Chicago school officials are recommending the creation of a “gay-friendly” high school to accommodate rising numbers of gay and lesbian students and reduce harassment in the school system. I have long been opposed to the increasing specialization and balkanization of the public school system. While I support this worthy purpose, I believe that it has a negative impact on the goals of a public system as a whole. It is hard to oppose such schools like School for Social Justice Pride Campus, but I believe that the solution is to expel abusive and homophobic students — not remove the victims.
While I have been long supporter of gay rights, I opposed the creation of the Harvey Milk High school in New York, click here and here.
The School for Social Justice Pride Campus, will not be exclusive to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students, but it aimed at that target population. For the full story, click here.
Thanks, Mespo. Todd, I never said you or anyone else had to condone homosexuality. If you must know, I, too, believe in the sacred union of a man and a woman for the sake of procreation. Having said that, however, I don’t think that people who feel differently deserve to be treated cruelly. Whatever the reason homosexuality is what it is and that is an undeniable fact. Jason, you are arrogant and DO lack education, awareness and knowledge on this (an probably many) issue. Bobby, you make religious people look bad. The fact of the matter is that whether or not you believe homosexuality is right or wrong, whether you are religious or an atheist, it doesn’t take a genius to know that mistreating others is wrong. This is not about the new school as much as it is about protecting others. There are kids out there who are scared and in some cases suicidal because they are persecuted for who they are. Isn’t freedom from persecution what created this country? Don’t all people have a right to kindness and love from fellow humans, be it man or woman?
Bobby:
“rcampbell…..I do my research…it’s called a Bible. Yes I’m a Christian and I do not condone homosexuality. It is a sin.”
Imagine if St. Augustine were as adamant as you.
“Jason is 100% correct when he says
” Homosexuality should not be condoned. I dont care if you do it in private, it is still wrong. Or do you feel than man on man love is beautiful??? If so, what does it produce? The answer is nothing.”
So, St. Augustine ignored Plato’s ‘Symposium;’ much less every work by Plato & Aristotle?
Foghorn Leghorn: “I say, I say son, do ya, do ya see just how ignorant ya sound?”
Todd:
“…why can’t any tolerate the fact that I do not condone homosexuality? What’s wrong with that?”
*************
I must say asking us to tolerate the intolerant is certainly a new tact on this blog. Pray tell should we also believe the unbelievable, know the unknowable, and swallow the “unswallowable”?
Sarah, why can’t any tolerate the fact that I do not condone homosexuality? What’s wrong with that?
The world is ful of people with different thoughts, opinions, beliefs, etc. We’ll never all be on the same page.
Go hug a tree
rcampbell…..I do my research…it’s called a Bible. Yes I’m a Christian and I do not condone homosexuality. It is a sin.
Jason is 100% correct when he says
” Homosexuality should not be condoned. I dont care if you do it in private, it is still wrong. Or do you feel than man on man love is beautiful??? If so, what does it produce? The answer is nothing.”
There is a reason it takes a man and a woman to create a child.
I’m not saying God hates gay people. We’re all sinners and we all do bad things and yet God loves us all.
Jason:
>“Trust me…..
I, for one, do not.
That’s a pretty weak opening gambit in a forum inhabited by some pretty bright folks. It doesn’t bode very well for your competing with Constitutional scholars, university professors and a plethora of attornies. But, hey
>I am acutely aware how homosexuality is destroying this world.”
Well, you’ve informed us you’re smarter than 99.9% of us and we STILL don’t trust or believe you, you’ll have to do a better job of convincing us. You can start now.
Bobby
1, October 13, 2008 at 2:09 pm
Being gay IS a disorder….it’s all in their minds
You’re probably not a bad person, but you’re flat wrong on this one. Do some independent research instead of swallowing whole the garbage your church or Fox News spews out.
Mespo,
Amen brother. I guess Ryan should consider transferring out of Pat Robertson’s university. He just might learn something.
Jason:
“Trust me, I have more knowledge and education than 99.99 % of the population and I am acutely aware how homosexuality is destroying this world.”
*********************
Could I get a list of those schools or your CV? I have a kid applying for colleges, and I think your list would be helpful for me in steering through the sludge offered by some institutions. I wish your parental unit had done the same for you!
