Teaching tolerance and bullying prevention
As the fourth anniversary of the Larry King classroom shooting neared, The Star interviewed Deborah Temkin, bullying prevention coordinator for the U.S. Department of Education.
Q: In middle schools, how do you teach kids to be civil to each other?
A: There are many different ways that schools go about teaching tolerance. We at the U.S. Department of Education don't necessarily suggest one approach or one specific curriculum. But what we do say is that it's important to address all sorts of differences in kids and make sure kids are tolerant of those.
This can be done in a number of different ways, whether it's through teaching literature or history. The point is to emphasize differences and teach about them.
Q: What about efforts specifically related to anti-LGBT bullying?
A: One of the things we know is that when students initiate Gay-Straight Alliances or similar LGBT-focused clubs — which are guaranteed under the Equal Access Act like other noncurricular clubs at their school — it creates a safe environment for LGBT students and their allies to really join together and discuss issues that are going on in their lives and at their school. That's one way a school can support that. Those clubs can be very helpful for those students.
Q: What kind of training should teachers have on this issue?
A: It's important for teachers to feel comfortable in helping all students. Sometimes that means schools may consider doing trainings on LGBT-specific issues but also on issues of how to intervene in bullying, how to determine whether a situation is bullying or more of a conflict issue.
Q: At a middle school, how do you handle bullying or other issues involving gender-nonconforming students?
A: One of the most important things in all situations, regardless if the student is gender nonconforming or different in any other way, is to make sure that in any situation schools don't blame the victim — making sure any approach they take doesn't further victimize the student.
Specifically, that means not calling attention specifically to that student or the difference that student may have, but focusing more on building respect and tolerance and a safe climate for everyone in that classroom.
The federal government has a lot of resources that can be found on websites: stopbullying.gov and safesupportiveschools.ed.gov.
Q: Do you see changes related to anti-gay bullying issues in schools over the past several years?
A: I think attention to the subject has definitely increased. With attention means greater action, and that is very promising and very exciting.
We know this issue is changing from something that was once regarded as just kids being kids — very normative behavior — to something that schools, parents, communities alike are realizing needs to be addressed.
— Cheri Carlson
Middle school was tougher on Taylor Kennepohl than it was on most.
Even before eighth grade, when she realized she was gay, she endured a barrage of anti-gay insults. They called her a litany of derogatory names meant to sting. It made her feel like a freak.
The Ventura teen struggled with depression and thought about suicide, keeping her sexual orientation a secret.
"At that point in time, there was really no option to be open and not have your life become a living hell in middle school," she said.
But in the four years since, things have gotten better. The name-calling has stopped. Students accept her for who she is. Taylor, now 17, chalks some of it up to her and her classmates maturing. But something else also changed.
The nation started to address the issue of anti-gay bullying in schools, and many say that is partly because of what happened in Oxnard four years ago today.
In the weeks leading up to Feb. 12, 2008, 15-year-old Larry King began not only telling his friends at E.O. Green School that he was gay, he also began wearing high-heeled women's boots and makeup to class.
Some students were uncomfortable with it. Some thought it was no big deal.
Brandon McInerney thought it was a big deal.
During first-period English class, after the two had taunted each other for several weeks, McInerney shot King twice in the head. King's death two days later made news around the world and sparked what some said was the start of a national discussion on anti-gay bullying in the classroom.
"What happened to Larry King in February of 2008 was the opening salvo in a barrage of horrifying stories that came to light from then to now," said Eliza Byard, executive director of the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network.
The last four years have brought new laws and attention to an issue officials say was largely ignored. It's progress, Byard said, but more needs to be done.
"Not enough has happened yet," she said. "But there is significantly more interest nationwide in the issue to both save lives and improve our schools."
'BEGINNING OF AWARENESS'
McInerney, now 18, was charged with murder and a hate crime, but his nine-week murder trial ended last summer in a hung jury partly because jurors were torn over sending a 17-year-old to prison for 50 years. McInerney was only 14 at the time of the shooting.
In a deal with prosecutors, he eventually pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and manslaughter and was sentenced to 21 years. On Jan. 26, two days after his 18th birthday, he was transferred to a state prison in Chino.
The trial was an emotional one in which students wept as they recounted the days leading up to the two shots in the classroom that morning.
