S.F. Grade
Schoolers Spark Marriage Debate

First graders at a public charter school in San Francisco are in the middle of a debate over whether the practice of same-sex marriage will be taught in California's schools. The parent of one of the students took 18 children from Creative Arts Charter School down to San Francisco City Hall to surprise their teacher Erin Carder by showering her and her wife Kerri McCoy with flower petals on Friday.

Liz Jarflow, the school's interim director, told the San Francisco Chronicle that she saw the experience as a "teachable moment." Noting the historical significance of same-sex marriage, she said she was "well within the parameters" to allow such a trip.

Yes on 8, an organization supporting California's proposed same-sex marriage ban, has used the field trip as an example of teaching children about gay marriage in schools.

"Taking children out of school for a same-sex wedding is not customary education," said Protect Marriage campaign co-manager Frank Schubert. "This is promoting same-sex marriage and indoctrinating young kids. I doubt the school has ever taken kids on a field trip to a traditional wedding."

A recent television commercial urging voters to approve Proposition 8 claimed that students in elementary schools would be forced to learn about same-sex marriage. The group No On Prop 8 countered with an ad, saying that the claims were false.

Creative Arts Charter School is San Francisco's first charter school, founded in 1994, operating under the San Francisco Board of Education, according to its Website. The California Education Code allows schools to offer comprehensive sexual education, but the curriculum must "teach respect for marriage and committed relationships."

Like all other field trips, parents gave permission for their children to go on the trek to city hall. Only two children opted out of the 90 minute trip. (Michelle Garcia, The Advocate)