The College reminds school superintendents that it is not uncommon for adolescents to experience transient confusion about their sexual orientation and that most students will ultimately adopt a heterosexual orientation if not otherwise encouraged. For this reason, schools should not seek to develop policy which “affirms” or encourages these non-heterosexual attractions among students who may merely be experimenting or experiencing temporary sexual confusion. Such premature labeling can lead some adolescents to engage in homosexual behaviors that carry serious physical and mental health risks.
There is no scientific evidence that anyone is born gay or transgendered. Therefore, the College further advises that schools should not teach or imply to students that homosexual attraction is innate, always life-long and unchangeable. Research has shown that therapy to restore heterosexual attraction can be effective for many people.
I just thought I'd point out that the American College of Pediatricians is not the same as the mainstream organization you might have heard of called the American Academy of Pediatrics. If you dig a little deeper into the American College of Pediatricians website and find the list of books that they recommend for parents, you'll see Focus on the Family and James Dobson materials, plus a book called A Parent's Guide to Preventing Homosexuality by Joseph Nicolosi.
I'm just saying that a press release, a fancy website and an official sounding name can sound intimidating, but the bottom line of the organization is pretty much NARTH and Focus on the Family. Same old same old.
Update: The American Academy of Pediatrics speaks out about the confusion caused by the American College of Pediatricians. So does Dr. Warren Throckmorton.
