LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY rpeate)

I found out today that a friend and former co-worker of mine is involved in a case that may go to the Supreme Court. In November the Court will decide whether to hear the case.

Here's an article about it, sent to me by my mother, which caused my eyes to pop out when I saw the name Kristi Seymour:

http://www.uexpress.com/coveringthecourts/?uc_full_date=20060927

Here are the questions, from another website discussing the case. The children were asked to rate on a scale from "never" to "almost all the time" how often they found themselves . . .

8. Touching my private parts too much

17. Thinking about having sex

22. Thinking about touching other people’s private parts

23. Thinking about sex when I don’t want to

26. Washing myself because I feel dirty on the inside [not necessarily about sex--Robert]

34. Not trusting people because they might want sex

40. Getting scared or upset when I think about sex

44. Having sex feelings in my body

47. Can’t stop thinking about sex

54. Getting upset when people talk about sex

Here's Kristi's email to me today:

i was involved in a stupid research project when i first got to CA that turned into a frigging nightmare, its a very very long story, i didn't do anything wrong - just stupid parents who want $ and their 15 minutes of fame....it went to court (Federal courts ruled the school district (and me) were ok....but it has gone on and on and is pending in front of the united states supreme court...i'll know in nov if it will be accepted to be heard....
the christian coalition has taken this up and that is why it is still going on....they hate the 9th circuit court and this is a case that continues to have legs...i have seriously considered changing my name, but now i am going to wait until i hear if the case will be heard and then decide...if it is heard i'll play it out and see if the issue "wins" ...
google me, you'll get a laugh and find out all sorts of STUPID inaccurate stuff about me...
the study was for community violence and we used a validated, tested measure for PTSD, 6 of the questions had items that screened for sexual abuse or molestation and this whole thing turned into me giving a creepy sex survey to kids...wrong, wrong, wrong...
everyone has something in their life...!

According to what I'm seeing, there may have been 10 questions out of 79 that caused ire, but of course I see these questions as attempts to help those specific children and society at large, and I know that many parents do not understand science or how it helps Society.

I am sorry my friend has had to suffer through this case. Suffice it to say, having known and worked with her, I am on her side 100%, because I know her as someone who is extremely concerned with the welfare of the innocent and vulnerable (she was only the head of our domestic-violence program, for crying out loud).

It seems as if the Christian Coalition and its allies have nothing better to do than stir prejudice. (I call that demagoguery.) Oh, wait--we knew that.

I can hardly believe this madness.

At the agency for which I just worked until August, we had questionnaires like this given to teachers, parents, and youth all the time. One of my jobs was to score them for psychologists to read. The only difference I can see is school versus agency, but in both cases the parents GAVE CONSENT. If they didn't understand the letter, or were hung up about sex, they could have asked about it before GIVING CONSENT. I see no legal issue here, and I hope the Supreme Court declines to hear the case.

If you have heard or do hear about this case, at least now you have the facts.