As kids head back to school, conservative Christian media ministry Focus on the Family perceives a bully on the playground: national gay-advocacy groups.

School officials allow these outside groups to introduce policies, curriculum and library books under the guise of diversity, safety or bullying-prevention initiatives, said Focus on the Family education expert Candi Cushman.

“We feel more and more that activists are being deceptive in using anti-bullying rhetoric to introduce their viewpoints, while the viewpoint of Christian students and parents are increasingly belittled,” Cushman said.

Public schools increasingly convey that homosexuality is normal and should be accepted, Cushman said, while opposing viewpoints by conservative Christians are portrayed as bigotry.

Eliza Byard, executive director of the national Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, agrees with a big part of that statement.

“Yes, we want LGBT students afforded full respect,” she said.

GLSEN says its agenda is to ensure safe schools and acceptance for all students, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, race, national origin or ability.

“Bullying is a serious public health crisis in this country, according to no less an authority than the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,” Byard said.

How prevalent is bullying?

About 30 percent of American sixth-to- 10th-graders report being involved in bullying — either as a victim or bully, according to a 2008 report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

It’s three times more common if you’re gay, Byard said. GLSEN’s 2007 National School Climate Survey found that almost nine out of 10 lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender students experienced harassment. Almost 61 percent felt unsafe in school. And 22 percent reported being physically assaulted in schools.

“The word ‘faggot’ is not part of any religious creed,” Byard said.

Focus supports bullying prevention, Cushman said. “But this issue is being hijacked by activists. They shouldn’t be politicizing or sexualizing the issue of bully prevention.”

Cushman founded TrueTolerance.org, which says it helps Christian parents “confront the gay agenda,” which she said includes homosexual-themed curricula, books with sexually graphic content and anti-religion stereotypes, assemblies and celebrations.

Cushman said there have been several incidents in which religious freedom has lost out to the right of gay activists to promote their views. She wasn’t aware of any specific problems in Colorado schools, she said, but events in Alameda, Calif., last year illustrate what’s at stake.

An Alameda school board adopted a curriculum in 2009 that Focus says promotes homosexuality and gay marriage to elementary school kids. Parents who objected could not opt out of the lessons even if it conflicted with deeply held religious beliefs. The board said, and a judge agreed, that the curriculum was mandatory because of state and local policies regarding student safety and nondiscrimination.

Focus on the Family reports that all 16,000 U.S. public school superintendents will receive a copy of a 24-page GLSEN booklet, “Just the Facts About Sexual Orientation and Youth.”

“The theme: Schools are only allowed to provide one message about homosexuality — that it’s normal and should be embraced,” Focus literature states. “The publication ends with a warning: ‘Schools should be careful to avoid discussions of transformational ministry in their curriculum.’ “

A coalition suggests guidelines

Bayard said GLSEN initiated the idea, but the booklet was written by a coalition of 18 medical, mental-health and education organizations.

Byard said GLSEN also works with Christian educators to formulate policies that include protection based on religious preferences. GLSEN worked with Christian Educators Association International and the First Amendment Center to write common-ground guidelines on dealing with sexual orientation in schools.

“The good news,” Byard said, “is we have been working in partnership with the education community for a long time to make sure schools undertake to protect the health, well-being and potential of every student in the community.”

Electa Draper: 303-954-1276 or edraper@denverpost.com

A clarification has been added to this online archive.

This story, about the conflicting views and approaches to school bullying advocated by conservative Christian ministry Focus on the Family and the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, or GLSEN, reported that GLSEN had worked with the Christian Educators Association International in formulating policies and guidelines on bullying.

GLSEN clarifies that it has worked on the issue with Christian Educators and has been influenced by the group, but GLSEN’s model policy and legislative proposal have not been endorsed by the Christian Educators Association.