Some students said McInerney was part of the pack that made fun of King, calling him names and mocking him. Others said King taunted McInerney, flirting with him because it made him uncomfortable.
The prosecution said King was a hapless victim of McInerney's rage and white supremacist beliefs. The defense said King harassed a boy who came from a troubled and disturbed background.
About the only thing both sides agreed on was the vein of homophobia that ran through the tragedy. McInerney said he was raised to hate gays — a hatred the prosecution said led to the shooting.
Although the trial painted a muddled picture leading up to the shooting, King's death sent a resounding message around the nation: bullying of gays in schools had to be addressed.
Ellen DeGeneres took to the airwaves saying, "It's OK to be gay." Newsweek splashed the story on its front page. People began talking about the issue.
"There was a beginning of an awareness that the level of victimization is something we can no longer pretend is not serious. We can't pretend it's not happening anymore," said Stephen Russell, a professor at the University of Arizona who studies adolescent sexuality and school safety for vulnerable youth. "I think Larry King's death was the beginning of that."
King's death was followed by a number of high-profile gay bullying cases and suicides that inspired the "It gets better" video campaign in which adults described how life improves after the awkward teenage years.
Bullying and LGBT issues took center stage at national and state summits. The White House held its first conference on bullying prevention in March 2011.
A 2009 study of students 13 to 21 years old by The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found 80 percent of gay youths said they were verbally harassed at school and 20 percent were physically assaulted.
"It's no longer OK to say we're dealing with something like bullying without taking seriously issues of homophobia and LGBT victimization," Russell said.
CHANGE IN CLIMATE
Ten days after King's death, Assemblyman Mike Eng, D-Monterey Park, introduced the first of several bills and government resolutions bearing King's name.
"Larry's Law" sought to tackle bullying in part by requiring teachers and other school officials to report bullying incidents to the principal immediately and launch an investigation. Eng, teased as a kid because he was small and quiet, said bullying was just starting to be taken seriously as a cruel and violent act, not something that just happens in the normal realm of growing up.
"We seemed to be at a point where domestic violence was 30 or 40 years ago," Eng said recently. "We tolerated it and there were no clear consequences for someone who perpetrated domestic violence."
Like the O.J. Simpson case shed light on domestic violence, King's death forced people to look at school bullying in a new light, Eng said.
Larry's Law ultimately failed, which Eng said was more a function of the budget crisis than its ideas. He went on to author another bill that did pass and, among other things, defines school bullying and lets students transfer to another school if they feel harassed.
"It shows we are learning, but we need to do more," Eng said.
Rep. Lois Capps, D-Santa Barbara, said she had King in mind when she signed on to become co-chairwoman of the LGBT Equality Caucus. A year after the shooting, Capps filed a resolution to honor his life and condemn his death.
"It made us increasingly aware of what happens in public schools where there is a definite need for education and awareness," she said of the shooting.
The caucus has penned 33 bills since its inception four years ago, including a 2010 one to protect gay and lesbian students that was partly inspired by King's death. None of those bills has become law, but only a small percentage of bills ever do.
"That is only one way to measure progress," said Capps, adding the caucus has spurred a "change in climate" in Congress, where LGBT issues are brought up now more than ever. She cited the repeal of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" military policy on gays as one of the successes in government since King's death and said his passing helped raise awareness.
WAS IT ENOUGH?
After the shooting, calls streamed into the Gay-Straight Alliance Network offices.
"We definitely saw an increase in the volume of calls coming to us, particularly from the school administrators and teachers in the middle schools who for a long time had not thought this was an issue they needed to deal with," said Carolyn Laub, executive director of the group that helps students develop Gay-Straight Alliance clubs.
It's hard to say whether schools are safer today than four years ago, Laub said. But she thinks the increased public attention to anti-LGBT bullying has translated into more schools taking time to look at what else can be done.
The number of GSA clubs at middle schools went from a dozen a few years ago to 30 in California this year, Laub said. Ventura County has 13, although none at a middle school.
Jay Smith, the former executive director of the now-defunct Rainbow Alliance, said there was a lot of talk after King's death about bullying of gays in school. But in the end, he thinks it may have been just talk.
"I would like to tell you we moved a mountain and we did great stuff, but my conviction says no," he said. "We danced around some important conversations but we didn't hit the mark. It's a tough one. We have spent so much time and energy on it. We still shake our heads wondering, how did we get there and how do we keep it from happening again?"
