Contact: State Rep. Kevin Calvey
Capitol: (405) 557-7370
Del City: (405) 808-0041

OKLAHOMA CITY –(March 23, 2006)State Rep. Kevin Calvey praised the Oklahoma State Board of Education today for repealing their sexual orientation policy.

After a request from Calvey, the State Board of Education met today to make a rule change that repeals their current sexual orientation policy by modifying it to be in sync with federal and state law.

"This brings Oklahoma’s educational rules in line with federal and state law and also in line with the values shared by the large majority of Oklahomans," said Calvey, R-Del City.

Currently, federal and state laws require strong anti-discrimination policies in the areas of gender and race but do not address sexual orientation.

Calvey said the board’s new rule will protect public schools from having to allow homosexual-rights organizations to hold meetings on school grounds and will also give school boards more control over personnel decisions.

"The board’s old policy would have opened the door for our schools to become battlegrounds where activists for ‘alternative’ lifestyles would try to undermine the moral teachings of parents," said Calvey. "Now, Oklahomans won’t have to worry about that."

"I would like to thank Deborah and David Williams for bringing this issue to my attention and Mike Jestes and David Dunn of the Oklahoma Family Policy Council for raising public awareness on this issue."