Chicago to get "gay-friendly" school

As you said... defining "normal" and "abnormal" is something for the faculty to do in order to assess issues that might arise with that student, either on an educational level or in the way they associate with other learners... I believe what daydream referred to was the concept of "normal" and "abnormal" that the children oppose on one another through the course of their social interactions...



How would you propose to fix the problem with "the culture at large?" The school system is the only common thing we have with all others living within our society, how is it not the best place to tackle the problem? By teaching children not only about differences and other such things, but also about the way we interpret things we see in the media and skepticism of stereotypes that we see in films we can begin to overcome the problem.

You yourself stated that if reached at a young enough age there is indeed hope. Ages 6-12 young enough?

Though you might not be able to get all the kids, since their parents may well have too firm a grip on them, you can teach about the historical shift in the representation of different stereotypes in the media which might give them some indication of how their parents views have been constructed.

At a minimum you should be able to make it not as widely accepted to ostracize minorities as it is now.

There was an interesting segment on a gay tv show the other night. It was looking at jobs where it's taboo to be "out" and one of them was teaching.

I'm sure we can see why it's taboo in teaching - because of course, gays and paedophiles are the same time :rollseyes:

But it mentioned that to have openly gay teachers in school would be very beneficial to not only the confidence of students who might be confused about their sexuality, but also for straight students to see a member of the gay community functioning in a "normal" capacity.

It didn't go into it anymore than that cos it was only a 5min segment, but was interesting none-the-less. (Segment also mentioned lesbian midwives which was interesting as well!)

I absolutely agree with that, Rouge Dragon. I understand why its a taboo... because people are scared that their children will be perverted by the homosexuality of their teacher... I can understand where this comes from, theres been so much of a brainwashing... anyone remember Scar from the Lion King?

I'm studying to be a teacher... and I would like to see an openly gay teacher... sadly, that won't be me.

I think its interesting to remark that a gay teacher would be more easily accepted by the students that liked him before they found out he was gay than the ones that only meet him after already knowing...

Well, if I become a teacher, I may be an openly gay one, it would probably depend on the staff there.

Coming out at work, which that would be, I have yet to really do. I don't think they need to know, but if they ask, I don't deny it.

I understand your point Mike. I think it's a little bit of a different story in NYC because there of the "open enrollment" policy for most NYC schools.

In NYC, there are many specialized high schools. For example, those specializing in certain academics (Like LaGuardia HS is an art HS featured in the movie/tv show "Fame" and there are magnet science schools.) There are also methodology schools where students are taught in small classrooms or discussion groups or lecture halls, etc. There are also special needs schools.

I think in the contest of a large range of specialized High Schools (a concept which I strongly agree with) the phenomena you are bringing up has less of an affect.

If it was a large suburban HS that was sending the gay kids on a short bus down the block, I think it would be a different story.

Another aspect is: the problem is obviously intolerance and homophobia. I'd hate to say to some gay kid "Sorry, you don't get to go to a specialize high school, you go back to your old school and teach those pesky bullies to be more tolerant." In other words, is opposing a specialized high school hurting the gay kids for the faults of the intolerant and ignorant?

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In other news... This year I took over responsibility as the sponsor of our High School's "Gay-Straight Alliance." It's awesome and I'm suprised at how many comfortable, openly gay High School kids we've got.

In related news, if anybody knows how to get large quantities of pink glitter out of my chem lab, let me know.

lol


Seriously though, instead of making a special school for glbt kids, maybe they should make a special school where they teach bullies a lesson or two... *BUM BUM BUUUMMMMM* and leave everyone else, the glbt kids and all the other kids who aren't bullying or whatever in the school.

That is one of the best ideas I have ever heard.

And the best thing about that idea is- none of the kids would ever show up, so you could save a fortune on teachers, and even rent out the premises! Excellent!

NYC: Well, the issue to my mind is not so much that they are struggling at present to how much worse can it be? Putting GLBT students into a single school just provides a single target.

There is nothing wrong with a GLBT friendly school, but only allowing them in? And I still want to know how you do get in. Is it choice by parents, students, the state?

I just think that there are more possibilities for problems rather than possibilities for good. I may be wrong, this is all just opinion.

Oh, also, there are kids that are questioning, and then decide they aren't Gay. Should they go or not?

Do you need to have a "Gay Card" to get into the school? Actually, that's a horrible idea, that means that "Gays" are needed to register. Kind of like X-Men, except gay people don't have any cool abilities... well.... they do, but not the kind I'm talking about. =)

I went to a bunch of rural school and small town schools and dropped out in grade 10 (first grade of high school for those with diffrent school systems)

Anyways, I remember our class that was supposed to teach us about personal relationships, sexuality, safe sex, etc.. tried to educate students about diffrent kinds of sexuality and it just created a open forum for gay bashing and tomfoolery. I remember their was a older kid about to graduate who just moved to our school and he was a male to female transeuxual, and he would have fresh scrapes, black eyes, busted lips etc for the whole time of the year the PDR class covered sexuality.

I really don't think you can educate people who hate gays. Their is like a culture of gay hateing in schools that I think will resist any organized effort to change it.

I think any gay parents, or anyone who knows their child is gay should encourage their child to find a martial art that suits them, and find a good instructor.

I wish my parents would allow me to take martial arts when I was young. I got in so many fights in school they were afraid I would be dangerous if I was trained in martial arts. In reality I would have been a lot safer to those who bullied me if I was trained in martial arts. I never even had as rough as a time as the queer's in my schools. what I saw them go through changed my mind when I was young to untrusting and suspicious of queers to understanding and respecting. I think anyone prone to being bullied should learn how to defend themselves effectivly. bullies don't look that cool when they get hip tossed into a locker, pinned by a presure point or are bleeding from a broken nose.

PS-any type of seggregation will probably put all segregated gays at risk of being targeted more so. It's also a victory for the intolerant.

It says that since they can't ask the kids their orientation that it would be for any student who had felt ostracised because of references to their orientation.

So it would be for questioning kids as well.

I guess one benefit is that it will mean the students are no longer romantically destitute due to a lack of options. (I have a gay friend who i feel sorry for, because he's a really wonderful guy, but in this town he'll have a hard time finding a decent partner, so this is where my perception of a lack of options comes from.)

Completely understandable MNS.

Basically when I "came out" in my school, well first off noone cared because I was basically friends with every click from nerds to jocks, and secondly, I was it.

I'm sure there were more, but until I was 19 I never really met another gay or lesbian individual. I mean I'd talk to people on the internet, but most of those people I'm sure were after something I wasn't offering. Darn perverts.

Actually, really up until this year, I never really even had gay friends. It's weird. There are still people in my life who don't know *shrug*.

Also, sometimes fighting back can be good, sometimes it can be bad. I was picked on in middle school, but only for being a nerd really, by highschool noone touched me because I was the, how do you say... Quiet One? I was never angry or loud, I was just quiet and reserved, so people just assumed I was ready to snap and we all became great friends.

I did however enter into alot of fights, thank goodness noone ever decided to bring friends along. Most of the fights though... Well, I'm just going to say all the "tough" kids in my school, they were just as scared of a fight as I was. By standing up to them sometimes they back down I've found, it really depends on the person.