Class Surprises Lesbian Teacher on Wedding Day

[Leogeddon]

A group of San Francisco first-graders took an unusual field trip to City Hall on Friday to toss rose petals on their just-married lesbian teacher - putting the public school children at the center of a fierce election battle over the fate of same-sex marriage.

The 18 Creative Arts Charter School students took a Muni bus and walked a block at noon to toss rose petals and blow bubbles on their just-married teacher Erin Carder and her wife Kerri McCoy, giggling and squealing as they mobbed their teacher with hugs.

Mayor Gavin Newsom, a friend of a friend, officiated.

A parent came up with the idea for the field trip - a surprise for the teacher on her wedding day.

"She's such a dedicated teacher," said the school's interim director Liz Jaroslow.

But there was a question of justifying the field trip academically. Jaroflow decided she could.

"It really is what we call a teachable moment," Jaroflow said, noting the historic significance of same-sex marriage and related civil rights issues. "I think I'm well within the parameters."

Nonetheless, the excursion offers Proposition 8 proponents fresh ammunition for their efforts to outlaw gay marriage in California, offering a real-life incident that echoes their recent television and radio ads.

"It's just utterly unreasonable that a public school field trip would be to a same-sex wedding," said Chip White, press secretary for the Yes on 8 campaign. "This is overt indoctrination of children who are too young to have an understanding of its purpose."

The trip illustrates the message promoted by the campaign in recent days, namely that unless Prop. 8 passes on Nov. 4, children will learn about same-sex marriage in school.

"It shows that not only can it happen, but it has already happened," White said.

California Education Code permits school districts to offer comprehensive sex education, but if they do, they have to "teach respect for marriage and committed relationships."

Parents can excuse their child from all or part of the instruction.

On Friday, McCoy and Carder, both in white, held hands on Newsom's office balcony overlooking the rotunda and recited their vows.

"With this ring, I thee wed!" Carder said, shouting the last word for emphasis.

After traditional photos, the two walked out City Hall's main doors where the students were lined up down the steps with bags of pink rose petals and bottles of bubbles hanging from their necks. McCoy, a conferences services coordinator, was in on the surprise and beamed as the children swarmed around Carder.

The two said they have participated in the campaign against Proposition 8 and planned to travel around San Francisco on Friday afternoon in a motorized trolley car with "Just Married" and "Vote No on 8" banners.

The two met on a dance floor two years ago.

"This is one girl I can honestly say deserves happiness, and it came in the form of Kerri," said Carder's friend Dani Starelli.

Creative Arts administrators and parents acknowledged that the field trip might be controversial, but they didn't see the big deal. Same-sex marriage is legal, they noted.

"How many days in school are they going to remember?" asked parent Marc Lipsett. "This is a day they'll definitely remember."

Carder's students said they were happy to see their new teacher married.

"She's a really nice teacher. She's the best," said 6-year-old Chava Novogrodsky-Godt, wearing a "No on 8" button on her shirt. "I want her to have a good wedding."

Chava's mothers said they are getting married in two weeks.

The students' parents are planning to make a video with the children describing what marriage is to them.

Marriage, 6-year-old Nolan Alexander said Friday, is "people falling in love."

It means, he added, "You stay with someone the rest of your life."

As is the case with all field trips, parents had to give their permission and could choose to opt out of the trip. Two families did. Those children spent the duration of the 90-minute field trip back at school with another first-grade class, the interim director said.

"As far as I'm concerned, it's not controversial for me," Jaroflow said. "It's certainly an issue I would be willing to put my job on the line for."

Here's that darn source you're wanting: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl...politics&tsp=1


If I was one of those students' parents.. I probably would've been pissed, lol

[ToTheNines]

Wtf? I haven't been on a field trip in 5 years and these little shats get to go to a wedding? Eff San Fran.

[Kunoichi_Haruko]

Heh. That's...kind of cool. I think. :shrug:

[Archon_Turtle]

I'm all about teaching tollerance of all things. So good for them!

[KROW]

I would've preferred a trek to a museum but I guess this is also a mind-broadening experience.

[PAAATE]

Originally Posted by Leogeddon

"This is overt indoctrination of children who are too young to have an understanding of its purpose."

I think the guy saying that is the one who doesn't have an understanding... What does love got to do with politics?

Originally Posted by Leogeddon

The trip illustrates the message promoted by the campaign in recent days, namely that unless Prop. 8 passes on Nov. 4, children will learn about same-sex marriage in school.

Oh, the horror!!

Originally Posted by Leogeddon

It means, he added, "You stay with someone the rest of your life."

*don't let the cynic out, don't let the cynic out*

Well, anyway, I see this as a good thing.. Tolerant people are important in a society where hate takes a greater role every day.

[Spitfire]

If she wasn't a lesbian no one care about this. Living in San Fran and being surrounded by this daily makes stuff like this hardly phase me. I'm honestly sick of hearing about it. Being gay has become a cliche now. They used to have token minorities now it's token gays.

I have a very close friend whose gay and if people aren't making comments about how she's gay she has to hear about how she's Irish. It's an everyday thing for her and she gets sick of it. People need to realize it's annoying to point out the obvious.

