Responses of Sekou Biddle to GLAA 2007 Questionnaire
for D.C. Board of Education Candidates
| Yes/No | Substance | Record | Championship | Total |
| 2 | 1.5 | 0 | 0 | 3.5 |
1. Do you recognize the right of our public school students to organize clubs to promote gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender civil rights, to combat homophobic and transphobic violence and prejudice, and to provide socializing opportunities for GLBT youth?
Yes, the right of our students to provide leadership and promote a more inclusive school culture should be lauded.
2. Do you recognize the right of students to bring dates of the same sex to school proms and other official public school social functions?
Yes, all students should be encouraged to participate in school social functions. The point of these functions should be to allow students greater freedoms to express themselves and honor their relationships.
3. Will you oppose efforts to restrict or censor books or other materials in our public school libraries that discuss homosexuality in a positive and supportive manner?
Yes, censorship prevents our young people from developing a well-rounded perspective of the world they live in.
4. Do you support the right of non-profit groups to provide DCPS school libraries with gay-positive books which are openly displayed and freely available to all students?
Yes, as long as materials are developmentally/age appropriate we should support the partnership of our colleagues in the nonprofit community.
5. Do you support efforts by Metro DC PFLAG (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) to work constructively with our local public schools to provide support groups and to help implement anti-harassment policies?
Yes, we must recognize the strategic assets of the numerous community partners and utilize them. We need to consider where expertise is in out communities and tap into it.
6. Do you favor training programs for professional development of teachers, counselors, and other school system staff, such as those offered by the Sexual Minority Youth Assistance League (SMYAL), to help these professionals nurture positive identity formation for GLBT students and prevent harassment and bullying in the classroom?
Yes, we need to access programs like these to follow through on rules the Board of Education has with regards to the prohibition of harassment and sexual harassment.
7. From time to time, D.C. public school teachers have invited openly gay men and women to speak in their classes and to answer students’ questions about homosexuality. Do you support the right of our teachers to continue inviting such speakers?
Yes, however it is important that teachers responsibly engage parents and community members in discussion about the merits of any guest speaker. While teachers are charged with classroom instruction, they must always be responsive to the needs and concerns of the communities they serve.
8. The recent report by the Appleseed Center detailed many shortcomings in the District’s condom distribution program, as only 125,000 condoms were distributed in 2005, far below the goal of 600,000. Will you support a reinvigoration of the DCPS condom availability program, operated by the Department of Health?
I would need to know more about how the goal was developed. Additionally, the process of distribution will require careful consideration. It is also important to know what has led to the shortcomings.
9. Will you work to implement a comprehensive sex education program in the D.C. Public Schools that teaches that homosexuality is part of the normal range of human sexuality, consistent with existing DCPS policy?
Given that the Board of Education rules mandate such a program, I will work to help the Superintendent in full implementation of this as well as other policies that are designed to educate and protect our students.
10. Will you oppose the use of either federal or District taxpayer funds to promote so-called “abstinence only until marriage” sex education that undermines safer-sex programs by discouraging the use of condoms and that effectively tells lesbian and gay male students that they must be celibate forever because they may not legally marry?
It is my understanding the policy the Board of Education has in place is not being implemented. If the problem is that we have conflicting policies, or conflicting programs this must be addressed. The underlying issue is that the program that is currently being implemented does not prepare all students equally for a full adult life. For this reason we must oppose programs that do not honor and serve all of our students.
11. Do you support the full implementation of the DCPS Sexual Harassment and Harassment Policy, which protects public school students from physical and verbal abuse based on their actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity (DCMR Title 5, Education: 2503.2.g-h)?
Yes, policies like this are in place to promote a positive learning culture for all our students. The lack of implementation prevents all of our students from feeling safe and respected in our schools.
12. Will you oppose both federally and locally funded voucher programs that fund students in religious schools that are beyond the protections of the D.C. Human Rights Act?
Yes, we cannot fund institutions that do not respect the rights of all our residents.
Please provide the URL for your campaign website, if you have one. We will include it on our candidate links page.
www.sekoubiddle.org
Your record is part of your rating. Please list any actions that you have taken that may help illustrate your record on behalf of gay men, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgenders.
