NEA Ex-Gay Educators' Caucus

Identical twin studies prove homosexuality is not genetic

The views expressed in this document are those of the caucus.  The caucus has no authority to speak for, or act on behalf of the NEA.

The NEA RA was held July 1-7 in Houston, TX. This year’s theme was Our Democracy. Our Responsibility. Our Time! 6,166 delegates gathered to do the business of the union.
Since this was the 50th Anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising, NEA celebrated by sponsoring the “Rise Up for Love Block Party” with the 2019 Pride Fest featuring the drag kings and queens of Houston presenting a drag show. On July 3, along with participating partners Equality Texas, Human Rights Campaign, GLSEN, Stonewall National Museum and Archives, Gender Spectrum, and the National Black Justice Coalition, NEA hosted a Stonewall Day of Action with a rally at Discovery Green Park across from the convention center. The program theme was “Rise Up for Love: Stonewall and Beyond.” To give you a flavor of the rally, the crowd was led in the chant,

“WE WILL NOT OBEY: RACISM…..SEXISM…..EXPLOITATIONS….HOMOPHOBIA….TRANSPHOBIA….CAPITALISM.
WE WILL STAND, WE WILL STAND, WE WILL STAND!”

On July 5, 10 Democrat 2020 Presidential candidates joined NEA for a Candidates Forum. NEA President Lily Eskelsen-Garcia moderated a one-on-one discussion using questions generated by NEA members with each of the participants: Joe Biden, Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris, Beto O’Rourke, Amy Klobuchar, Bernie Sanders, Tim Ryan, Jay Inslee, Julian Castro, Bill de Blasio.

Passage of some of the action items at this year’s RA included:
NBI #11- using existing resources, NEA will incorporate the concept of “White Fragility” into NEA trainings/staff development, literature, and other existing communications on social, gender, LGBTQIA, and racial justice whenever and wherever context and expense allows.
NBI #20- creating a space on NEA nametags and badges for an individual’s preferred pronouns. This will only be left off only at an individual’s request
NBI #47- NEA will work with current partners, such as GLSEN, to expand on the number of professional development opportunities for GSA (Gender Sexuality Alliances) advisors. To provide training in starting a new GSA, information on how to handle possible backlash from different stakeholders, supply of model GSA projects & activities
NBI #48- NEA providing model legislation state affiliates can use to lobby for a K-12 cross-content curriculum that is LGBTQ+ inclusive.
NBI #s 55, 59, 60- Take actions to organize and mobilize in support of the Equality Act to be a top legislative priority
NBI #56- Through existing media channels, the NEA will honor the leadership of women, non-binary, and trans people, and other survivors who have come forward to publicly name their rapists and attackers in the growing, international, #MeToo movement. Furthermore, the NEA will include an assertion of our defense of a person’s right to control their own body, especially for women, youth, and sexually marginalized people. The NEA vigorously opposes all attacks on the right to choose and stands on the fundamental right to abortion under Roe v. Wade.
NBI #118- The NEA will call on the U.S. government to accept responsibility for the destabilization of Central American countries (including, but not limited to Guatemala, El Salvador, and Nicaragua), and that this destabilization is a root cause of the recent increase of asylum seekers in the United States.
NBI #121- NEA will create a task force to examine means of data collection on discrimination, harassment, and bullying of members by the National Education Association leadership on the basis of race, gender identity and expression, or sexual orientation. The task force will also develop a process of grievance submission and accountability, as well as development and dissemination of reporting procedure and protocol.

