When 15 year old Christian student Brandon Wegner, a student at Shawano Community High School in Shawano, Wisconsin, wrote an opinion piece requested by a teacher for his High School newspaper, he was unaware of the persecution he would soon face for his opinion. The school newspaper wanted an article that presented both sides of the homosexual adoption issue. Wegner wrote in opposition and another student wrote in favor of allowing homosexuals to adopt children. Wegner used Scripture to defend his position, including passages from Leviticus that refer to homosexuality as an abomination. When a homosexual couple read the article, they immediately complained to the school district, who in turn immediately issued an apology saying, “Offensive articles cultivating a negative environment of disrespect are not appropriate or condoned by the Shawano School District,” the statement read. “We sincerely apologize to anyone we may have offended and are taking steps to prevent items of this nature from happening in the future.”
The “steps” taken by the school district included having school Superintendent Todd Carlson intimidating and bullying the 15 year old Wegner. During what has been reported as “hours of meetings,” Superintendent Carlson allegedly threatened to suspend Wegner for “violating the school's bullying policy,” as well as telling him that he was personally offended by Wegner's opinions, and that he had “to be one of the most ignorant kids to try to argue” with Carlson about this topic. When Superintendent Carlson gave the student an opportunity to say he regretted expressing his opinion, Wegner stood fast and did not back down in the face of the superintendent's bullying tactics. It is important to note that at no time during the superintendent's intimidating and abusive attack on the student, were the boy's parents notified.
Since the opinion piece was requested by a teacher, and another student wrote in favor of allowing homosexual partners to adopt, the topic itself wasn't objected to. What was considered objectionable by the homosexual couple and the school Superintendent, and what the Brandon Wegner was persecuted for, were the Bible verses used, and Wegner's Christian belief.
Sources:
Atty Says School Threatened, Punished Boy Who Opposed Gay Adoption
by Todd Starnes, January 2012
http://radio.foxnews.com/toddstarnes/top-stories/atty-says-school-threatened-punished-boy-who-opposed-gay-adoption.html
15-Year-Old Student Bullied for Supporting Biblical View of Family
Liberty Council Press Release, January 23, 2012
http://www.lc.org/index.cfm?PID=14100&PRID=1144
School: Opposition to Gay Adoption is “Bullying”
by Todd Starnes, January 2012
http://radio.foxnews.com/toddstarnes/top-stories/school-opposition-to-gay-adoption-is-%E2%80%9Cbullying%E2%80%9D.html
Should Homosexual Partners Be Able To Adopt? Who Sets Standard Of A Suitable Parent
(original Shawano High School Newspaper Article)
http://archive.greenbaypressgazette.com/assets/pdf/U0183892114.PDF
The “steps” taken by the school district included having school Superintendent Todd Carlson intimidating and bullying the 15 year old Wegner. During what has been reported as “hours of meetings,” Superintendent Carlson allegedly threatened to suspend Wegner for “violating the school's bullying policy,” as well as telling him that he was personally offended by Wegner's opinions, and that he had “to be one of the most ignorant kids to try to argue” with Carlson about this topic. When Superintendent Carlson gave the student an opportunity to say he regretted expressing his opinion, Wegner stood fast and did not back down in the face of the superintendent's bullying tactics. It is important to note that at no time during the superintendent's intimidating and abusive attack on the student, were the boy's parents notified.
Since the opinion piece was requested by a teacher, and another student wrote in favor of allowing homosexual partners to adopt, the topic itself wasn't objected to. What was considered objectionable by the homosexual couple and the school Superintendent, and what the Brandon Wegner was persecuted for, were the Bible verses used, and Wegner's Christian belief.
Sources:
Atty Says School Threatened, Punished Boy Who Opposed Gay Adoption
by Todd Starnes, January 2012
http://radio.foxnews.com/toddstarnes/top-stories/atty-says-school-threatened-punished-boy-who-opposed-gay-adoption.html
15-Year-Old Student Bullied for Supporting Biblical View of Family
Liberty Council Press Release, January 23, 2012
http://www.lc.org/index.cfm?PID=14100&PRID=1144
School: Opposition to Gay Adoption is “Bullying”
by Todd Starnes, January 2012
http://radio.foxnews.com/toddstarnes/top-stories/school-opposition-to-gay-adoption-is-%E2%80%9Cbullying%E2%80%9D.html
Should Homosexual Partners Be Able To Adopt? Who Sets Standard Of A Suitable Parent
(original Shawano High School Newspaper Article)
http://archive.greenbaypressgazette.com/assets/pdf/U0183892114.PDF
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