Gay Student Teacher Removed From Classroom
Recently, the Beaverton School District here in Beaverton OR., removed a gay student teacher from a 4th grade classroom. The only information that we have is that when asked by a student if he were married, he replied "no." The studnet asked why and he said that he couldn't get married because he would marry a man and it is against the law.
My employer says that this is not an age appropriate comment. I would have to disagree. People talk about their spouses/partners all the time. If he had said that he didn't have a girlfriend, I don't think there would have been an issue.
Here are links to two editorials about the problem. If you are upset by this situation, I urge you to make your voices heard.
http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2010/10/gay_in_america_living_with_the.html
http://www.beavertonvalleytimes.com/opinion/story.php?story_id=128641523275921800
I skimmed the first and read the second article. The second is more to the point about the shortcomings of the district's policy and its enforcement.
ReplyDeleteIt's not that it's not an "age-appropriate comment", I think he means it's not a community-appropriate comment. They want to maintain a bubble where there aren't different flavors of love.
You'd think in this century that wouldn't be grounds for dismissal?? Ridiculous!
ReplyDeleteI went to school with and grew up with a best friend who was gay, we knew before she did. I had gay teachers and my teenaged kids have had the same - grown with friends(each one) who were gay and a teacher as well. Are we forgetting we're all people? The school here knew about their orientation - both students and the teacher - and judged them as people and their worth by their contributions -- not their colour, not their religion, and not by their sexual preference. I'd hoped that as a society in whole, we were past that. Apparently not.