Student Told To Support Gay Rights Or Get An 'F'

NewsNet5 ^ | 5/8/2

[NativeNewYorker]

KIRTLAND, Ohio -- What if a class assignment forced you to choose between getting a passing grade or following your moral values?

A class at Lakeland Community College was told to wear a pink triangle for the day to symbolize gay pride.

NewsChannel5's Kareen Wynter reported that one student decided to fight it, but it almost cost him the school year.

Many students dream of graduating school with high honors, but this student said that he has little to look forward to in his final weeks.

"It's a moral issue I have," he said. "I pay tuition to come to this school. I shouldn't have to defend my moral issues."

A class project in criminal justice turned sour for the college senior, who we'll call Ian.

The assignment was to wear a pink triangle around school for the day as a symbol of gay rights and then write about the experience. Ian confronted his teacher.

"I asked 'What if a student were to feel uncomfortable with this -- would there be an alternate assignment?'" he said. "She said no."

He, in turn, got an F and faced expulsion.

So why wasn't the student offered a backup assignment? Lakeland administrators said that it is part of classroom policy.

"I think if the situation were easy, it wouldn't have been part of the curriculum," said Barbara Grano of Lakeland.

Still, faculty members said that they didn't break the rules.

"Absolutely, this student had an option," she said.

When NewsChannel5 spoke with Ian later in the day, his teacher had given him an apology note that read, in part, that the requirement was waived.

Ian said that he doesn't think things would have been resolved had NewsChannel5 not gotten involved.

"I appreciate everything you've done," he said.

His mother was happy, too.

"I was thrilled," she said. "Here's a young man who stood up for himself, and it worked."

Professors at Lakeland said that there's a list of things you can and can't challenge in the school's handbook.

[DoughtyOne]

Hey Lakeland Community College, F you.

[JimVT]

Oh, I see....if anal intercourse is recommended in the "school handbook", no one has a right to refuse to particpate.

Some heads need to roll at this joint!

[Pearls Before Swine]

Still, faculty members said that they didn't break the rules.

"Absolutely, this student had an option," she said.

Let's see if I understand this. The "option" he absolutely had was to refuse to wear the pink triangle and take his F. I suppose this wasn't something he could challenge in the handbook, either. It required either the humiliation of the broadcast spotlight or a trip to the courts.

[smiley]

OOOOOOOOOkkkkkkkkkk, time for some protests and demonstrations for morality! I can envision placards making statements about morality, faith and education. Time to react.

[Slainte]

Community college. Your tax dollars at work.

[jwalsh07]

Good for him, now if we could only require the teacher to wear a tatooed penis on her head, all would be right with the world.

[thinktwice]

"I think if the situation were easy, it wouldn't have been part of the curriculum,"

If the curriculum at Lakeland was academic (aka -- Tough!) there wouldn't be a pink triangle issue.

[biblewonk]

Some heads need to roll at this joint!

Major weed pun.

[elbucko]

"Let's see if I understand this. The "option" he absolutely had was to...."

No, not exactly. Remember this type of option is mandatory in the world of the Left.

T.S. White had the contrariness of socialism in the quote: "All things not permitted are forbidden".

It's obvious that part of this "option" was "not permitted".(sarcasm/off)

[cmak9]

"Apparently, the student was told to wear a triangle for a day, then report on his experiences"

So, in this "vacuum world" that you live in, symbols have no meaning? I suppose written words (being merely symbols after all)have no meaning either? In that case, you shouldn't be offended when I call your remarks silly.

[JoeSixPack1]

What is more disgusting then the school trying to force gay pride on this kid is the fact that the rest of the students took the assignment in lockstep to get the grade irregardless of their personal morality.

Forcing the students to accept a question on morality by virtue of a passing or failing grade should be grounds for dismissal of the teacher and faculty involved.

[GOP_Lady]

I received my Associates Degree from this community college. Oh, man, how things have changed.

[blue jeans]

The thought police at it again...

tolerating only those who agree with their point of view.
What a joke... er rather... what a sad state of affairs.

[NativeNewYorker]

The triangle is widely seen as a symbol of support for gay rights. It would be analagous to asking a devout Catholic to wear a pro-choice button.

[RAT Patrol]

Wearing the triangle is supporting gay rights. No, his heart didn't have to be in it, but everyone who saw him that day would think he supported gay rights. That was the whole point of the exercise, was it not? He shouldn't have to support it even for a day.

[RikaStrom]

Wonderful school you've got there in Ohio.

I need to find the email for this place and drop them a note.

[Khepera]

[elephantlips]

The very wearing of the triangle is repugnant to those who find homosexuality repugnant. Why should he, who pays for his right to be there, be required to do something with which he does not agree and is hardly a standard in colleges? The object of the "study" is irrelevant. As another on the posting said, if it called for anal intercourse should he be required to do that as part of the "study?"