New Jersey: Separate, but Not Quite Equal
Evesham Township in New Jersey shows a film, That’s A Family! to third-graders as part of a state ciricullum to teach kids about alternative families. They showcase interracial families, international families, single parents, and same-sex parents. In New Jersey, the state constitution extends extends rights to all indidivuals regardless of gender or sexual orientation. The state Supreme Court ruled that all marriage rights must be extended to couples regardless of gender. The legislature decided to enact civil unions instead of marriage–technically with all of the same rights.
In New Jersey, gay families are just as much families as white, heterosexual couples, as interracial couples, or as any other family. But the New York Times reports that an uproar in Evesham Township broke out over That’s A Family and the schools have temporarily shelved the film.
The film, by an Academy Award winner, features profiles of children in a variety of families. One says, “It’s really cool have to two gay dads, because they brought us into a home, and they adopted us, and they love us.”
However, one parent remarked “I don’t think it was appropriate,” said Jennifer Monteleone, 35, who is a parent of two children at the Robert B. Jaggard Elementary School. “If it was maybe in fifth grade, but in third grade they’re a little too young.” If the film featured only white, straight couples would it be appropriate? If it included interracial, international, and single-parent families would it be appropriate?
Under New Jersey law, gay families should be no less a valid family than these others and I think that by not having the title “married” to define them only heightens the difference. There should be no question here. All people, in all sectors of life, at any age, should be able to look at a loving and cohesive family unit, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation or anything and say, “That’s a family!”
Note: The film has been shown in schools around the country and to-date, this is the first school system to ban the film.
Brian G. Murphy, 22, is a resident of New York City where he works for a children's television network. Originally from Maryland, he went to the University of Southern California where he studied film and religion. Brian is also an advocate for LGBT community, working closely with Soulforce and SoulforceQ since 2007. He maintains a personal blog at allpointsinbetween.blogspot.com
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