Hello everyone;
I was reading on this new Michigan Law, "Matt's Safe School Law". The law is named after Matt Epling, a teen who committed suicide after being bullied further than he could handle, to the distinct displeasure and embarrassment of the teen's father due to the impotence of the law. It was passed by the entire Republican party portion of the Senate, and voted against by the entire Democratic party portion. Ought to tell us something, huh.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/03/gretchen-whitmer-michigan-senator-bullying-bill_n_1073928.html
What I wanted to write about today was a boy I remember from school. He was one of the "popular" kids. Smart. Good looking. Athletic. He was part of the "in crowd", in a school predominantly white and of upwardly moving middle class parents. I was part of the lower middle class portion. I saw him everyday.
My school was dominated by the "in crowd". It was filled with alligator shirts, spiked hair, snooty attitudes, you name it. I was separate from that, sometimes its victim - and in a couple incidents I actually triumphed. Yet, no amount of physical aggression could overcome the snooty judgementalism of that in crowd.
Ok,...I'm dragging this along. You see, I remember this boy so well not because he was a bully, but because he was not. I have memories of the bullies to this day, but I'd be hard pressed to care one whit about them. But, this boy was kind. He was the anomaly of the 'in crowd' because he didn't judge others cruelly, didn't bully, didn't hate, didn't make people feel bad. He had a ready smile, a laugh, and a power to lead that was nearly magical. To this day I'd vote him for president.
I nearly cried to learn that he died at the age of 21. He fell asleep driving to college.
The sad thing about bullies is that even their friends don't really like them. It could be argued that they don't like themselves. Perhaps that is the real shame....that the bully lives on fear because that is such a great part of what he/she understands. Afraid others will see just how small and insignificant they feel. John was one who seemed so confident, so ready to smile and laugh, in contrast with some of the bullies I remember so well. They seemed to laugh only with a sneer, compared themselves to the "lesser beings about them", and felt the ability to deal out humiliation and misery a profound power. These boys peaked, in my eyes, in school. I left them behind me, remembering only their pathetic nature. John, on the other hand, I remember with a fondness and hope that even to this day I could be more like him. That is real power.
Thursday, November 3, 2011
The fox has new ideas on how to protect the hen house...
Hi everyone;
This came to my attention through Milkboys and Towelroad. Thought you would like to see it - and I'm really hoping you will spread the word. Repeatedly this arena is attacked by those purporting to "protect" it. Much like the fox proposing ideas on hen house security, the "protectors" seem intent on only protecting their position gained from the very things they now wish to stifle.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDX8Lyl16Qs&feature=player_embedded
-randy
This came to my attention through Milkboys and Towelroad. Thought you would like to see it - and I'm really hoping you will spread the word. Repeatedly this arena is attacked by those purporting to "protect" it. Much like the fox proposing ideas on hen house security, the "protectors" seem intent on only protecting their position gained from the very things they now wish to stifle.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDX8Lyl16Qs&feature=player_embedded
-randy
Monday, October 31, 2011
GSA's in America - who's really causing the problems?
Posted by Amanda Goad, LGBT Project at 1:35pm (10/06/11) LGBT Youth & Schools, Student Speech
http://www.aclu.org/blog/project/lgbt-rights
Tennessee Principal's Reaction to GSA T-Shirt Raises the Question: Who's Really Causing the Disruption Here?
Chris Sigler is a senior at Sequoyah High School in Madisonville, Tennessee. It's a tradition among Sequoyah students to get friends' signatures on a keepsake T-shirt, so in past years Chris has done that on a shirt labeled "California" and one with the name of his favorite band. This year, Chris decided to make a shirt that would send a message about an issue that's important to him: the proposed Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) at Sequoyah.
Chris is not gay himself, but he has friends who are. Most of them have suffered bullying at Sequoyah, and some of them have considered suicide. Chris himself regularly gets called things like "fag," "queer," and "pussy" by other students just for his support of his gay friends. So it's important to him that all students at the school have a safe place to go to talk about bullying and how to fight homophobia. The U.S. Department of Education agrees with Chris that GSAs, and other student-initiated clubs bringing together gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, questioning, and straight youth, are a great way to combat bullying and help all students feel safe and welcome at school. And the federal Equal Access Act protects students' right to form GSAs at public schools like Chris's.
The Sequoyah High School GSA should have been a done deal by now…if it weren't for the principal, Maurice Moser. When they circulated a petition to show support for the GSA and got over 150 signatures, students say Moser banned petitions about the GSA at the school. Then, when Chris and two other students put together an application for school recognition of the GSA, Moser wouldn't even take it from them because they hadn't named a faculty sponsor. At least three teachers have expressed interest in sponsoring the GSA but then changed their minds after meeting with Moser about it. We've read that Moser has admitted that in the past, when other clubs needed sponsors, he helped them out – but this time he refused to help.
Chris wrote "Gay Straight Alliance: We've Got Your Back" on a T-shirt and wore it to school last Tuesday and Friday. Dozens of classmates signed. But Friday morning, Moser told Chris that he could choose either to turn his shirt inside out, change shirts, or get suspended. Chris ignored that, because he knew his shirt was fine under the Sequoyah dress code. Later, Moser charged into Chris's economics class, interrupted the students in the middle of taking a test, and ordered everyone except Chris to leave. What happened next is a matter for the criminal justice system. But putting aside the assault and battery allegations against Moser, it's unconstitutional and totally inappropriate for a high school student to be punished for speaking his mind peacefully through the words on a T-shirt. The Supreme Court says that students can express whatever ideas they want through their clothing as long as they don't cause a "substantial disruption," and it sounds like the only person causing a substantial disruption at Sequoyah last week was Moser.