Constitutional Amendment 3
Action:
Adopted
To open NEA membership to public education allies while preserving NEA governance positions for education professionals and active equivalents.
Article II. Membership
Section 2. Membership Eligibility: Provisions and Limitations.
a. Membership, as provided in the Bylaws, shall be open to persons who are: (i) engaged in the profession of teaching or in other educational work; (ii) members of a state affiliate in the state affiliate’s membership category that is equivalent to the Association’s Active membership category; or (iii) persons interested in advancing the cause of public education. All members of the Association shall agree to subscribe to the goals and objectives of the Association and to abide by its Constitution and Bylaws.
b. Members engaged in teaching or in other educational work shall adhere to the Code of Ethics of the Education Profession.
c. An application for membership shall be subject to review as provided in the Bylaws.
d. The Association shall not deny membership to individuals on the basis of race, color, national origin, creed, gender, sexual orientation, age, handicap, marital status, or economic status, nor shall any organization which so denies membership be affiliated with the Association.
e. Persons interested in advancing the cause of public education who are granted membership pursuant to section 2a(iii) above and who are not eligible for any other category of membership shall not have the right to serve as officers of the Association, as members of the Board of Directors, or as delegates to the Representative Assembly.
Impact Statement
Article II, Section 2 of the NEA Constitution sets out the eligibility parameters for membership in the Association. Currently, membership is open to persons who are engaged in the education profession or are members of a state affiliate in a category equivalent to the Association’s Active membership category. Within the parameters set forth in the Constitution, NEA Bylaw 2-1 further defines six membership categories — Active, Aspiring Educator, Retired, Substitute, Reserve, and Staff.
If adopted, the amendment would open membership to those persons interested in advancing the cause of education who are not eligible for any other NEA membership category. The amendment would prohibit individuals eligible for membership only under this new category from voting for or serving as Association officers, members of the Board of Directors, or delegates to the Representative Assembly.
Specific details of the new membership category, including the rights and benefits afforded to such members, would be established via amendments to the NEA Bylaws and other appropriate policies.
Note: The term “active equivalent” refers to all non-education employees who are Active members of NEA and of their state association as provided by NEA Bylaw 2-1(b)iv.

Once again our caucus was targeted by NEA leadership for discrimination. An NEA rule was applied immediately to only our caucus. Other caucuses were not required to comply with the rule immediately. This year at our caucus booth, we were fortunate to have four ex-gays as guests: Jeralee Smith, Caucus founder; Adrienne Godre, a former feminist, atheist, lesbian, socialist; Greg Quinlan, ex-gay from New Jersey; Joe Dallas, author, speaker and pastoral counselor. Many public-school teachers and counselors gathered the scientific, research-based materials at our booth and thanked us for providing it. Please visit our newly posted links to have access to this excellent material. We live in a world where we need to be informed. Our children’s well-being is at stake.

Respectfully submitted,

Susan Halvorson
NEA Ex-Gay Educators Chair
8/17/18

The views expressed in this document are those of the caucus. The caucus has no authority to speak for, or act on behalf of, the NEA.

https://www.frc.org/inequalityact

The views expressed in this document are those of the caucus.  The caucus has no authority to speak for, or act on behalf of the NEA.

https://www.acpeds.org/the-college-speaks/position-statements/gender-ideology-harms-children

Consider Caucus Membership to Make a Difference in the National Education Association

Are you an NEA member and concerned with the current state regarding transgender policies and teachings in the public schools?  In some schools in the nation, teachers are told they cannot call students girls or boys and the students are told they can choose a gender, completely ignoring the biological facts.  We, as a caucus, believe telling children they can choose their gender is harmful and confusing to children.

NEA caucuses exist within the NEA to influence NEA policy. The NEA Ex-Gay Educators Caucus was formed in 2004 by a teacher who had been molested as a pre-teen by a same-sex school staff member.  After years of exploring her sexuality, she chose to reject a lesbian identity resulting in dropping a painful struggle and experiencing emotional stability, contentment and a purposeful life.  She believes students need to be supported if they chose to reject a lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender identity and actualize their heterosexual potential.

The caucus’ purpose is to provide union delegates at the annual Representative Assembly with current research-based information on sexual and gender identity.  At our information booth, we provide NEA delegates with the opportunity to meet professionals, research scientists, and to gather research-based information on these topics.  Delegates also have the opportunity to meet and talk to individuals who have rejected former LGBT identities.  We strongly believe this voice needs to be heard in the NEA.

Consider becoming a member if you support this caucus continuing our work within the NEA. You do not need to have experienced a same-sex struggle with sexuality. You would not have to attend any meetings or go to the rep assembly, and you can be from any state.

Thank you for your consideration in this important endeavor.

