Stung by anonymous e-mail messages after speaking to students during a Days of Diversity forum at Castro Valley High School last year, out pastor the Reverend Dr. Arlene K. Nehring will return to the event today (Thursday, March 11) armed with materials to tell her life story and some of the significant events in LGBT history.

Last week, Nehring, the senior pastor at Eden United Church of Christ in Hayward, held a news conference with church members and parents. All voiced their support for Nehring's participation in Days of Diversity.

Nehring also previewed her presentation, entitled "Out for Good," saying it "underscores that being truthful about my identity as a pastor, who happens to be lesbian, is healthy and that I continue to promote diversity education to build respect for all people in our community and local schools."

This will be the fourth consecutive year that Nehring was invited to address students at Castro Valley High School. Other speakers also will participate in the event, which concludes Friday.

Nehring said that a "misunderstanding" occurred last year.

After her talk, some parents became upset after an anonymous e-mail claimed that Nehring gave step-by-step instructions on how to become gay and transsexual. Several parents sued the Castro Valley School District. The case was closed last August.

"Step-by-step instructions? Could a heterosexual write step-by-step how to be heterosexual? I doubt it," Nehring told the Bay Area Reporter last year. She said that topics she discussed included her coming out process and nationally known hate crimes involving LGBT victims.

The Reverend Drew Nettinga, associate conference minister for the Bay Association of the Northern California Nevada Conference of UCC, said at the press conference that he and his colleagues were "appalled" at what happened last year.

"We also believe incidents like this are precisely why Days of Diversity is so important, to provide accurate information about respect rather than reject a person whose culture is different," Nettinga said.

Nehring said that she will provide a Power Point glossary of terms used and tell her story, including her ordination as a UCC minister and her 2008 wedding to longtime partner Stephanie Spencer.

"In addition to my life story I will touch on significant events in gay and lesbian history," Nehring said.

With this year being the first observance of Harvey Milk Day on May 22, Nehring was asked if she would be including Milk in her presentation. She said that she does have a slide of Milk.

"I will show kids that Harvey Milk was assassinated when I was their age and now there's an observance in his honor," she said.

Nehring also said that students at last year's event responded well to her presentation.

"The nice thing for me is that I see real growth in how students handle the experience," she added. "I thought last year, 'wow, there's a lot of growth and awareness.'"

Ruth Hartman, president of Congregation Shir Ami, a Reform Jewish synagogue in Castro Valley, also will participate in Days of Diversity.

"As a Jew, I am keenly aware of the costs of remaining silent when groups are targeted for mistreatment," she said at the news conference. "I am proud today to stand with Reverend Arlene."

Keith R. Smith is a gay man who is a member of Eden UCC. He and his husband, Todd, have two grade school children and live in San Leandro. He and Todd helped revitalize an LGBTQS parent alliance at their children's school.

"We created a series of parent education nights on bullying and prejudice," Smith said, adding that about 80 parents attended the second event.