Make appointments with those who are the gatekeepers of information, or simply haunt their offices until they give you the material you’ve asked for - all of it (the whole curriculum, not just part). Taxpayers have the legal right to copies of everything they are teaching students and every school policy.

3. Publicize what you find out.
When parents find out, most are appalled. Make copies, do mailings, write letters to the editor, circulate a petition, or hold home meetings. It’s usually advisable to meet with school officials or teachers first, but don’t let the school persuade you not to be “divisive.” Remember - their actions are the problem! Their misinformation to children has caused your justifiable parental concern.

4. Get a group together for support.
It’s much better to work with others --the school can’t dismiss your concerns as easily. You may want to form a loose alliance and call yourselves something like, “Parents (or Citizens) for Responsible Education.” Respect any confidentiality some group members may need to retain, including teachers. Legal and health professionals are good additions to such a group. So are grandparents!

5. Hold meetings to educate others in the community.
These are best held at someone’s home. Public meetings pose the risk of being sabotaged by “gay” activist groups who specialize in heckling and disruptive behavior. Private meetings of ten to twenty-five people at a time work well, educating on your side of the issue Have hand-outs available.

6. Set realistic goals.
You may want to sue the school or get a state law passed, but be realistic about what would be involved. If someone can organize this, great! Steady persistent educational efforts are probably more doable. You may only be able to bring a halt to one program or offer parents ”opting out” options for their children, but these are still significant accomplishments.

7. Identify good media sources, and learn to work with them.
The media can be your enemy or your ally. Educating the community - exposing what’s happening - is the key to stopping the “gay” agenda. One of the best outlets may be smaller newspapers, the ones that feature pictures of school clubs and high school sports. Send them letters and announcements. The Internet and e-mail are great vehicles to use. You may want to set up a web site just on local school issues. Local TV and radio can be good, if someone in your group speaks well in 30-second sound bites using simple concepts. The talk radio stations or religious stations may treat your positions more fairly.

If a paper or station misrepresents you, meet with the reporter and get assurances they will be fair in the future. Meetings with editors and reporters can develop valuable contacts and facilitate understanding. Paid ads are usually a waste of time and money. They are one-shot efforts and sometimes, after all the trouble and expense to prepare an ad, papers may find this subject too controversial and refuse to print it.

8. Put everything in writing.
If you make a request to the school, put it in writing. If you have a meeting where a school official made promises, confirm these agreements in a follow-up letter. If you’ve gotten information about a program that supports homosexuality, write a letter to the school board. Send it to every member as well as the superintendent.

9. Make phone calls.
Talk with the principal, superintendent and school board members on the phone and then send a follow-up letter. There have been situations where just a few phone calls gave a school board member the incentive to oppose some of these crazy ideas.

10. Inform community groups and churches.
Contact the Kiwanis, Rotary, churches and other groups and ask to speak or distribute flyers. Church bulletins may print a paragraph. Set up a response mechanism, like e-mail or a phone number for more information.

11. Use opportunities like school board elections and levies to inform people about the school’s policies and educational direction.
Keep track and then write letters to the editor and even do mailings to some or all voters in your school district. Call a press conference of your citizens’ group while the levy or election issue is still news, and announce your position. Your group may want to publicly oppose levies. Or it may be wiser to offer conditional support if the school district changes direction, or doesn’t allow a homosexual club, etc. However, get any promises in writing. The public responds better to solutions than just problems, but taxpayers also respond well to wise use of money-and funding “gay pride week” or a special staff position to encourage homosexuality sounds wasteful to most people.

12. Keep your cool-don’t threaten or shout.
It’s often difficult not to lose one’s temper with bureaucrats who give you the runaround or teachers who support this nonsense, but it will only harm the situation. Rehearse carefully any school board testimony, preparing mentally for possibly being treated coldly. In some communities, there has even been heckling from an audience packed with local activists and students. This task needs a thick skin, and as many supporters gathered together as possible in public settings.

13. Avoid exchanges with student activists.
Homosexual clubs produce teen activists, and “gay” groups know that this tends to paralyze school boards and administrations. They want to look inclusive of student opinions and needs, and not touch off issues with volatile parents of these teens, who may be encouraging their activism. You can only lose by debating with teenagers. Go around them to the adults who are supposedly in charge. Get regulations changed. Take your issues to a friendly media source, run by adults.

14. Be courageous and hopeful!
You may get some heat, but people forget quickly. Other people will be encouraged by your example. You will have more silent supporters than you’ll ever know!