Questions or concerns? Contact:

Susan Halvorson

NEA Ex-Gay Educators Caucus Chair

admin@nea-exgay.org

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If interested, please visit our membership page and return as soon as possible.

https://www.dailysignal.com/2017/12/11/cretella-transcript

The Purpose of the Caucus
The 2018 NEA Representative Assembly Caucus Report

This year’s NEA RA was held in Minneapolis, MN, my home state, from June 30- July 5. Greg Quinlan, ex-gay from New Jersey, was our awesome guest all six days. (See Links) Jeralee Smith, NEA Ex-Gay Educators’ Caucus founder and current member was also present for the entire convention. We were able to dialogue with and hand out a lot of scientific, research-based information to interested delegates who visited our exhibit.
Early in the convention, a new delegate enthusiastically came to our booth. She informed me that our NEA Ex-Gay Educators’ Caucus booth was the most important caucus/exhibit there. She proceeded to tell me that she grew up in CA and had been taught and indoctrinated with inaccurate information on sexuality and transgenderism in the public schools. She said that pretty soon she was so confused she didn’t know “who she was, what she was or where she was.” She attributes the confusion in large part to the misinformation she was taught. She stated, “After a long, devastating journey, I had to start reading the Bible to “get my head on straight.” She urged, “Please continue what you are doing in this caucus, so others don’t have to go through the devastation I went through.” This is exactly one of the reasons this caucus exists.
Here are some of the MYTHS being propagated and the scientific, research-based response:

https://www.acpeds.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/5.25.17-Joint-Therapy-letter-with-signatures.pdf

1. Sexual Orientation and gender dysphoria are fixed, inborn traits, like race.
2. Homosexual attractions and gender dysphoria experienced by minors are enduring.
3. LGBTQ behaviors carry no increased health risks as compared to heterosexual behavior.
4. Scientific research proves that psychotherapy to explore sexual attractions and gender identity (pejoratively dubbed ‘conversion therapy’) is universally harmful.
As a follow-up to last year’s New Business Item which was referred to Committee on the promise that President Eskelsen-Garcia would personally oversee its proceedings: “For the 2018 RA, NEA, will thoroughly review and evaluate RA exhibitors’ materials for information that is offensive, obscene, or in bad taste. Based on the findings of the review the NEA will enforce its standing rules 12.B (b) and 12.B (d) as they relate to exhibitors found in violation of the aforementioned rules. Because of concerns brought by 2017 RA delegates, special scrutiny will be made to the following exhibitors:
1. NEA Ex-Gay Educators
2. Creation Truth Outreach
3. Creation Science Educators”
This year, to NEA’s credit, all of our materials for the 2018 convention were approved as they have been every year. We commend them for their fairness in this free speech, democratic process.
However, there was one major area of concern at this year’s 2018 Convention. NBI #121 was presented which recommended banning therapy.
NBI #121- “Using existing resources, NEA will release a public statement in opposition to conversion therapy, repairative [sic] therapy, reorientation, or any other process to alter a student’s orientation or identity.” President Lily Eskelsen-Garcia was presiding over the debate in which NEA rules call for a fair debate, one for, one against, and so on. She knowingly allowed views against the NBI to be silenced. How did it happen? LGBT activists used lies and coercion by signing up to speak against the ban and then speaking for the ban and taking slots of speech set aside for opposing viewpoints. President Eskelsen Garcia stated that she knew what they were doing and yet allowed silencing of any dissenting viewpoints, of which at least one member had signed up to speak. (Video evidence of the proceedings available upon request.) In reporting convention proceedings to one of the NEA members and union activists in my district in Minnesota, I mentioned this silencing. She stated that actions like these may cause individuals to choose to no longer be a member of NEA. NEA prides itself on being the largest, democratic, deliberative body in the world. Why are they not allowing both sides of an issue to be debated?
This is exactly why this caucus exists- to make change in the NEA to include scientific, research-based information on sexual and transgender issues for the sake and safety of our precious public-school children.

Respectfully submitted,

Susan Halvorson
NEA Ex-Gay Educators Chair
9/1/18

The views expressed in this document are those of the caucus. The caucus has no authority to speak for, or act on behalf of, the NEA.

