Sen. Campfield reacts to Vestal Controversy over his Portrait

6/14/2012 (Updated 11:06:14 PM)

Following the huge controversy in Vestal over his portrait hanging in Vestal High School's Wall of Fame, Tennessee State Senator Stacey Campfield reacted Thursday.

At Tuesday's Board of Education meeting many in the packed house demanded that the Vestal High graduate's portrait be removed because of his strong statements against homosexuality, and the spread of AIDS.

The school board decided that the portrait will remain, and students and others can make up their own minds about the Senator's beliefs.

Campfield said many who criticize his message confuse truth and hate.

"There are those people who really are very vehemently against anyone who speaks out against homosexuality or says there's anything wrong with it, or that it's not normal or doesn't want to push it as normal in the schools," Campfield said. "Those people are everywhere, not just in Tennessee, those people are in New York, probably even more so"

Campfield is the sponsor of Tennessee's "Don't Say Gay" Bill, which would prohibit teachers from classroom discussions of homosexuality.

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