NO on 1 Denounces Latest Question 1 Campaign Political Attack

No on 1/Protect Maine Equality
October 8, 2009
The campaign sent this press release earlier today:

NO on 1 Denounces Latest Question 1 Campaign Political Attack
Condemns Cynical Assault on Maine Teacher of the Year

Portland, Maine (Thursday, October 8, 2009)---Stephen Wessler, Executive Director of the Center for the Prevention of Hate Violence and Ron Dodson, father of two children who belong to the Nokomis High School Gay/Straight Student Alliance (GSA), today joined NO on 1 Campaign Manager Jesse Connolly in a media teleconference to denounce the false claims in the latest political ad from the Question 1 campaign, as well as its attack on the 2005 Maine Teacher of the Year.

The Question 1 campaign ad not only makes the same, discredited claims about the impact of the new marriage equality law on schools, it specifically attempts to smear Sherri Gould, the chair of the English department at Nokomis High School in Newport, by calling her a "gay activist."

The NO on 1/Protect Maine Equality campaign also released a new campaign ad entitled "Book" which asks viewers to read "What Makes a Family?," a book the Question 1 campaign ad misrepresents. The NO on 1 ad provides viewers with a direct web link to read the book themselves online and draw their own conclusions about the book's simple message that there are many different families and that all of them matter.

"Once again, the Question 1 campaign has produced a misleading ad designed to scare parents and divert attention away from the real issues in this campaign, fairness and equality under the law for all Mainers," said Connolly. "Their ad talks about the curriculum in some California school district. I don't know what happens in California, but we know that in Maine our decisions about schools are made locally by parents and teachers who really care about our children. And in Maine, we want all of our kids to feel safe and welcomed at school."

"Sherri Gould is the straight mom of three grown children who share her strong belief in full equality," said Dodson, whose older daughter was a founding member of the Nokomis GSA and whose younger daughter joined the GSA this year. "Sherri was the first teacher advisor of the Gay/Straight Alliance at Nokomis High School because she was concerned about the levels of anti-gay language and harassment.”

The book "Who's in a Family?," used by the Question 1 campaign ad is, in fact, about all kinds of families and what they have in common. The 29-page book devotes a page to different families such as a grandmother and two children, a family with a single mom, a family of color, a family of immigrants and a family with two fathers and one with two mothers.

"This book and its family portraits have nothing to do with an agenda or marriage equality," said Wessler, whose organization works with schools to address bullying, harassment and violence. "Gay and lesbian families live in communities throughout Maine. Their children go to our schools. In Maine, we're trying to create safe and respectful schools."

The full text of the NO on 1 ad, "Book" is attached, as are the qualifications for receiving the award of Maine Teacher of the Year. The new NO on 1 ad may be viewed on YouTube at this link.

"Books like 'Who's in a Family' have a simple and important purpose," added Wessler. "They help students understand that we can disagree with someone or even not like someone, but we should still treat that person with respect. I'm extremely disappointed to see the Question 1 campaign has chosen to exploit the good work of educators throughout Maine and turn it into a cynical and untruthful campaign claim."

(Link)