The complicated backgrounds of King and McInerney, who both had abuse in their pasts as well as birth mothers who used drugs when they were pregnant, made the case a difficult one for many to handle. Smith said he'd like to see more LGBT issues tackled in schools. "We are uncomfortable and we don't talk about it," he said. "We never get to the core of the discussion, which is about sex and sexuality."
TRAINING INCREASED
In the four years since the shooting, administrators and students at E.O. Green School in the Hueneme School District have come and gone. But as the anniversary neared, Hueneme Superintendent Jerry Dannenberg said it's something on many people's minds.
Dannenberg thinks schools in general are addressing LGBT issues more now than in the past.
"I think people are more conscious of it, so there is more discussion," he said, "but probably not as much as there should be."
King's family said the middle school did not do enough to protect their son and played a part in his death. The family filed a civil suit against the school district, the McInerneys and others, ultimately settling for $273,000. The district paid $25,000 of that.
Hueneme officials, however, have said the staff acted appropriately and that an investigation by the district's legal counsel agreed.
Countywide, school districts, including Hueneme, have increased efforts to deal with bullying and conflict on campuses since King's death, officials said.
"Virtually every school district in the county is engaged in anti-bullying training," said county schools Superintendent Stan Mantooth. The shooting four years ago wasn't the sole reason behind those efforts but definitely prompted action, he said.
Ventura County's Behavioral Health Department has provided funding to help districts take part in training programs and provided money to the Ventura County Office of Education for workshops.
Moorpark school counselor Betsy Davis said schools are addressing anti-LGBT bullying more, along with providing more individual counseling for students.
"I think we've always been proactive in anti-bullying," said Davis, a counselor for 14 years, but "there's much more awareness now, and with that comes a lot more acceptance and tolerance."
Taylor is now a senior at Foothill Technology High School in Ventura and president of the GSA club there. She feels much more comfortable now than in middle school.
Her school is open and accepting, but she thinks changes are happening on other campuses as well, including middle schools.
Before, people talked about problems with bullying but they left out the anti-LGBT part. "They were uncomfortable," Taylor said. "They didn't understand it as much."
There's been a lot more attention in the past few years and that helps, she said. She thinks the shooting at E.O. Green shook people up.
"It was the fact that someone was so angry and so upset and so broken that they would come to the conclusion to kill another person," Taylor said. "That's really sad, and I think it jars a lot of people into reality."
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Comments » 71
thadious writes:
With homosexuals making up less than 3% of the general population they have certainly pushed their agenda and lifestyle choice into every realm of todays life. TV shows movies all want to make what this reader considers freak like behavior normal and it never will be . Its my opinion, every one has one.Homosexuals will shout different names for every opinion that disagrees with their behavior and they will show their tolerence level like they did with churchgoers who supported prop 8 and those people with different opinions who supported it. Boycotts are ok if your a homosexual but you are homophobic if you dont support Pennys .
The King case could have been stopped very easy however the homosexual admin at his school and the teacher who pushed him to push his sexuality choice on others should have been on trial as well as the shooter. As much as homosexuals and the agenda pushers try when it comes time for people to vote in private or spend their money they will balk, no matter how many times the liberal homosexual pushing media says some new poll results show support in real life people dont. this article will see close to a hundred posts by mid day, people will be deleted people censored but in the end people will still not suport the homosexual choice and lifestyle
viking2265 writes:
When I was in 8th grade (and I realize that it was a long time ago and things have changed), we had a reasonable dress code for students. It was basically you could wear what you wanted as long as it didn't bring attention to yourself...or be disruptive. Allowing King to wear high heels, dresses, and make-up certainly should have warranted some action from the administration.
But then this entire tragedy could have been prevented. Lots of 20/20 hindsight here.
PhilSlaton writes:
Good article reporters Barlow and Carlson, thank you.