Do Facts Really Matter?
The 2017 NEA Representative Assembly Caucus Report

The 2017 NEA Convention was held in Boston, MA, June 30- July 5. This year’s guests at our caucus booth were amazing: Walt Heyer, former transgender, and his wife, Kaycee; and David Pickup, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. Walt Heyer was born a male and at age 42, with the advice of a physician, went through the entire procedure to have sex- reassignment surgery to transition to a woman. As a young child, his grandmother had dressed him up as a girl, and at an early age he was molested by an uncle. Following his transitioning, after eight years of living as a woman, he deeply regretted this decision. He decided to go back to living as his biological sex, a male. He states that when he decided to transition from a man to a woman, he had all the support one could want, but when he decided to transition back to his biological sex, there was no support to be found. He actually was slandered and harassed by many members of the LGBT community who were formerly supportive. Walt knows the personal pain he went through and he has committed his life to helping others in his same position. Because of his brokenness and the hope he found, he is currently helping people in 180 nations who have contacted him with regrets after their sex-reassignment surgery. I would encourage you to read his very compassionate and revealing books: Paper Genders; Gender, Lies and Suicide- A Whistleblower Speaks Out; A Transgender’s Faith.
The other guest to our booth was David Pickup, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist from Dallas, Texas. He came to the NEA at my request to help NEA members understand the terms “conversion therapy” and “reparative therapy” which are terms often used in the NEA. Following is his explanation. “To help clarify each, ‘conversion therapy’, suggests coercion and unethical therapeutic practices and is NOT something licensed, professional therapists support. ‘Conversion Therapy” is not a therapeutic term, but a term dubbed several years ago by LGBT activists. True trained, licensed therapists believe in the individual’s right to autonomy and they help individuals who seek their assistance to write and work toward goals that the client desires and identifies. ‘Reparative therapy’, although the term itself may constitute the idea that someone needs to “be fixed”, in its true meaning, does not mean that LGBT persons are mentally ill and must be fixed. This term refers to the research and anecdotal evidence that indicates homosexual feelings are a reparative drive to get emotional needs met in childhood and become sexualized in puberty. With this meaning, Reparative Therapy is used by a trained, licensed therapist to conduct psychotherapy/talk therapy, to help an individual resolve gender inferiority, and unmet needs in childhood for affection, affirmation and approval. It actually resolves any and all shame clients may feel, and it uses unconditional compassion.” We, as a caucus, believe the individual has a right to choose his or her pathway and deserves the right to choose a trained, licensed therapist who uses talk therapy to help them meet their self-identified goals.
This year was an interesting one for the Ex-Gay Educators Caucus. New Business Item 86 was written by a delegate from Massachusetts to try to remove our exhibit from the convention. The wording stated:
NBI 86- “Be it moved that the NEA implement its own rules and regulations on “Becoming an Exhibitor” to NEA caucuses Ex-Gay Educator and immediately remove the exhibit from the exhibit hall on the grounds that this exhibit violates existing NEA exhibitor standards. These standards state that exhibitors may not distribute materials that are offensive, distracting, or discriminatory.
Rationale/Background- NEA Expo Rules and Regulations Management reserves the right to deny any and all applications. Applicants must adhere to policies on non-discrimination and can be defined as obscene, distracting, and disruptive. This exhibit meets all criteria for an outside exhibitor.
Submitted By: Majority vote at regularly called meeting of the state (Massachusetts) delegation in connection with the annual meeting.”

