Opposition King & King

1 opposition

1.1 national significance
1.2 ongoing conflict in oklahoma
1.3 federal lawsuit
1.4 other locations

opposition

the image of princes kissing each other @ wedding on final page has been cited social conservatives gay-rights movements undermining religious freedom , u.s. court of appeals ruled in favor of school s promoting tolerance .

king & king s lgbt content—it believed first image of 2 men romantically kissing portrayed in children s book—has led many social conservatives challenge it, on both local , national level. these challenges have included attempts ban book, prevent being used teaching tool, or restrict children s exposure removing school or public library shelves or placing in sections young children cannot access.

national significance

in response king & king, congressman walter b. jones (r – north carolina) proposed law in 2005 called parental empowerment act, have established national boards composed of parents review books purchased elementary schools, , have prohibited states did not receiving federal education funding. can t ban book, said jones. way it. bill died in committee.

in september 2007, democratic primary front-runners asked, in 1 of debates, opinion on book , whether comfortable children having access it. john edwards , barack obama supported it, while hillary clinton described issue of parental discretion.

ongoing conflict in oklahoma

in 2005, in oklahoma, 75 members of state s legislature signed petition oklahoma metropolitan library system (omls) force libraries place children s book in adult section. @ may 2005 hearing of public services committee many of speakers asserted children s books showing family situations different traditional marriage pornography, executive director of omls denied stating, none of material in question illegal or pornographic. later month omls commission voted 10–7 move easy, easy-reader, , tween books containing sensitive or controversial themes area accessed adults. decision based on concern social conservatives books advocate acceptance of homosexuality, such king & king, accessible children. staff of library system opposed such restrictions, , american library association condemned decision. prior, state representative sally kern had spearheaded effort keep such books away children; in may 2005, oklahoma house passed nonbinding house resolution 1039, introduced kern, confine homosexually themed books , other age-inappropriate material areas exclusively adult access , distribution. commission s decision implemented in february 2006 family talk section contained such controversial content. further restrictions added in november 2008, when commission added requirement such material must placed @ least 60 inches off ground in order out of reach of many children.

federal lawsuit

in 2006 robb , robin wirthlin , david , tonia parker filed federal lawsuit against school district of estabrook elementary school, second graders attended in lexington, massachusetts. wirthlins son s teacher had read king & king aloud class part of educational unit on weddings. parents countered school s job teach world , massachusetts sanctioned same-sex marriage. plaintiffs claimed using book in school constituted sex education without parental notification, violation of civil rights , state law. robin wirthlin appeared on cnn, saying

the judge dismissed lawsuit, saying diversity hallmark of our nation.

the wirthlins , parkers appealed decision; three-judge panel of first circuit court of appeals ruled unanimously in favor of school. judge sandra lynch, writing court, rejected plaintiff s argument religious beliefs being singled out argument first amendment right free exercise of religion violated, writing, there no evidence of systemic indoctrination. there no allegation [the second-grader] asked affirm gay marriage. requiring student read particular book not coercive of free exercise rights. court ruled parents substantive due process rights not violated, these rights did not legally give them degree of control sought on curriculum.

other locations

in march 2004 associated press reported on hartsells of wilmington, north carolina parents of first-grader brought book home ends 2 princes kissing red heart covering lips , child not old enough understand that, when not in our beliefs. stunned picture of 2 princes kissing each other romantically. in april 2004, child asking father image of 2 men kissing prompted him complain, [my son] finding book , asking why 2 men kissing in it, had tell him 2 men being gay, disagree with. shelby county, indiana s library vote disagreed formal complaint said parent forced explain why 2 men kissing , did agree move book section children 8 twelve.

in october 2006, in massachusetts, anti-gay group family research council (frc) co-ordinated liberty sunday broadcast throughout u.s., aimed show how gay-rights movement undermining religious freedom. economist noted examples [of gay-rights movements undermining religious freedom] rather hard come […] “king & king” mentioned, tony perkins of frc explaining kids treated pictures of 2 princes kissing 1 another.

conservative religious groups in united kingdom opposed no outsiders project, introduced in 2007, included book. stephen green, leader of christian voice, described tantamount child abuse . elizabeth atkinson, project s director, said, these books presenting 1 aspect of spectrum of daily life...many, many children in country have part of everyday experience.

in september 2007, [a]ppalled images of 2 princes standing @ altar , later kissing , macungie, pennsylvania supervisors petitioned pull book library. supervisors declined overrule library , banning effort backfired when donations brought book more area libraries did not have copy.