The ACLU of Tennessee and the ACLU's LGBT Project wrote a letter to the Monroe County Director of Schools, Moser's boss, on Tuesday. We asked the school district to confirm that it will, going forward, honor students' constitutional rights to free speech and free expression. If we have to, we are prepared to go to court to protect Sequoyah students' First Amendment rights. Meanwhile, the ACLU of Tennessee is asking concerned members of the public to contact the school district seeking a promise that any teacher who steps up to sponsor the GSA won't face retaliation. We look forward to hearing that a courageous teacher has done so, which under Moser's own rules should allow recognition of the GSA, so that Chris and his classmates can get together over lunch to talk about LGBT issues with the school's blessing.
http://www.aclu.org/blog/project/lgbt-rights
Tennessee Principal's Reaction to GSA T-Shirt Raises the Question: Who's Really Causing the Disruption Here?
Chris Sigler is a senior at Sequoyah High School in Madisonville, Tennessee. It's a tradition among Sequoyah students to get friends' signatures on a keepsake T-shirt, so in past years Chris has done that on a shirt labeled "California" and one with the name of his favorite band. This year, Chris decided to make a shirt that would send a message about an issue that's important to him: the proposed Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) at Sequoyah.
Chris is not gay himself, but he has friends who are. Most of them have suffered bullying at Sequoyah, and some of them have considered suicide. Chris himself regularly gets called things like "fag," "queer," and "pussy" by other students just for his support of his gay friends. So it's important to him that all students at the school have a safe place to go to talk about bullying and how to fight homophobia. The U.S. Department of Education agrees with Chris that GSAs, and other student-initiated clubs bringing together gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, questioning, and straight youth, are a great way to combat bullying and help all students feel safe and welcome at school. And the federal Equal Access Act protects students' right to form GSAs at public schools like Chris's.
The Sequoyah High School GSA should have been a done deal by now…if it weren't for the principal, Maurice Moser. When they circulated a petition to show support for the GSA and got over 150 signatures, students say Moser banned petitions about the GSA at the school. Then, when Chris and two other students put together an application for school recognition of the GSA, Moser wouldn't even take it from them because they hadn't named a faculty sponsor. At least three teachers have expressed interest in sponsoring the GSA but then changed their minds after meeting with Moser about it. We've read that Moser has admitted that in the past, when other clubs needed sponsors, he helped them out – but this time he refused to help.
Chris wrote "Gay Straight Alliance: We've Got Your Back" on a T-shirt and wore it to school last Tuesday and Friday. Dozens of classmates signed. But Friday morning, Moser told Chris that he could choose either to turn his shirt inside out, change shirts, or get suspended. Chris ignored that, because he knew his shirt was fine under the Sequoyah dress code. Later, Moser charged into Chris's economics class, interrupted the students in the middle of taking a test, and ordered everyone except Chris to leave. What happened next is a matter for the criminal justice system. But putting aside the assault and battery allegations against Moser, it's unconstitutional and totally inappropriate for a high school student to be punished for speaking his mind peacefully through the words on a T-shirt. The Supreme Court says that students can express whatever ideas they want through their clothing as long as they don't cause a "substantial disruption," and it sounds like the only person causing a substantial disruption at Sequoyah last week was Moser.
The ACLU of Tennessee and the ACLU's LGBT Project wrote a letter to the Monroe County Director of Schools, Moser's boss, on Tuesday. We asked the school district to confirm that it will, going forward, honor students' constitutional rights to free speech and free expression. If we have to, we are prepared to go to court to protect Sequoyah students' First Amendment rights. Meanwhile, the ACLU of Tennessee is asking concerned members of the public to contact the school district seeking a promise that any teacher who steps up to sponsor the GSA won't face retaliation. We look forward to hearing that a courageous teacher has done so, which under Moser's own rules should allow recognition of the GSA, so that Chris and his classmates can get together over lunch to talk about LGBT issues with the school's blessing.
Happy Halloween!
Ok, I've now missed on all three, but you get my point. Have a wonderful dentist day!
Sunday, October 30, 2011
A blog post/story I believe valuable
Hi Friends;
I have had some trouble sleeping tonight, though as I write this I'm feeling ready to try again. In my insomnia inspired snooping and exploring, I came across this wonderful blog and a story that really caught my heart.
The author is Davie Magill, and he is 16-17. I believe this story so well written and heart wrenching. I have written and deleted numerous paragraphs, finally deciding to simply let his story say it all.
http://youarenotaloneuk.blogspot.com/2011/04/johnny.html#comments
-randy
pps: I was unable to make comment to the blog. If any of you are able, please let the author know that I am so very sorrowful for his loss. It is truly a lesson for us all.
I have had some trouble sleeping tonight, though as I write this I'm feeling ready to try again. In my insomnia inspired snooping and exploring, I came across this wonderful blog and a story that really caught my heart.
The author is Davie Magill, and he is 16-17. I believe this story so well written and heart wrenching. I have written and deleted numerous paragraphs, finally deciding to simply let his story say it all.
http://youarenotaloneuk.blogspot.com/2011/04/johnny.html#comments
-randy
pps: I was unable to make comment to the blog. If any of you are able, please let the author know that I am so very sorrowful for his loss. It is truly a lesson for us all.
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