Dan Delong, an English teacher at Southwestern High School in Piasa, Illinois has been suspended for allegedly allowing students in his English classes to read an article about homosexuality in the animal kingdom. The article that Delong allegedly had his class read was published in a 2006 edition of “The Gay Animal Kingdom” and is available at http://seedmagazine.com/content/article/the_gay_animal_kingdom.
The article by Lehrer explores the work of people like Joan Roughgarden, a biology professor at Stanford University who challenges Darwinian sexual selection by documenting more than 450 animal species that engage in homosexual behaviors. An estimated 450 species exhibit such proclivities, here. She explained:
“When I was at that gay pride parade. I was just stunned by the sheer magnitude of the LGBT [Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender] population. Because I’m a biologist, I started asking myself some difficult questions. My discipline teaches that homosexuality is some sort of anomaly. But if the purpose of sexual contact is just reproduction, as Darwin believed, then why do all these gay people exist? A lot of biologists assume that they are somehow defective, that some developmental error or environmental influence has misdirected their sexual orientation. If so, gay and lesbian people are a mistake that should have been corrected a long time ago. But this hasn’t happened. That’s when I had my epiphany. When scientific theory says something’s wrong with so many people, perhaps the theory is wrong, not the people.”
Students have rallied around Delong, here.
These were high school students, who are supposed to be exposed to different views and theories. Do you consider the material still “inappropriate” for high school students?
For the full story, click here.
Tom,
Actually, it reads like the problem isn’t with “Darwinian” selection, but with the specific application that the author is talking about. To be honest the quoted paragraph sounds a bit like a straw man, but could just be a simplification made for a general audience.
I’ll take a look at the objectionable article later tonight, but my hunch is that it will probably say something like, “we don’t know why this behavior developed, but it’s wide spread enough that it’s probably either gives an advantage of some sort or a side effect of something that gives an advantage.” Or it’s a summary of all the research going on in the field right now.
Oh man, I can see some potential exploding heads on this one: On the one hand, the article points out that homosexuality isn’t “non-normative” – which could weaken the culture of repression of homosexuals (humans, specifically) – on the other hand, the article may “question … Darwinian selection”, which could be interpreted as challenging what some locals probably call “evolutionism.” What to do?
(Well, one thing folks involved in this aren’t going to actually do: read the article…)
Quoting from the article in the Advocate: “A parent of one unidentified student thought the optional reading assignment was inappropriate for her child, according to United Press International.”
The article was an “optional” reading assignment. Some of close-minded adults/funadamentalists are like educational vultures swooping in to pick the bones of any teacher or school system that attempts to open students’ minds to subjects they would rather their children didn’t learn about.
These folks are ever vigilant–always looking for some issue to get riled up over. They’re trying to control not only what their children are learning–but what all kids are learning in school.
Of course the teacher was wrong, not only was he exposing his students to the WRITTEN word, dangerous enough on it’s own, but he was exposing them to an Acronym.
Has the man no shame?
rafflaw 1, October 31, 2009 at 9:27 am
The first mistake this school district made was to allow these students to learn how to read. They can get in so much trouble reading all of these dangerous materials called books. I can’t imagine how students in a high school English class can actually allow students to read!
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Imagine how difficult that feat really was. It is generally those that are afraid that prevent those the ability to do better. In this case students are being taught only what has been approved by those that can’t (the Board) by those they entrust (Teachers) to teach those that are modifiable (the students). It is a food chain that feeds entirely upon itself.
@Tio Wally,
Damn! Double Damn. You are so PTL correct. Mea Culpa, Mea Culpa, Mea Culpa. Hail Mary full of gra…….
@Anonymously Yours
The true meaning of the acronym PTL can be traced to Jim and Tammy Bakker’s PTL Club and, more specifically, the good Rev. Bakker’s carnal relations with Jessica Hahn. Hahn was subsequently paid for her silence regarding the episode. We all know how well that worked out. With this in mind, it’s fair to deduce that the correct meaning of the acronym PTL is “Pay the lady.”
The first mistake this school district made was to allow these students to learn how to read. They can get in so much trouble reading all of these dangerous materials called books. I can’t imagine how students in a high school English class can actually allow students to read!
Damn and to think that man does not act as good as some animals. We have evolved, yes, Praise Jesus. PTL or is that more appropriately Pay The Leader?