Brody's Notes... Field Trip To San Francisco's Famed Castro Neighborhood Upsets Parents

The Castro photo by Cammie Toloui SFGate

By Brody Levesque (Washington DC) APR 9 | When second-graders from San Francisco's private all-boys Town School toured through the Castro on a school sponsored filed trip- as part of that school's curriculum last week, some parents were outraged.

One mother, whose son was supposed to participate and didn't as she kept him out of school that day, contacted the local CBS affiliate's 5 Eyewitness News, which featured a segment highlighting the controversy. The mother, who asked to remain anonymous, said:

"Why would you talk to a young child about sex with a man and a woman let alone a man and a man or a woman and a woman? It just doesn't seem right. They are not ready for that."

Activists and parents have been heatedly debating the question of whether or not the city's the Castro neighborhood is appropriate for young kids.

Led by a local historian, the group of about four dozen boys, ages 7 and 8, toured the city's world-renowned gay district where a huge rainbow flag flies above the plaza named in honour of slain San Francisco city supervisor and early LGBTQ equality rights activist icon Harvey Milk. The boys also visited the Pink Triangle Memorial Park, where 15 granite pylons rise above the ground in remembrance of the estimated 15,000 gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgenders who were persecuted, imprisoned and killed during World War Two in then Nazi controlled Germany. Other stops on the tour included the brilliantly coloured Hope for the World Cure Mural, a pictorial depiction of the AIDS epidemic; the Human Rights Campaign Action Center, local headquarters for a civil rights organization promoting fairness for LGBT Americans, the neighborhood elementary school named for the slain politician; and Harvey Milk's former camera shop at 575 Castro street, which served as both residence and political headquarters for Milk.

The San Francisco Chronicle reported:

While the majority of the second-grade parents were in support of the field trip, the school is under fire by a handful of parents* who questioned whether the Castro is an appropriate destination for 8-year-old boys. One parent in particular reached out to SFGate and expressed frustration, anxiety, and confusion around the field trip, as well as a complex array of sentiments ranging from disapproval of teachers who told students that the word gay means "happy," to fears that the Castro community would be unwelcoming to children.

This disgruntled parent shared that other families disapproved of the excursion, and Town School confirmed that a "few families who felt uncomfortable with the Castro trip chose to keep their sons home."

Sexuality was not in fact a topic of discussion on the Town field trip. The neighborhood study focused on history, social and civil rights, the importance of diversity, and Harvey Milk. The school assured parents that the tour would be age appropriate and special care was put into selecting a guide with experience leading child-friendly tours.

Yesterday, Town headmaster Brewster Ely sent a letter to all parents addressing the controversy, letting parents know that the field trip was a success, and explaining that it was intended to give children "an appreciation of different perspectives and views.

The letter ends with a statement from the Town School philosophy:

Town values being a diverse community that nurtures integrity, sensitivity and respect in its boys, and prepares them to become productive and contributing members of an ever-changing world.