They may only be 3% or 10% or whatever, but it is a big deal if you are getting bullied, beaten and killed for who you are and all measures have to be taken to stop it.
ca93001 writes:
I agree with some of what Thadious writes. I am so sick and tired of the gay subject plastered everywhere. I really don't care what you are, gay or not, I just don't need to hear about it. I don't go around proclaiming to be heterosexual every waking moment of my life. The sooner we can pass laws that give gay people rights to be married, the sooner we can stop hearing about this and let our politicians focus on what really matters to all Americans and that is the economy, jobs, national security. And the same goes with abortion. Keep it out of the politician hands. And for you religious freaks out there, if you think god is against gays and abortion, then let your god judge him on judgement day and not you or our politicians. Time to move on people. In addition, to all the gay activists, there will never be a day where ALL people will accept the gay reality. It's a form a racism and has been around for all of mankind and will be around forever so quit trying to change the world.
Hey_Scapegoat writes:
You are exactly right.
Even now, California is saturated with stories of teachers doing the most unconscionable acts to young pupils at schools in LA.
There is a common thread to these horrible stories.
A disconnect between the responsibilites of school administrators and teachers.
When pushed, we are astonished to hear of 'the fear' of administrators of The teachers union.
Yes the good old CTA, California Teachers Association.
It is high time we California voters take a good hard look at the corrupting influence of the dangerous, expensive organization.
It's high time we just get rid of it!
Chilibreath writes:
Thad, I realize your frustration is sincere and you make some valid heartfelt points, but I also have to say that just because someone (or their proclivity) is in the minority does not mean they don’t have an expectation to fair and equal treatment. In ancient times people who were different than the general population of a village, town or city suffered greatly, and in some extreme cases they were banished from the group or even worse.
Fast-forward to 1776 and a ragtag group of displaced weirdoes (by contemporary European standards at the time) decided to start their own country with a brand new government, and along with this leading-edge effort they also decided to write a manifesto (the Bill of Rights) which boldly declared that all men were created equal and entitled to the same privileges and freedoms as everyone else no matter who they were or what they believed in; no one was superior in the eyes of the law to their peers, and no one was less than their peers because of lifestyle, religion (a belief in or not), class or income.
The most amazing part of this new government was that as long as no laws were being broken, even the strangest and hard to accept lifestyles and/or opinions were given equal protection, and just because someone fell into a category that represented a significant minority their right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness (including freedom of expression) were not a reason for the majority to pose limits or punish the minority without just cause, and only then if the situation had been reviewed by a court of law and it was determined the differences in question were not protected by the Bill of Rights. Sometimes legal ruling were applauded by the majority and sometimes not, but in the end it was always the Bill of Rights that prevailed, and so it is today.
ARealRealityCheck writes:
The photo of the kids show how they are just liberal brainwashed minions of the liberal-progressive school systems.
Traditional writes:
This may be only a small point in what will be an extended set of posts, but: In Brown vs the State of Texas in 2004, the homosexual lobby offered this in one of their legal briefs.
“The most widely accepted study of sexual practices in the United States is the National Health and Social Life Survey (NHSLS). The NHSLS found that 2.8% of the male, and 1.4% of the female, population identify themselves as gay, lesbian, or bisexual. See Laumann, et al, The Social Organization of Sex: Sexual Practices in the United States (1994)."
If the pro-homosexual lobby is going to use numbers that average out to about 2% of the population, it is reasonable to assume there is no other accurate study supporting a larger percentage.
ms_reason writes:
I believe the liberal agenda is hurting our society which hurts our kids along the way. Allowing kids to wear certain clothing that interrupts basic education, should not be allowed. I'm not just talking about high heels or make-up, and dresses for boys. I'm talking about gang attire; sagging, white t-shirts, and any logo representing gangs, pink hair, gothic looks, skater wear, and so forth.
Establish some rules for kids, enforce them, and put some boundries on them.
Why is this so hard? Because the liberal agenda "Freedom of expression" has taken over and you have to be PC to even dispute it.
That's why I send my kids to private schools. I'll pay for that kind of enforcement and allowing kids to pray and worship God.
Bongo writes:
I hear your statistics but I have to believe the number is far higher than 2%.
Get this: As of last year California teachers are required by law to give instruction in GLBT&Q as part of social studies. The Q was a new one "questioning". http://articles.cnn.com/2011-07-14/us...
Most teachers I know simply ignore the requirement.
The state of California is effecting social engineering through the school systems. They use the schools as campaign tool that they have complete control over. Its a "brave new world" here in California.
Why is it that the sexual preferences have a role in their contribution anyhow?
