Spongebob fails to torpedo candidate

Posted at Equality Florida Blog   Former School Board Member Marty Rubinstein won a seat on the county's Transit Advisory Board despite controversy surrounding his tenure with the school district. Rubinstein came under fire because as a school board member, he stood behind a controversial appointee to the school district's diversity committee. Rubinstein, had appointed conservative radio host Steve Kane to the diversity committee in 2002. In 2003, Kane used a racial slur during a debate in front of about 100 students at Deerfield Beach High. Kane also was a vocal critic of the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, a gay tolerance organization that helped Broward teachers recognize anti-gay harassment. In 2005, Kane claimed that a children's video entitled "We Are Family" would be a "foot in the door" for activists to promote a pro-gay agenda in the county's public schools. He said the movie, which shows Big Bird, SpongeBob SquarePants, and other characters dancing and singing, could be used to introduce gay relationships to other students. Read more