Conservatives attack Obama aide

It seems the Republican party has the clear goal of undermining every element of President Obama’s Administration. Even something as innocent as attempting to bring the Olympic games to Chicago resulted in harsh criticism from the right.

Republicans simply want to see the Administration fail.

Now the man who heads the Department of Education’s Office of Safe and Drug Free Schools is under fire. Conservatives are pointing their finger to Kevin Jennings, a former teacher who gave counseling advice to a homosexual student 21 years ago.

Back in 1988, a gay student in Massachusetts who asks to be identified as “Brewster” approached Jennings, and told him he had met an older gay man on a bus. According to a book written by Jennings, who is also openly gay, Brewster told him he had sexual relations with the older man and asked for advice.

Jennings writes that he did not tell authorities about Brewster’s encounter with the older man. Instead he “listened, sympathized, and offered advice.” He also told Brewster that he had hoped he used a condom.

Jennings admits that he could have done a better job handling the incident, even though the Education Secretary Arne Duncan and the White House are backing him.

Why is the White House supporting Jennings? At the time of the incident Brewster was 16 years old, which is the age of consent in Massachusetts. This means that no laws were broken, and Brewster was not a victim of statutory rape.

Brewster now denies that he had sexual relations with the older man, and he has already spoken out against the conservative attacks on Jennings. He says that since he was old enough to consent to sexual activity his personal life should not be anyone’s concern.

“I find it regrettable that the people who have the compassion and integrity to protect our nation’s students are themselves in need of protection from homophobic smear it attacks,” said Brewster. “Were it not for Mr. Jennings’ courage and concern for my well-being at that time in my life, I doubt that I would be the proud gay man that I am today.”

CNN has obtained a copy of Brewster’s drivers license, which proves that he was 16 at the time of the incident.

Regardless of the evidence CNN has, or what Brewster says, conservatives are saying he was 15 years old at the time, and that Jennings condoned statutory rape and child molestation. As always, they do their best to twist the truth and spread ridiculous lies about officials in the Democratic party.

Jennings gave Brewster the right advice, and demonstrated that students should not be afraid to have open and candid discussions with school officials. Jennings became an adult figure that Brewster could trust and turn to. The student was not raped, and Jennings did not condone molestation. Since no laws were broken, authorities had no business getting involved.

My only hope is that Jennings does not resort to the usual Democratic strategy and apologize for something he handled perfectly.