California enacted the requirement but gave absolutly no guidance on what is taught. This would make for some hilarious teaching.
McInenrny was packed off to prison last month. The staff at the kiddie jail he lived at for the past 5 years were rather sad to see him go.
The fear of infringing on gay kids civil right extended to sexual harassment. They caused a murder. Whistle blowers would have been deemed bigots. Brandons life is ruined. Nice job liberals. Larry could be alive Bandon wouldnt be in jail.
gtbkidding writes:
It doesn't matter the percentage. What matters is the behavior. This kid flaunted, teased, offended, and caused the dangerous situation. No, he didn't deserve to be brutally murdered. But if you play with fire, there's a possibility you will be burned. His mother knew he had a problem and she begged for help. The so-called 'teachers' are who are at fault here, them and their liberal mantras.
TomcatDriver writes:
ROTFLMAO!
TomcatDriver writes:
LMAO!
TomcatDriver writes:
This study seems relevant to the situation:
http://www.livescience.com/18132-inte...
thatonethere writes:
Eng and Capps had no one else in mind but themselves...
WiggleRoom writes:
Boy you're a troubled homophobic
1on1 writes:
gtkidding-You are right on.
FullDisclosure writes:
What is learned?
1) Teachers and administrators not dealing with a known and ongoing problem. The nature of the problem is not the issue.
2) 14 year old with access to a loaded gun.
IsthisAmerica writes:
3. And a child is dead
4. Family mourns forever
Huskerfan writes:
From your link:
A study of averages
Hodson was quick to note that the despite the link found between low intelligence and social conservatism, the researchers aren't implying that all liberals are brilliant and all conservatives stupid. The research is a study of averages over large groups, he said.
"There are multiple examples of very bright conservatives and not-so-bright liberals, and many examples of very principled conservatives and very intolerant liberals," Hodson said.
Nosek gave another example to illustrate the dangers of taking the findings too literally.
"We can say definitively men are taller than women on average," he said. "But you can't say if you take a random man and you take a random woman that the man is going to be taller. There's plenty of overlap."
l0calresident writes:
I'm surprised and disgusted by the people who would suggest that Larry was to blame for his own murder. He was killed by a boy who was filled with rage and thought that killing was an appropriate solution to his problems. I should think that we would all agree that this is not to be tolerated.
If Larry had been part of some other minority, the issue would be very clear and not open for this kind of debate. Imagine that Larry had been Asian/Black/Jewish/short/fat/deaf or any other kind of different, and McInerney was somehow threatened by this. I doubt that anyone would be trying to find justification for murder in that case. It's only because so many people share in his homophobia that we have this debate. I suppose that's exactly why we need to have it. So that no one else is murdered, just because they're different.
rebel123 writes:
No kid should fear getting shot in school for any reason. Ever, regardless of how he/she acts or dresses or what their sexual orientation is. Period. For those who seem to think that gays don't make up a significant enough population to deserve protections, I'm quite sure plenty of people felt the same way about blacks too at some point. An evolved society would see that being openly gay is not a threat to anyone or anything. Those who wish to remain in the dark ages will continue to spew their bigoted messages of hate and intolerance (and ignorance). I prefer to evolve, not devolve.
ExtremelyReasonableCitizen writes:
Readers, set your bigotry and homophobia aside for a moment.
This is not about gay numbers or percentages. It's not about liberals. It's not about unions or weak administrators. It's about kids not getting the help they need. Larry AND Brandon. Both kids not getting appropriate help from PARENTS, guardians, social workers, teachers, churches, counselors, etc...
PopPop74 writes:
It appears that the STAR forgot to print all of Jeke and Cheri's article, the part about how teachers and administrators are being trained to deal with sexual harassment and bullying by LGBT students against their classmates.
President Obama's Safe Schools Czar, Kevin Jennings, is the founder of GLSEN. At a conference, Jennings said " In Massachusetts the effective reframing of this issue was the key to the success of the Governor's Commission on Gay and Lesbian Youth. We immediately seized upon the opponent's calling card – safety – and explained how homophobia represents a threat to students' safety by creating a climate where violence, name-calling, health problems, and suicide are common. Titling our report 'Making Schools Safe for Gay and Lesbian Youth,' we automatically threw our opponents onto the defensive and stole their best line of attack. This framing short-circuited their arguments and left them back-pedaling from day one."