When the item came to a vote, the NEA President, Lily Eskelsen Garcia, stated that NBI 86 would most likely be ruled Out of Order. In the meantime, it was decided that New Business Item 154 be combined with NBI 86 to form the following New Business Item
“For the 2018 RA, NEA, will thoroughly review and evaluate RA exhibitors’ materials for information that is offensive, obscene, or in bad taste. Based on the findings of the review the NEA will enforce its standing rules 12.B (b) and 12.B (d) as they relate to exhibitors found in violation of the aforementioned rules. Because of concerns brought by 2017 RA delegates, special scrutiny will be made to the following exhibitors:
1. NEA Ex-Gay Educators
2. Creation Truth Outreach
3. Creation Science Educators”
After discussion (which included inaccurate information against our caucus), on the promise that President Eskelsen-Garcia would personally oversee its implementation, the delegation voted to refer this new business item to the Annual Meeting Review Committee.
As you may have noticed, the title of this report is, “Do Facts Really Matter?”. The NEA Ex-Gay Educators Caucus has been in existence for 13 years. We have followed all NEA rules including getting all our materials approved by NEA each year. Our purpose has never been to tell people what to do, but to offer research, science-based materials that can provide understanding and facts on these very emotional topics. Each year we invite experts in the field to come and have dialogue with interested delegates who stop by our booth. In the past our guests have included numerous ex-gays, pediatricians/health professionals, and researchers. We have always welcomed all viewpoints to stop at our booth and engage in respectful dialogue.
I wish facts would matter. Before accusing, let’s be open-minded enough to check out the information and prove for ourselves whether it’s accurate or not. Let’s read the materials carefully so we aren’t falsely accusing, like the delegate who held up the American College of Pediatricians document we handed out at our booth entitled, ”ACPeds, AAPS, CMDA, and CMA Support Minors’ Right to Therapy” and stated that The American College of Pediatricians supported “conversion therapy” when, in fact, the College does not support it. The document actually stated, that in an attempt to ban so-called “conversion therapy,” legislatures are banning ethical talk therapy. The College believes that therapy for minors with unwanted same-sex attractions and/or gender dysphoria must NOT be banned. The state must not violate minors’ right to seek psychotherapy they believe may aid them, and must not restrict the right of licensed professional counselors to provide this ethical care. I would encourage you to read the accompanying science and researched documents put out by the College of Pediatricians (www.Best4Children.org) on these very important topics.
I have found that sometimes those who claim to be the most tolerant are the ones forcing their views on others or silencing those who hold a different viewpoint no matter if they have facts or not. I believe all of us could only wish for respect and fairness, which is something I could only hope the NEA stands for.

Respectfully submitted,
Susan Halvorson, Caucus Chair

The views expressed in this document are those of the caucus. The caucus has no authority to speak for, or act on behalf of, the NEA.

The NEA Representative Assembly met in Washington, DC, July 2- 7, 2016. This year we were able to have our caucus exhibit booth all six days, rather than our usual two days.

Caucus booth special guests included the following experts (See previous posts or links to see some of their important studies and information):

D. Paul Sullins, Ph.D. Department of Sociology, The Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C.
Just released study, “Invisible Victims: Delayed Onset Depression among Adults with Same-Sex Parents” https://www.hindawi.com/journals/drt/2016/2410392/

Judith A. Reisman, Ph.D. Internationally renowned expert on Dr. Alfred Kinsey, from the Kinsey Institute- Indiana University and his fraudulent sex studies and publications which have affected our nation’s laws and sex education programs. Dr. Reisman has testified before the US Congress, high-level commissions, and the US Supreme Court.  Please read her book, Stolen Honor, Stolen Innocence. She explains how the work of Dr. Alfred Kinsey during the 1940s and 1950s contributed to our current sexual practices and beliefs. It was later found that his “sex experiments” were fradulent. Dr. Reisman also uncovered the shocking fact some of the “sex experiments” were even performed on children as young as two months old. This book helps us understand some of our beliefs today on the topic of sexual orientation and sexual beliefs and practices and how they have caused harm.

Dr. Bill Shaw, American College of Pediatricians– visit their website for helpful information related to child health issues.

Peter Sprigg- VP for Policy at the Family Research Council, Washington, DC.
Documents:”Homosexuality in Your Child’s School,”http://www.frc.org/content/homosexuality-in-your-childs-school-4 (click the download pdf in order to read the brochure);  “Debating Homosexuality-Understanding Two Views,” (see Quick Links in the right-hand column for a link to this information); “The Transgender Movement and Gender Identity in the Law,” (see Quick Links in the right-hand column for a link to this information); “Title IX and Transgendered Students,” (see Quick Links in the right-hand column for a link to this information).

Dave- an ex-gay shared his story on coming out of homosexuality.

Many interested people stopped by our booth to discuss and gather information. Since transgender is such a topic of consideration, we gave out 100 books, Paper Genders and Gender, Lies and Suicide, written by Walt Heyer, a man who transitioned to being a woman and deeply regretted it. I would encourage you to read his books. They really helped open up my understanding on this very sensitive topic.

Respectfully submitted,

Susan Halvorson
NEA Ex-Gay Educators’ Caucus Chair

The views expressed in this document are those of the caucus. The caucus has no authority to speak for, or act on behalf of, the NEA.