Lexington gay rights event fuels debate

LEXINGTON -- School leaders are bracing for protesters at the high school on Wednesday, when some students will be participating in a ''Day of Silence," an annual national event in which the participants do not talk to one another to sympathize with gays and lesbians.

Lexington is once again facing a conflict over how it should handle making gay and lesbian students or children of gay and lesbian parents comfortable in school.

The Day of Silence controversy comes as two elementary school parents have complained about a second-grade teacher reading a fairy tale about gay marriage -- the second set of parents to complain about a children's book with a gay theme in it in less than a year.

Lexington High School principal Michael Jones outlined the appropriate ways for students to voice their support of or opposition to the Day of Silence event in a letter sent out earlier this month.

Last year's Day of Silence, during which some students and teachers wore buttons that read ''vocal supporter" or ''silent supporter," prompted opposition from some students and residents.

''Free speech in a public school is protected by constitutional law and Supreme Court decisions," wrote Jones, emphasizing the event is not sponsored by the high school. ''As principal of this school, I cannot forbid students or teachers from wearing buttons, stickers, armbands, or T-shirts in expressing their views."

Wednesday's event already has generated public controversy.

John Moriarty, chairman of Citizens for Freedom, a local group that describes itself as concerned about good government, urged school officials in a letter last week to cancel the Day of Silence event. He said he believes the school is endorsing the event by allowing it to be held during school hours.

The event, he said, divides the community, creates stress, and leads to name-calling on both sides.

''The school should not be endorsing events, programs, or groups that portions of the community are uncomfortable with," he said by telephone. ''That would be politicizing the issue."

But school leaders contend they have a duty to create an atmosphere that fosters acceptance of all students and all kinds of families, including those headed by same-sex parents, and those lessons need to begin when students first enter school as kindergartners.

''We know there are some parents who will be uncomfortable with it, but we want to include all families and children in our school district," said Helen Cohen, chairwoman of the Lexington School Committee.

On Wednesday, Rob and Robin Wirthlin made public their objection to their son's teacher reading the book ''King & King," which featured a prince marrying another prince with the two kissing at the book's end.

In April 2005, Lexington parent David Parker was arrested on trespassing charges because he refused to leave Eastabrook school grounds until the administration allowed him to remove his son from classroom discussions about same-sex parents. Parker objected to his son bringing home from his kindergarten classroom a book called ''Who's in a Family?," which depicted same-sex parents along with other types of families. His stand prompted national groups to come to Lexington and other communities to protest gay rights.

Despite the complaints, Bonnie Brodner, who moved here nine years ago with her partner to raise a family, said she feels as welcomed in Lexington as she ever did. ''The only thing that has changed is people are more open about their support of same-sex parents," said Brodner, a stay-at-home mother of two boys, 6 and 10. ''We haven't gotten any negative reactions."

James Vaznis can be reached at jvaznis@globe.com.