In Massachusetts, GLSEN taught teenagers as young as 14 that "fisting" (inserting one's fist completely into the vagina or anus of another person) is "an experience of letting somebody into your body that you want to be that close and intimate with."
I look forward to the STAR printing the missing part of Zeke and Cheri's honest, complete, fair and professional reporting.
madman805 writes:
There still bullying...at school,work,tv,radio,driving down the street,this web site,any social web site....whats changed...I still hear about kids being picked on at school but there scared to tell anybody
rebel123 writes:
You laugh, yet the facts are there.
doodlesnicker86 writes:
I am an attractive female wearing jeans and a t-shirt today. The shirt, while it's a woman's size, depicts a very male dominated video game.
Am I pushing something on you by my fashion choices?
You are a homophobe and you must hate yourself first if you hate others. That's a fact. It is simply not possible to hate someone that you do not even know unless there is something very wrong with you.
doodlesnicker86 writes:
Sure, blame the "liberal" school instead of the asinine parents.
You've got some nerve.
Your sons aren't supposed to come to school in their saggy clothes. Your daughters aren't supposed to come to school dressed like hookers. Schools do enforce the dress code and it's a never ended battle. It's not like teachers and admin don't have better things to do.
Why don't you blame parents? Google the story about Sydney Spies who (along with her parents) thinks she should be able to look like a harlot in her senior yearbook portrait. Her parents are threatening to sue.
btw: ANYONE can pray all they want to ANYWHERE they want to in this country. What are you asking for? Teachers to lead prayer in public schools? Time for your child to pray openly in the middle of lessons?
I don't understand your type of thinking but you certainly don't belong amongst the general public. Hide yourself away, please.
doodlesnicker86 writes:
It is not a requirement.
I have more state adopted curriculum materials for my subject area that I could ever use. NO ONE is ensuring that I even use all of it. I am NOT REQUIRED to use all of it. I am NOT REQUIRED to give any sort of nod to any legal holiday either. That's right, MLK Day came and went in my classroom because I have other things to do.
The curriculum that you mention has not been written yet and when (and if) it is, there is no money to spread it around to schools.
People who believe everything without question are called Republican/Conservative/Teabaggers. Take your pick.
doodlesnicker86 writes:
I sincerely doubt your exciting tale of fisting in schools. There isn't a school principal or superintendent in the country that would invite a group in to discuss such a topic. On the off chance that such a group was invited to a school, a consent form would have to be sent home with all minors.
It's that simple.
Stop making stuff up.
Traditional writes:
Replacement texts have not been written, but supplemental material has already been identified.
Does your infantile name-calling make you feel better? Grow up.
Traditional writes:
Massachusetts? I believe the first events were held six years ago. I am willing to bet you a dinner at your favorite restaurant on the accuracy of PopPop74's report. Willing to take the bet?
ca93001 writes:
rebel123 writes:
No kid should fear getting shot in school for any reason. Ever, regardless of how he/she acts or dresses or what their sexual orientation is. Period. For those who seem to think that gays don't make up a significant enough population to deserve protections, I'm quite sure plenty of people felt the same way about blacks too at some point. An evolved society would see that being openly gay is not a threat to anyone or anything. Those who wish to remain in the dark ages will continue to spew their bigoted messages of hate and intolerance (and ignorance). I prefer to evolve, not devolve.
I agree with that but at the same time I would never wear a Dodger shirt to a Giants game in San Francisco. Or because a pedestrian has the right away, I won't be stepping off any curb in front of a semi truck. You may have the right-of-way, but you also may be dead. Just a point. It wasn't his fault but the school should have been more involved.
ms_reason writes:
Noodlesnickers.....you sound so angry. Let me try to help you. First, I didn't mention anything about the parents. I do blame the liberal agenda pretty much for cutting every seam there is when it comes to good morals and values.
And no, Public Schools do NOT allow children to pray. In fact, the public school my children WERE going to didn't even allow Christmas songs that pertained to the birth of Christ....so pretty much Jingle Bells was okay. And maybe a child does want to pray in the middle of a lesson; And YES, a Teacher does lead a prayer in class. Very common in private Christian schools.
Suggestion; you should have added MLK birthday in your classroom...that's a valuable lesson that involves civil rights. Why wouldn't you want your kids to know about that?
