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Education
Gay Pride High School Clears Hurdle
A new high school geared for gay students in Chicago has cleared an important hurdle. It’s one of 18 new schools proposed by the district Wednesday.
Experts say gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender teens are more likely to abuse drugs, drop out of school and commit suicide.
Chicago schools chief Arne Duncan on Wednesday announced he’s backing a plan to provide them a safer environment in a new school.
DUNCAN: We’re looking to create great new options in neighborhoods around the city. The more we empower students and parents to pick the school that best suits them, the better they’re going to do.
But Laurie Higgins of the Illinois Family Institute says the proposed school would misuse public funds.
HIGGINS: It assumes a certain perspective on the nature and morality of homosexuality that taxpayers should not be asked to subsidize.
The proposal has also drawn fire from some gay rights advocates who say the school could isolate the students.
The plan goes before the Board of Education for a vote October 22.
I’m Chip Mitchell, Chicago Public Radio.
http://www.wbez.org/Content.aspx?audioID=29418
There's no evidence whatsoever that assembling all the homosexuals in one spot reduces their suicide incidence.