Posted on 01/25/2006 7:38:15 AM PST by SmithL
Five teachers at San Leandro High School have refused to comply with a school district order to display a rainbow-flag poster in their classrooms that reads, "This is a safe place to be who you are," because they say homosexuality violates their religious beliefs,
...The high school's Gay-Straight Alliance designed the poster, which includes pink triangles and other symbols of gay pride. In December the school board approved a policy requiring all district teachers to hang the posters in their classrooms.
District officials said the poster is an effort to comply with state laws requiring schools to ensure students' safety and curb discrimination and harassment. They say that too often teachers do not reprimand students who use derogatory slurs or refer to homosexuality in a negative way.
"This is not about religion, sex or a belief system,'' said district Superintendent Christine Lim, who initiated the poster policy. "This is about educators making sure our schools are safe for our children, regardless of their sexual orientation."
Teachers who refused to display the posters, which were distributed Monday, could not be reached for comment.
The San Leandro Unified School District has been embroiled in controversy over homosexuality in the past.
In 1997, a parents group at the high school demanded that a gay teacher be fired after she came out to her class. In 2002, high school English teacher Karl Debro settled a lawsuit with the district for $1 million after he was disciplined for giving a lecture on racism and homophobia. A judge declared unconstitutional a district policy banning "controversial issues" from the classroom without a principal's approval.
Art teacher Tom Laughlin, who is gay and who oversaw the poster's design by students in the Gay-Straight Alliance, said he was surprised by the level of intolerance for homosexuality that he perceived
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
Homosexuals should be "safe" in a classroom and free from ridicule. But I wonder if these flags are about more than that. I have to think they are a celebration of the lifestyle.
FudgePacker High ping
"This is not about religion, sex or a belief system,'' said district Superintendent Christine Lim, who initiated the poster policy. "This is about educators making sure our schools are safe for our children, regardless of their sexual orientation." That doesn't make any sense at all. Obviously it has everything to do with religion, sex and one's belief system.
Since when the public schools teachers are obliged to celebrate homosexuality? How long will it take before practicing homosexuality will become mandatory?
Yes - keep shoving it in the faces of those who find homosexuality disgusting, immoral and sinful, that'll make them safer...
This is going the direction of racial issues, instead of just letting people be who they are, someone has to find a "victim" and push for special rights. Most folks could give a hoot if someone is homosexual; it's the offensive attacks, on John Q. Public and society in general, by the activists that cause 99% of the problems.
Hmm, they could simply consider putting up a sign saying
"Do What Thou Wilt Shall Be the Whole of the Law"?
so, i wonder where the posters are that state is safe and ok to be Christian at that school??
i was also wondering if their current superintendant, Lin, is gay, since all this started after she was hired.
No, they should not be singled out for special privelges. Their lifestyle is an affront to moral people, and they take every opportunity to shove it in our faces. I would rather see another sign placed there...
I would also make clear that "adultery" is explained, and that homosexual sin is recognized for what it is...
"But I wonder if these flags are about more than that. I have to think they are a celebration of the lifestyle."
No they are a declaration of autority and a form of censorship of dissent; a western version of Mao's cultural revolution.
Gay Friendly = Good Brain
Anti Gay or Gay Agnostic = Bad Brain
Political Correctness = Eliminate all Bad Brains
If you aren't Pro Gay, off to a reeducation camp you go.
Or fat. Or a dork. Or ugly.
Back in my high school days, I can't think of anyone who got any major grief for being gay (and the only ones I can think of who might have been gay were a few athletic girls).
But far more kids got flack for being fat or dorks or unattractive. Why the special protection for being gay?
Our America the Beautiful being raped by El Diablo & his powers, principalities & rulers of Darkness in this present age.
Yes, it is. Yours.
Try applying that to the guy in Cupertino county, CA, who had to run his lesson plans through the principal because he was emphasizing the parts of the Declaration of Independance that contained God. Where was his academic freedom protected? Why can't that just be called a controversial issue now-especially now!
The hypocrisy makes me sick.
I'd get booted from FR if I wrote what I really think about these PROMOTERS of the gay lifestyle. Too many activists Homos & Pedophiles are the decision makers in public education today.
> Homosexuals should be "safe" in a classroom and free from ridicule.
All kids should. And their parents should teach them to keep their sexuality to themselves.
> But I wonder if these flags are about more than that. I have to think they are a celebration of the lifestyle.
It's a part of the homosexual political agenda. By forcing teachers to hang their posters, the homos are singling themselves out as more than equal and deserving of special treatment. The 5 teachers should take it to court on that basis.
Scary. The left has a strong totalitarian impulse in my opinion, so you may be right.
I don't have a big problem with the posters, to be honest, but this line really betrays the shallowness of the liberal/leftist mindset.
It seems the Superintendent thinks that putting a poster u makes 'sure our schools are safe for our children.' How does a piece of shiny paper on a wall make anybody safe in this context? Specifically how does it assure physical safety? It just doesn't make any sense.
I propose a little mental experiment. What if the Aryan Brotherhood prevailed upon the school to display posters decorated with swastikas as the sign of a "safe zone" so its members could be "free to be who they are"?
What would be the reaction of the liberal homosexual community? What would they say about teachers who refused to display the symbols of invidious political agendas in their classrooms? What would they say about their tax dollars being used to support such transparently obvious propoganda?
The Brave New World disgusts me.
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