Parents step up campaign against B.C. same-sex course

A parents' group opposed to a new B.C. elective course teaching gay and lesbian issues is taking itsfight to schools boards, in an effort to pressure the provincial government.

Concerned Parents of British Columbia wants the province to reverse its recent decision to allow a same-sex couple to help develop the social justice course.

Coquitlam teacher Murray Corren and his husband Peter Corren had been given that right as part of the settlement of a longstanding human rights complaint about the lack of gay issues in the school curriculum.

Ten days ago, more than 800 people, including the parents' group, rallied outside Premier Gordon Campbell's Vancouver constituency office to protest the Correns' involvement.

On Tuesday night, the group went to a Richmond School Board meeting to lobby trustees to pressure the province to stop development of the Grade 12 elective course.

"This is an erosion of the rights of parents," said Concerned Parents spokesman Brian Roodnick. "We've got an advocacy group that has opened the door of a precedent and we don't know who's going to walk through the door next."

Roodnick also dismissed an allegation thathis group's opposition to the course is anti-gay.

"We've gone on the record saying that we aren't anti-homosexual and we don't want the Corren agreement set aside."

The Richmond School Board will review the group's request over the next60 days.

In the meantime, Roodnick says his organization is preparing to lobby other school boards. Thesame-sex courseis tobe introduced in the schools next September.