Bentonville debate brought up to Womack for advice at Centerton meeting

 Steve Womack Steve Womack Rebecca Powers Rebecca Powers
Steve Womack Steve Womack Rebecca Powers Rebecca Powers

CENTERTON -- A Bentonville School Board member brought up the district's proposed Equal Employment Opportunity policy to 3rd District Rep. Steve Womack, R-Rogers., on Wednesday, asking how he would respond to having his motives questioned for opposing such a policy.

"What advice do you have for someone who's presented with a policy like this and wants to challenge it without being called a hater and a bigot?" school board member Rebecca Powers asked the congressman. She referred to a proposal before the Bentonville board to add sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status and parental and marital status to the district's Equal Employment Opportunity policy.

Powers opposes the measure. She told Womack her constituents' communications to her number in the hundreds and add up to more than 10 to one in opposition to any such change.

The board hasn't decided the issue yet, in part because of Superintendent Michael Poore's suggestion to wait until after the Supreme Court's ruling on the gay marriage issue. Powers said those opposing the School District policy have had their motives questioned. Such allegations of discrimination stifle meaningful discussion of how the policy would be implemented and possible ill effects, she said.

Womack held a public meeting Wednesday morning at Centerton City Hall. Powers was among the 50 or more people attending. He answered being a school board member was a "thankless job." His advice was to be as well-informed on the issue as possible and consider putting the issue to a referendum of district voters while promising to abide by their decision.

Amy Gillespie is co-organizer of a group called Bentonville Public Schools Citizens for Equality, which has argued in favor of the changes to the district's policy.

"We need to not lose sight of who the real victims are here." Gillespie said when asked for comment after Womack's meeting. Those victims are the teachers and other school staff members who must live in fear of being mistreated at work or losing their jobs because they are gay, she said.

Womack was asked by others at a public forum what Arkansans could do to defy the court ruling. He urged conservatives to unite and elect more conservatives to office who will support conservative Supreme Court nominees in the future.

Court decisions reaffirming Obamacare health reform and extending the right to marry to same-sex couples are the dominant topics in meetings with constituents throughout his district, Womack said.

NW News on 07/02/2015

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