SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO : Trustees Modify Diversity Policy

Under pressure from a group of parents and residents, the Capistrano Unified School District trustees this week modified a policy designed to recognize diversity.

The policy had previously read: “No one, regardless of his or her personal beliefs, has the right to discriminate against, harass, abuse or inflict harm upon any other human being based on race, religion, national origin, ethnicity, politics, age, gender, sexual orientation, or physical or mental ability.”

In a 5-2 vote, the trustees changed the paragraph to end after the words any other human being , thus leaving off the list of the different groups in need of protection.

A group of about 20 parents had earlier protested the inclusion of “sexual orientation” in the list, saying they believed that it would lead to teaching about homosexuality in the classroom.

School board members and district officials repeatedly tried to assure the parents that the policy is not a lesson plan, but is intended only as a statement that protects the rights of all students and employees and helps foster safe schools.

“There is no hidden agenda here,” Trustee Paul Haseman said.

Trustee Annette Gude added: “With this policy, all we are saying is, ‘Hey, please don’t abuse other people. Treat them decently.’ ”

But a majority of the trustees agreed that they could make their statement about recognizing diversity just as clearly without including words that would “inflame” or potentially confuse anyone in the community.

Trustees Peter Espinosa and Mildred Pagelow voted against the changes, saying they believed that the policy made a stronger statement as originally worded.

“It’s merely saying: ‘Live and let live,’ ” Pagelow said. “I think there’s a lot of misapprehensions, and I think there are a lot of fears that are not supported by the facts.”

The diversity policy stems from a recommendation made in the district’s “Capistrano 2000” plan, which includes several hundred wide-ranging goals and policies to guide the district into the next century.

Trustees had also called for a policy recognizing human diversity earlier this year when a student in the district was arrested in connection with an alleged gay bashing in Laguna Beach.