BTW, here is the definition of ignorance:
“lack of knowledge, education, or awareness”
Trust me, I have more knowledge and education than 99.99 % of the population and I am acutely aware how homosexuality is destroying this world. The Arabic countries got the stand on homosexuality very right….
I see my posts have created a little bit of anger on one side of the forum. Thankfully, I am thrilled to see I am not the only one with my point fo view.
Homosexuality should not be condoned. I dont care if you do it in private, it is still wrong. Or do you feel than man on man love is beautiful??? If so, what does it produce? The answer is nothing.
Perhaps gays need to learn to deal with the opposite sex and not run away from them. It is not that hard to do, it just takes effort.
Being gay is not fashionable. It should not be treated as such. It is wrong and should not be taught as being acceptable.
These comments come from an atheist, so dont tell me the church is clouding my judgement.
Todd,
That’s the same argument as saying a woman “asks to be raped”. No one deserves abuse. Clearly the comments made on this site show ignorance to mental health issues, sexual orientation, the definition of moral behavior, and decency towards other human beings. Whatever happened to tolerance, kindness, peace and goodwill?!
Kirbir…it’s no one’s fault but your sister’s.
She needs to take responsiblity for herself and her own actions. And to quit blaming everyone else because of a poor decision that she made
Being gay IS a disorder….it’s all in their minds
I’m getting quite tired of all these gay people whining about their rights…..What about my right to say I think their lifestyle is sick and wrong?
Why can’t they create a school for only straight, white, attractive people? I don’t want my kids going to school with ugly fat people, it’s not fair to them.
Please note my sarcasm
Ryan,
Being gay is not a disorder. You need to read some facts from the experts who flatly disagree with your statement. Don’t let the facts get in your way.
While I agree that this isn’t the permanent answer, I think it is a good solution for right now.
My sister was bi-sexual for a time and got beat up every single day at school in her study class of over 300 students. No one would help her – the teacher, the administration, even the principal – despite the bruising and her friends’ stories which corroborated her own. I’m sure it didn’t help that she was also getting verbal abuse at home for her sexual orientation. It got so bad that she attempted suicide. She has switched schools twice now because of similar bullying and inaction by school administrators, finally settling on an online school.
We need to teach more acceptance, and it HAS to start at home. If we can’t love our children for who they are, then what right do we have to even have children? Until the time that these kids can be more accepted, I think it’s necessary to protect them and their right to an education.
Ryan and Jason, that kind of talk doesn’t help anyone. It’s not fair to simply assume that homosexuality can be treated, nor is it fair to project your values on the whole world. People like YOU are the reason that my sister almost killed herself, that these kids need a safer place to learn.
I’m gay, and I went to a very small high school in Texas, so you can imagine what kind of a hell I went through coming out and the having an entire community against me. I believe that this school is a good idea but not fully thought through. Putting these kids in a bubble where they feel safe and secure is only causeing them more harm for when they have to leave the school. Their social level and mental capacity to deal with real world situations will not be as strong because they had problems and then someone came along to protect them, that doesn’t happen in the real world for every situation. As much as discrimation has lessended in my perspective say in the work place etc. it still exists, and it will be a major culture shock for them because of the social safety this school seems to offer. Now the details about what type of counseling these kids will get while there is not full described, but I hope if this goes through, that they will be well informed that just because your teachers and peers etc. in a school accept you there will be millions who hate you, as sad as it sounds, its true. They need to learn to rise above the their hard times, and I believe they will be stronger socially, and mentally for the future and being the youth of today and the voices of tomorrow for civil rights and the GLBT community.
I think the money would be better spent in finding a way to treat homosexuality. I know that is very un-PC but it is a disorder. Does that mean I think they should be bullied or killed of course not. Do we hurt people with other disorders no. But there should be research into what causes people to be gay, be it hormonal or social. That way it can be cured or treated if a gay person wish to be no longer gay. Aren’t we for choice in this society? I mean we allow people to have sex changes? The only thing I have againts people being gay is that it is could prevent the perpetuation of the human species. It should be looked into.
This is the very ignorance that fosters the behavior of persecuting these teens. The fact that there are people blogging here about morals in one sentence and passing judgement on homosexuals in the next sentence is scary. What about the moral behavior of caring for one another despite differences?! Even if you feel homosexuality is wrong, these kids need to learn to tolerate and respect one another!