[Mecha Cow]

I really hate playing the European superiority card, but the fact that same sex marriage is still even an issue in the US is unbelievably backwards. While I don't approve of dragging children into politics, it's good to see them being taught some tolerance in this way. If the teacher wanted them there I see no reason why they shouldn't be; 'understanding' my ass.

[poiuytre]

I don't understand the controversy.

Originally Posted by Spitfire

If she wasn't a lesbian no one care about this. Living in San Fran and being surrounded by this daily makes stuff like this hardly phase me. I'm honestly sick of hearing about it. Being gay has become a cliche now. They used to have token minorities now it's token gays.

I have a very close friend whose gay and if people aren't making comments about how she's gay she has to hear about how she's Irish. It's an everyday thing for her and she gets sick of it. People need to realize it's annoying to point out the obvious.

Heh, funny.

[Spitfire]

Originally Posted by Mecha Cow

I really hate playing the European superiority card, but the fact that same sex marriage is still even an issue in the US is unbelievably backwards. While I don't approve of dragging children into politics, it's good to see them being taught some tolerance in this way. If the teacher wanted them there I see no reason why they shouldn't be; 'understanding' my ass.

As frighting as it is there's still people out there who believe kids shouldn't be exposed to it. I mean if your surrounded by it as a kid it won't be a weird concept to you. If they don't learn to accept it now they might never. When their young is the time to do it.

I got in an argument with my roommate about this last night in fact. He thinks it's better to shelter kids from it. If you don't teach them it's wrong then they won't think it is. Let the poor kids figure it out for themselves. If they see it all the time they will soak it in as normal like it should be considered. I still fail to see why people are all up in arms about it. Sometimes I think they just need something to whine about to be happy so they picked this.

[Scandia]

Beautiful!

Congratulations to the teacher and her spouse.

[Jo Dawn]

I would think the kids see more offensive things both in school and in their daily lives. I don't see the controversy in sharing a loving moment. Especially since the parents were given an approval option.

[Buslady]

interesting...a field trip using city transit? That's not usually permitted in Ca districts, policies usually spell out they must use schoolbuses...wonder how they got past that one...

either way, hell good for them!! they love their teacher, don't care what her preferences are, they just want her happy and i think it's good.

Screw the opponents, they're idiots.

[Spitfire]

Originally Posted by Buslady

interesting...a field trip using city transit? That's not usually permitted in Ca districts, policies usually spell out they must use schoolbuses...wonder how they got past that one...

Maybe it's different in high school but we always used public transit for our field trips. We had a class where we had to take a bus to the bowling alley every day and we always took public transit.

[Archon_Turtle]

Originally Posted by Buslady

interesting...a field trip using city transit? That's not usually permitted in Ca districts, policies usually spell out they must use schoolbuses...wonder how they got past that one...

either way, hell good for them!! they love their teacher, don't care what her preferences are, they just want her happy and i think it's good.

Screw the opponents, they're idiots.

lol, I love that you picked out the public transit thing. Always count on you for a unique perspective! <3

[Roseangelo]

Originally Posted by Spitfire

Maybe it's different in high school but we always used public transit for our field trips. We had a class where we had to take a bus to the bowling alley every day and we always took public transit.

My High School summer school gym teacher drove us to a bowling alley on a field trip in his own van, which had a laundry list of safety issues, and then he nearly killed us all as he decided that 10 feet in front of a stop sign was a good time to start braking. Ah, the good ol' days.

[Leogeddon]

I really don't have much to speak of about this scenario, it's expected in San Fran, I say for anyone to marry there has to be love in it because divorce isn't really a thing that floats well with me. I understand if they're not ready for marriage as to why they divorce, but if it's something like adultery, then I'm really gonna be ticked off, cheating on another person has no excuse.

It shows no respect to your loved one and shows you weren't thinking about THEM, but instead of straying too far away of subject and ranting...

If they're in love, good for them and they have my blessings.

[Tinuvielsdreams]

I think that was a very sweet gesture. I know how much it means to kids to be involved in a teachers life. It's someone they look up to and I bet they were so excited to be there.
As for the being gay part...Love is hard enough to find, why put any boundaries on who it can be with.
My best friend is marrying his boyfriend next fall and I am in the wedding party. I am very happy I live in a city where people feel free and comfortable with who they are. I feel priviledged I get to be a part of that too

[Drtooth]

Originally Posted by Mecha Cow

I really hate playing the European superiority card, but the fact that same sex marriage is still even an issue in the US is unbelievably backwards.

It's mostly a religious thing, and I don't want to go into it. I can respect (but disagree completely) with someone who says, "I support gays, but in a religious standpoint, I don't agree with the marriage thing"... but quite a bunch of the opponents are the "I hate gays because they scare me, and various false prophets say it's bad, and they're evil.... blah blah blah.."

Sometimes I just think it's a stumbling block because the government doesn't want any benefits to go to anyone who isn't a rich and a party doner.... All I'm going to say...

[Mecha Cow]

I know it's a religious thing; my point is that religion should have nothing to do with politics... in fact I recall there being a law stating this.