Green_Dream writes:
I am having a hard time figuring out how the kid that pulled the trigger is only one that is in jail. The mere fact that a 14 yr old was able to get his hands on a firearm, and then use that firearm is enough to throw that guardian in jail. Also how is it that these teachers that allowed this king kid to act like this and then support it. The school admin, and the teachers are just as much to blame for this tragedy. I am not for or against gay marriage, if they want to be miserable like the rest of us married people, who am I to keep them from doing so.
WiggleRoom writes:
He stole the gun from his grandfather.
From Wikipedia: The school could not legally stop King from dressing as such because of a California hate crime law that prevents gender discrimination, although teachers at the school thought that his clothing was clearly in violation of school code, which prevents students from wearing clothing considered distracting.[1] The school issued a formal notice to every teacher on January 29, 2008 via email.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E.O._Gre...
doodlesnicker86 writes:
Yes, actually, it does. NO TEACHER WILL BE FORCED TO TEACH "ABOUT" HOMOSEXUALITY.
The curriculum proposed was about including the contributions of gay Americans into the social studies curriculum. No one has to use it, but that doesn't stop the small-minded fear mongers.
doodlesnicker86 writes:
MLK- I have other things to teach. I'll leave it for the elementary teacher or the social studies teachers.
Praying in school IS allowed. How can you even suggest that it is not? What you don't seem to understand is that (according to the Bible -and I went to a Lutheran school/church and a Christian college) your god doesn't need you to pray out loud. You can pray silently any time you want. Or....are you suggesting that while students should be distracting by their choice of clothing, they should be distracting by praying out loud in class?
Also, at my Lutheran school, we prayed in chapel on Wednesday mornings and not every day in class, but that's neither here nor there.
When I taught elementary school (right here in Oxnard) my students, along with 3 other classes, sang "Silent Night".
Clearly, you don't have all the facts.
doodlesnicker86 writes:
Seems like it happened a little differently than you present. It was a seminar for GSA members at a University....meaning they signed up for it and attended on their own time. It was not presented at a middle or high school. Additionally, the gentleman you mentioned wasn't there, and fired the presents whom he felt crossed the line.
Hmmmm....seems like he handled it better than the grown-ups at Penn State. Who sees a 10 y/o boy being raped and does nothing?? Who knows about it and allows the rapist to continue to have access to the facilities and to children?
doodlesnicker86 writes:
Here's some more info about what you mentioned....it's C/P from another site.
Oh wait- didn't take long to find out that this is a bunch of s***.
http://mediamatters.org/research/2009...
Fox Nation: "Safe School Czar Linked To Shocking Teen Sex Talk." In a December 7 post titled "Safe School Czar Linked to Shocking Teen Sex Talk," Fox Nation linked to and quoted a December 5 Gateway Pundit post stating that in 2000, GLSEN held a conference that "made it clear that the organization was not so much about tolerance as it was about teaching children about sex."
Screen capture of Fox Nation headline
Big Government posts "a shocking report on Obama's deviant Safe School Czar Kevin Jennings." On December 7, Big Government posted an item that reprinted some of the December 5 Gateway Pundit article, which Big Government called "a shocking report on Obama's deviant Safe Schools Czar Kevin Jennings." The Big Government post included an audio clip from a workshop during the 2000 GLSEN conference in which participants discussed sexual behavior. The Big Government item claimed that "this is not about supporting or not supporting gays or gay rights. This post is about the radical agenda of groups like GLSEN and activists like Kevin Jennings."
In fact, Jennings criticized the content of the workshop, and the workshop's organizers were fired or resigned
Boston Herald: GLSEN, Jennings "agreed" that seminar leaders "crossed a line." On May 18, 2000, the Boston Herald reported that GLSEN "agreed yesterday that three workshop leaders crossed a line with raunchy content directed at students as young as 14 years old." In the article, Jennings, who was the executive director of GLSEN at the time, was quoted saying, "We need to make our expectations and guidelines to outside facilitators much more clear because we are surprised and troubled by some of the accounts we've heard." From the Herald:
"Like the Parents Rights Coalition and the Department of Education, GLSEN is also troubled by some of the content that came up during this workshop," said Kevin Jennings, national executive director of the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network.
He said people who run workshops in the future will get clearer guidelines, though Jennings said the network's annual conference at Tufts University should not be judged on the 30-student seminar "What They Didn't Tell You About Queer Sex and Sexuality in Health Class."
"We need to make our expectations and guidelines to outside facilitators much more clear," said Jennings. "Because we are surprised and troubled by some of the accounts we've heard." [Boston Herald, 5/18/2000, accessed via Nexis]
doodlesnicker86 writes:
continued....
Boston Globe: Jennings expressed "concerns" about workshop discussion. In a May 18, 2000, Boston Globe article (accessed via Nexis), Jennings criticized the contents of the tape, saying that "from what I've heard, I have concerns as well," and that sexual educational programs "need to be delivered in an age appropriate and sensitive manner." He also claimed that his organization was being unfairly criticized by the Parents Rights Coalition, which had sneaked into the workshop and taped it. According to Jennings: "[T]he people who have the tape know what our mission is, they know that our work is about preventing harassment and they know that session was not the totality of what was offered at a conference with over 50 sessions. Our mission is being misrepresented."
The seminar's organizers were fired or resigned as a result. According to a May 20, 2000, Boston Herald article, of the three state Department of Education employees or contractors who led the seminar, one was fired, one resigned, and one had his contract canceled, as a result of the discussion. From the Boston Herald: "One presenter at the workshop was fired and a second resigned. In explaining his actions yesterday, [then-Massachusetts state education czar David P.] Driscoll said the sessions 'went too far' with explicit discussions about sexual techniques. Driscoll said he had canceled the contract of a third presenter at the March workshop, which included frank talk about how to use a condom and how to perform oral sex."
And this was from 2000? You guys really are desperate. And here, it wasn't even Jennings who was involved. Can you guys please do some research before you post BS like this? It's hard enough being a minority. It's even harder when people spread BS.
nobaloney writes:
There is much about this issue that simply wreaks of Political Correctness. Societies which attemp to enforce social behavior through the law end up as totaliterian societies. Political Correctness is cultural Marxism.
The totalitarian nature of Political Correctness is revealed nowhere more clearly than on college campuses, many of which at this point are small ivy covered North Koreas, where the student or faculty member who dares to cross any of the lines set up by the gender feminist or the homosexual-rights activists, or the local black or Hispanic group, or any of the other sainted 'victims' groups that PC revolves around, quickly find themselves in judicial trouble.
Chilibreath writes:
Nothing personal, Doodle, but it would appear that you are just about as hateful as the people you say you’re against. Time to take a deep breath and gather your thoughts before you come out looking like an angry shrew. Again, nothing personal because I'm on your side, but your delivery could use some cleaning up around the edges.
ms_reason writes:
Clearly, you think all public schools are alike. I SAID at the SCHOOL my kid's went to did NOT ALLOW IT. I have my facts straight thank you.
A one-track mind is not a good one. And you're a teacher. Sad.
nito writes:
if only larry had been a straight white boy
Green_Dream writes:
Ok so he stole the gun, why was there not a lock on it? I am not a spokesman for the nra nor am I against guns, but come on lock it up, safe or a trigger lock, if he had access to either combo or key than in my mind that's not theft, that's ignorance. And as for the comment on state law, I understand with that, but it also states that ones dress can not cause havoc in the school. Simply put, they should have asked him to tone it down, the saddest part is that two kids lifes ended, and you can blame many people for both, but its not bringing anyone back.
PhilSlaton writes:
Homophobics are by defination ''troubled.''
Chilibreath writes:
Good post, Green, you make more sense than many others on this board. Thanks for chiming in.
doodlesnicker86 writes:
I get that, but I have tried to get the truth out many times here but it's useless.
Besides, I think we all know that the STAR purposely keeps any article about Larry and Brandon open for comments to draw these types of comments and traffic. They are just as shameless.
doodlesnicker86 writes:
None of my comments give evidence to a "one-track mind" but you can't have it both ways. I am paid to teach my subject area, not to wax on philosophically about areas of public debate.
No one could accuse me of "teaching the homosexual leftist liberal Marxist agenda". I only teach my subject area and when I am "off-topic" it's about the need to be responsible, pay attention and complete ones assignments. PERIOD.
I'll leave the religious and moral teachings to parents and churches.
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