphold standards of behavior which honour the dignity and worth of all individuals regardless of gender, ethnicity, race, physical mental abilities, religious beliefs, sexual orientation or socioeconomic background,” he said. “Respect for diversity includes freedom of conscience as part of that.”

Former gay activist Alan Yoshioka told the seminar that anti-bullying efforts “are being used to advance an agenda I used to espouse.”

For full story, see The B.C. Catholic website.