Pennsylvania

Zach Wahls (pic), an engineering student at the University of Iowa, spoke to an audience about his experience growing up with two moms at Pennsylvania College of Technology recently. Wahls said his biological mother Terry conceived him by artificial insemination by Donor 1033, "a 6-foot-6 pianist." Though Wahls thinks it would be "cool" to meet his biological father, he says he has no interest in developing a relationship with him. He compared meeting his biological father to an adopted child meeting their biological parents - they didn't raise the child.

Half of Pennsylvanians favor a constitutional amendment to legalize same-sex marriage, and an even more believe the state should at least allow civil unions. A Franklin & Marshall College poll shows about a third, 33 percent, strongly favor a constitutional amendment that would allow gay couples to get married, and about another sixth, 17 percent, said they would somewhat favor a constitutional amendment to legalize same-sex marriage.

According to the NYT, 89 schools - 28 in Philadelphia - are flagged by the state for an improbably high number of "erasures" (or changed answers). Additionally, questionable gains on reading and math tests have been noticed by officials. A recent blog post by PP member EthanK examines the cheating phenomenon happening in Pennsylvania. He writes about how the "obscure" report came to fruition and the incredible amount of incidents which exposed the scam.

Lancaster Mayor Rick Gray [pic] maintains that he supports the institution of marriage. Which is why, until Pennsylvania broadens the definition of marriage, he supports the city acting on its stated principles of diversity, equality and fairness in extending health and other benefits to same-sex domestic partners of city employees. Gray said the issue was raised only because Pennsylvania legislators have not extended the right to same-sex couples.

U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg has introduced legislation requiring colleges to adopt a code of conduct that prohibits bullying and harassment. He says, “The tragic impact of bullying on college campuses has damaged too many young adults, and it is time for our colleges to put policies on the books that would protect students from harassment.

Ten U.S. high schools participated in a 90-minute special deliberation on the subject of marriage equality at the National Constitution Center. A video link connected students from schools across the country so they could discuss the topic.

Lower Moreland, Pa. high school junior Elizabeth Sklar says preparing for this event was just as much fun as participating in it:

Examiner.com reports that lesbian mom Alexis Lieberman, M.D., pediatrician since 1996, announced the opening of a private practice near the Art Museum, dubbed Fairmount Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine.