Latest News and Comment from Education

Saturday, January 28, 2017

Update - His group’s anti-gay marriage position did not represent his own beliefs says Bronin nominee for school board - Wait What?

Update - His group’s anti-gay marriage position did not represent his own beliefs says Bronin nominee for school board - Wait What?:

Update – His group’s anti-gay marriage position did not represent his own beliefs says Bronin nominee for school board


As Massachusetts moved toward its historic approval of same-sex marriage rights, the Boston Ministerial Alliance engaged in a heated and hateful campaign to stop the effort.  Their campaign included issuing a statement condemning gay marriage;
It is with a clear conscience that the Black Ministerial Alliance adds our voice to those speaking on the subject of marriage
[…]
We believe marriage to be a unique covenant established between a man and a woman…
We acknowledge the pain and suffering of the men and women in the gay and lesbian community who are in long term relationships. However, given the most recent opinion of the Supreme Judicial Court eliminating the possibility of Civil Unions, we support the call for a Constitutional Amendment to define marriage as a covenant between a man and a woman.
The Black Ministerial Alliance of Greater Boston, Inc.
But now, the individual who served as the group’s Executive Director at the time says the effort did not represent his beliefs.
In a strongly worded denial, Harold Sparrow (Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin’s nominee to serve on the Hartford Board of Education) released a statement in response to yesterday’s Wait, What? post entitled, Breaking News – Hartford Mayor nominates anti-gay marriage leader for vacancy on the Hartford School Board.
Sparrow wrote;
“I regret that a 2004 statement issued by the ministers of the Black Ministerial Alliance of Greater Boston, an organization for which I worked as an employee more than a decade ago, has raised questions about my personal views on equal rights for all. That statement does not reflect my personal views, nor does it reflect my personal faith. I want to say clearly and unequivocally that I support marriage equality and LGBTQ rights. — See https://www.facebook.com/MayorBronin/posts/613781482144501)
Although Reverend Harold Sparrow served as the Executive Director of the Black Ministerial Alliance of Greater Boston form 2002 – 2007 and Update - His group’s anti-gay marriage position did not represent his own beliefs says Bronin nominee for school board - Wait What?: