GLAAD CONDEMNS EDUCATION SECRETARY'S ATTEMPT TO PROMOTE IGNORANCE OF SAME-SEX FAMILIES

January 26, 2005 - 04:58pm [National] FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Sean Lund
National News Media Coordinator
(323) 634-2008
lund [at] glaad.org

GLAAD CONDEMNS EDUCATION SECRETARY'S ATTEMPT TO PROMOTE IGNORANCE OF SAME-SEX FAMILIES

NEW YORK, WEDNESDAY, JAN. 26, 2004 -- The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) today condemned Bush Administration Education Secretary Margaret Spellings' attacks on PBS and an upcoming "Postcards from Buster" episode where the lead character, Buster, visits with children who have lesbian parents.

Although PBS has said that its decision (reported by the Associated Press) not to distribute the "Sugartime!" episode of "Postcards from Buster" had nothing to do with Spellings' objection to its representation of gay people, Spellings' letter to PBS contains language suggesting that she intends to use the Department of Education's Ready-to-Learn Television grants program as a means of preventing participating media projects from presenting inclusive images of same-sex families.

"For the Department of Education to try to prevent television programs from depicting gays and lesbians should raise serious concerns for all Americans," said GLAAD Executive Director Joan M. Garry. "Secretary Spellings' attempt to create and enforce a policy of invisibility for gay and lesbian families is a profoundly offensive display of intolerance, one that imposes on our children an agenda of ignorance under the guise of 'education.'"

WGBH, the Boston public television station that produces "Postcards from Buster," has said that it intends to air the "Sugartime!" episode and will make it available to other stations.

The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) is dedicated to promoting and ensuring fair, accurate and inclusive representation of people and events in the media as a means of eliminating homophobia and discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation.

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To read the Associated Press story on Spellings' letter, visit <http://www.cnn.com/2005/EDUCATION/01/26/education.secretary.pbs.ap/index.html >

--
The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against
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and inclusive representation of
people and events in the media as a
means of eliminating homophobia and
discrimination based on gender identity
and sexual orientation.

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