Counsel defends student

Liberty Counsel has decided to take on the case of a Shawano Community High School student who has been accused of bullying after writing an article against homosexual couples adopting children. Liberty Counsel founder and chairman Mathew Staver is defending the student and will continue to do so should the matter go to court.

According to Staver, Wisconsin resident Brandon Wegner, 15, who is a reporter for the school’s newspaper, wrote a point-counter-point editorial column in The Hawk’s Post. In this article, Wegner took the position of opposing the adoption of children by homosexual parents. Biblical references were cited for several of the points he made in the article, Staver said.

The article was run in the school’s paper opposite an article in favor of homosexual parents being allowed to adopt. Another student at the high school wrote the second article. The concept for the articles was approved by the teacher advisor who gave the students permission to proceed, according to Staver.

“A homosexual parent in the District was offended that Mr. Wegner believes homosexuality to be a sin and that those practicing it should not be able to adopt children,” Liberty Counsel said in the letter that was sent to the Board of Education declaring their intent.

As a result of the complaint, Wegner was required to meet with both the principal of the school and the superintendent. These back-to-back meetings caused him to miss a critical exam and were without his parents’ knowledge, according to Staver.

Not only did Superintendent Todd Carlson issue an apology to the community for the article, he also asked Wegner to retract his views on the topic. Wegner refused to back down from his biblically based beliefs. Upon his refusal, Carlson proceeded to call Wegner “ignorant” and threatened him with his power to suspend Wegner, according to Staver.

The actions of the superintendent were brought to the attention of Liberty Counsel.

“Liberty Counsel sent a letter demanding that the superintendent apologize or face a lawsuit,” Staver said.

Liberty Counsel is not the only one who has taken an interest in these events. The American College of Pediatricians sent a letter as well.

In the letter, American College of Pediatricians President Den Trumbull, M.D., said that, based on studies, there is evidence of risk to children who are adopted by homosexual parents.

“You were quoted as saying that you were ‘taking steps to prevent items of this nature from happening in the future,’” Trumbull said in the closing of the letter. “In crafting your policies, I hope you and your staff would consider all the evidence and not simply pin policy influenced by social or political pressures.”

Liberty Counsel listed five requirements in the letter to the board: that the district not take any action against Wegner, an apology be issued for its “unconstitutional and irrational actions,” immediate steps be taken to revise the policies, the religious beliefs of students not be suppressed from this point on and that they distribute Wegner’s complete article at the school. Liberty Counsel gave the district five days in which to respond before taking further action.

“Based upon the action of the school superintendent, we are doubtful that they are going to resolve this unless the school board requires the superintendent to act accordingly,” Staver said.

By using his position to force Wegner to be silent, Carlson was demonstrating to the students of his school that, “if you disagree with people, you can demonize them, call them names, and threaten them,” according to Staver.

“We’re hoping that it doesn’t have to go to court,” Staver said. “But we’re prepared to go to court if the situation is not rectified.”