The Alameda Sun received a copy of this open letter to Alameda Concerned Parents, who recently filed a lawsuit against the school district.

Dear Alameda Concerned Parents:

If you are really concerned about the quality of education in Alameda, please drop your lawsuit. I know that you care about your children, but the point of view you are choosing to take is a lifestyle choice that causes a great deal more harm than a gay person trying to live a normal family life.

If you want your children's curriculum to adhere to a set of religious rules, you'd be better off transferring them to a private school. The money you have earmarked for litigation can probably cover tuition costs.

You have a right to educate your children about your beliefs in your own home. But if you insist on censoring public school curriculum, you start a precedent for any sect or group to sue for the district to conform to its beliefs.

This is one of the reasons why separation of church and state is so important. Look at these hypothetical lawsuits:

1. Extremist Muslim sect sues AUSD requiring all females to wear a headscarf because bare heads offend their sensibilities.

2. Atheist group sues AUSD prohibiting any mention of any religion — even in historic context.

3. Pastafarians decide they want optional spaghetti and pork meatballs served daily in the cafeteria in honor of the Flying Spaghetti Monster. Traditional Catholics counter sue: "Only Fish on Fridays!" Jews and Muslims counter sue: "No pork meatballs!" Vegans counter sue: "No animal products!"

4. Concerned Parents sue school district to prevent students from learning that gays and their families have feelings and rights. None of the above scenarios are constructive — yours included. Your case will likely be thrown out of court, after causing more disruption, more pain, more civic division and more waste of resources and funds. You are serving nothing but your own fear of change.

Our society's diversity is growing exponentially. We can preserve our own identity and beliefs but still tolerate each other's "lifestyle choices" — and also intrinsic human nature. It is human nature to judge others for behavior we don't understand — and it's something we can and should work to temper through education. It's also human nature to love, want a family, and feel a respected part of a community.

Denying that basic human nature and tacitly accepting abuse of "different" people and their families is cruel — whether you intend cruelty not, it's morally wrong. I can tolerate your lifestyle choice if you keep it between yourself, your family and your church or other spiritual support.

Sure, be proud of your prejudice if you want to, but don't sue AUSD to promote your values — because you've already got separation of church and state on your side! The school district is not going to exclude you, or allow other kids to taunt or beat your children up just because you're an ideologue.

You have the right not to be invisible. You have the right not to be beaten up. Can you charitably extend those rights to others? Can you let go of judgment, lest you be judged? Can you take a tiny step forward and follow the example of a really nice fellow, and extend love to your neighbors as you would to yourself?

I entreat you to please let AUSD invest its ever-dwindling funds in something lasting and positive, like educating children.

— Alana Dill