Once-quiet school at center of Dominican Catholics, gay US envoy row

Santo Domingo.- The once-quite Catholic school San JuanBautista in Santo Domingo has become the latest battleground pitting Dominican Republic’sCatholic Church and US envoy and gay activist, James W. Brewster.

The school’s officials have placed the third sign in asmany days at the entrance, after the first two were vandalized with graffitiand profanity.

"The entry of the United States ambassador is notallowed in this Institute San Juan Bautista" the three signs say.

The first signs placed on Monday and then on Tuesday are nowbelow the third placed Wednesday, with the phrase "f–k intolerance” scribbledin paint.

The school’s director and prelate Manuel Ruiz said thevandalism forced them to place yet another sign on top of the first to, butnoted that they won’t remove the previous ones. He said they decided to leave theold sign "to let the people judge who are the intolerant."

He said Brewster must respect Dominican rules, customs andthe Constitution and stop interfering in the country’s affairs.

Ruiz said the Education Ministry "should never allowthe visit of the ambassador and his husband to a school" because in his viewit confuses students accustomed to seeing a couple formed by a man and a woman.

He said the reiteration sends a clear message that theyoppose the ambassador’s activism, adding that Brewster can do whatever shewants with his personal life, but as an ambassador must show respect.

Dominican Today has reached out to the US Embassy for aresponse.