How Chicago's Gay High School Plan Was Scuttled

Rev. Wilfredo De Jesus is one of most powerful evangelical ministers in Chicago.

In the past 10 years, he has seen his New Life Covenant Ministries congregation in Humboldt Park expand from 120 members to about 4,000 while two new sites, a social service agency and a recovery and retreat center for women were added.

He has also made a name for himself in Chicago politics, serving as executive assistant to the CEO of the Chicago Public Schools from 1998 to 2000, campaigning for Barack Obama over the past year, and serving since 2004 on the city's Zoning Board of Appeals.

Nationally, De Jesus serves as vice president of Social Justice for the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, which serves about 15 million born-again Christians across the country.

But Chicago Public Schools spokesman Malon Edwards said it wasn't clout that won the reverend a private audience with schools' CEO Arne Duncan in mid-October, where the reverend and 10 of his colleagues expressed their opposition to a proposal to open an LGBT-friendly high school.

"It's not unusual for Arne to sit down and talk to members of the general public," Edwards said.

But some gay rights activists, who thought the proposal was on track for approval prior to Duncan's meeting with DeJesus, are raising eyebrows.

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[roblabrousse]

Do we no longer separate church from state? This Rev. DeJ. ought to keep strictly to his church business. Or start ponying up some money that his church gets from the parishioners and donate it to the school system.
What was meant as a measure to remove students from harm's way and create an atmosphere conducive to safety and learning was called into question by a hate-mongering, so called man of the cloth. The only one doing the devils work is this low class religion peddling liar.

And DRaymond you might as well have been at the private meeting with the good Rev and his posse of 10 other holier than though henchmen. The need for a school like this was obviously felt necessary. Who knows how much good it could have done if given the chance. I would have liked to been educated in a school where the person I was meant I was treated with respect. Four years of not being taunted, ridiculed, harassed and physically threatened would have helped a lot. You-know-it alls apply your theories without understanding the situation. Kids don't want to be anxious and wait for the troublemakers to attack. There's plenty of time out of school to experience the prejudice and to mix and mingle with straight friends. The delay of this school only allows narrow-minded folks like you and pieces of low life like the Reverend to perpetuate what the school hoped to spare these young adults.

[Michael45]

Wilfredo De Jesus is clearly being dishonest when he claims that his opposition to Pride Campus has nothing to do with his and his church's intolerance and bigotry towards gay people. Also, the last time I checked, the Christian bible has a big problem with those that practice dishonesty.

Rev. De Jesus would do good to address his own failure to live up to his religion's principles before judging and condemning his fellow human beings.

[Eric8869]

Yes and Christ never once mentioned homosexuality - at all

[BSERIUS]

Actually He did when he said He came not to abolish the law but to fulfill it .. And those that breads the least letter breaks them all....And by definition , it is not bigotry.... Love the sinner , hate the sin.

[DRaymond]

Honestly I can't say that I'm sorry that this proposal went down. It smacked too much of segregation, like 'progressive' whites at the turn of the century talking about how they were going to build a really great high school for the negroes, and white kids could attend if they want to of course!

You don't get gay kids to cope with straight kids...and just as importantly get straignt kids to cope with gay peers...by keeping them apart.

[Eric8869]

Did you even read the article or just want to post ignorant things. Did you read this:

"A 2005 CPS survey found that lesbian, gay and bisexual students were twice as likely as straight students to be threatened at school, two to four times more likely to report being treated for an injury resulting from a fight and two to four times more likely to be the victim of sexual assault. The survey also found that lesbian, gay and bisexual teens were three to four times more likely than straight students to report attempting suicide"

Unless you have a plan to help or protect these kids then I don't think your points are valid AT ALL.

It's time to march against this preacher like we have against James Dobson, Prop 8 etc.

[roblabrousse]

nd