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Director of PG County daycare center asks lesbian couple to ‘split up’

Rising Generations apologizes, says ‘employee’ was reprimanded

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(Bigstock photo)

The owners of a daycare center in Prince George’s County, Md., have apologized for one of their facility’s directors who told a lesbian couple whose child has been attending the daycare center that God instructed her to advise the couple to “split up.”

News about the action by Kimesha Munford, a director at Rising Generations Early Learning Center in Lanham, Md., was reported by D.C.’s FOX 5 News in a broadcast story in which the married lesbian couple was interviewed.

According to the FOX 5 report, Kelly Gibbs and her wife Ky Gibbs said they decided to withdraw their child from Rising Generations a few weeks ago after Munford left a “disturbing” voicemail message on Kelly Gibbs’ phone at 3:30 a.m., which the couple provided to FOX 5 News.

“Hi Mrs. Gibbs, this is Ms. Kimesha from Rising Generations,” the phone message says. “I’m so sorry to be calling you this late and to be calling you from my personal, private cell phone, but I had to call to let you know that I’m a prophet and God often speaks to me through dreams and visions,” Munford’s voice message continues.

“The word of the Lord says that God wants you and your wife to split up and I am so sorry to have to tell you this,” the voice message says, adding, “I also speak in tongues, I pray in tongues.”

Kelley and Ky Gibbs told FOX 5 that the message from Munford came as a shock because the daycare center is not a religious operation and no one from Rising Generations had given them any indication of disapproval toward their status as a same-sex married couple.

“If you don’t have the control to call me at 3:30 in the morning, especially for something that has nothing to do with my child, I just don’t trust that you have the self-control to not do something with my child during the day,” Kelly told FOX 5 in explaining the couple’s decision to withdraw their child from Rising Generations.

The Washington Blade couldn’t immediately reach a Rising Generations spokesperson for comment.

But FOX 5 posted on its website a statement by Rising Generations responding to the television news station’s report about the concerns raised by Kelly and Ky Gibbs. The statement is signed by Paulette Munford and Kelvin F. Munford. FOX 5 identified the two as the owners of Rising Generations and Kimesha Munford’s parents.

“Last night, FOX 5 D.C. aired a news report detailing concerning statements made by a staff member regarding the LGBTQIA+ relationship of a Rising Generation parent,” the statement says. “These statements were offensive and inappropriate, and they do not reflect the thoughts or beliefs of Rising Generations,” the statement continues.

“We extend our heartfelt apologies for the incident and any disappointment or frustration it may have caused,” the two Munfords say in their statement. “While it has always been our mission to provide quality care for children in a safe and loving environment, mistakes do happen and we are working diligently to address the issue.”

The statement concludes by saying, “Since becoming aware of the incident, the employee — who has served our organization for more than 30 years — has been reprimanded and acknowledged their error in judgment. We have also begun exploring ways that we as an organization can ensure that this never happens again.” 

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Maryland

What Anne Arundel County school board candidates think about book bans

State lawmakers passed Freedom to Read Act in April

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Parents in some Maryland school districts have organized campaigns to restrict the kinds of books allowed in school libraries. (Photo by Kylie Cooper/Baltimore Banner)

BY ROYALE BONDS | Parents’ efforts to restrict content available to students in school libraries has become a contentious issue in Maryland. Conservative parent groups, such as Moms for Liberty, have been working to get books they believe are inappropriate removed from libraries in Carroll and Howard counties, sparking protests, new policies, and even a state law.

The Freedom to Read Act, passed in April, sets standards that books cannot be removed from public and school libraries due to an author’s background. Library staff that uphold the standard are protected under this act. The law, however, does not prohibit removing books deemed “sexually explicit,” the stated reason local Moms for Liberty chapters challenged school library books.

The rest of this article can be read on the Baltimore Banner website.

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Maryland

Christian Siriano to serve as grand marshal of Annapolis Pride Parade

Fashion designer is an Annapolis native

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Christian Siriano, an Annapolis native, won the fourth season of “Project Runway,” and has become one of the reality show’s most successful and visible stars. (© Leandro Justen/Leandro Justen)

BY JOHN-JOHN WILLIAMS IV | He’s conquered fashion week. His designs have slayed the red carpet during award season. And now Christian Siriano is coming home.

The Annapolis native will serve as grand marshal and keynote speaker June 1 for the annual Annapolis Pride Parade and Festival, which is a major coup as the event enters its fourth year.

The rest of this article can be read on the Baltimore Banner’s website.

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Maryland

Md. governor signs Freedom to Read Act

Law seeks to combat book bans

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Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (Public domain photo/Twitter)

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore on Thursday signed a bill that seeks to combat efforts to ban books from state libraries.

House Bill 785, also known as the Freedom to Read Act, would establish a state policy “that local school systems operate their school library media programs consistent with certain standards; requiring each local school system to develop a policy and procedures to review objections to materials in a school library media program; prohibiting a county board of education from dismissing, demoting, suspending, disciplining, reassigning, transferring, or otherwise retaliating against certain school library media program personnel for performing their job duties consistent with certain standards.”

Moore on Thursday also signed House Bill 1386, which GLSEN notes will “develop guidelines for an anti-bias training program for school employees.”

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