Gay Students Can Be Themselves At Specialty School

When Kailee Hernandez told her friends at Central High School last year that she's gay, things changed between them.

[Fa-Foxy]

How about "Specialty Schools" for black people, Jewish people, short people, blond-haired people, baseball fans, kids whose parents once owned a Rambler, kids who once unfortunately had to live in New Jersey, kids who have an uncle named Harry, etc.....?

[snyper]

It seems that Arizona's a good place for you, "FaFoxy".

[Fa-Foxy]

snyper wrote:

It seems that Arizona's a good place for you, "FaFoxy".

80 degrees here yestrday.

:)

[KirkW]

Separate but equal has never been equal.

I understand kids wanting to get out from the bullying and the desire to feel comfortable but the solution is not to segregate but to educate.

[Fa-Foxy]

KirkW wrote:

Separate but equal has never been equal.
I understand kids wanting to get out from the bullying and the desire to feel comfortable but the solution is not to segregate but to educate.

I agree. And ALL schools should have effective anti-bullying policies that are strictly enforced.

[snyper]

KirkW wrote:

Separate but equal has never been equal.
I understand kids wanting to get out from the bullying and the desire to feel comfortable but the solution is not to segregate but to educate.

That's fine for a larger strategy, but I'm not willing to sacrifice kids now for goals later. In Arizona, this is the best that can be managed until they are old enough to get the hell out of there.

[Fa-Foxy]

ly

snyper wrote:

<quoted text>
That's fine for a larger strategy, but I'm not willing to sacrifice kids now for goals later. In Arizona, this is the best that can be managed until they are old enough to get the hell out of there.

I just moved to Pinal County last month, and the County Sheriff here (which in Arizona seems to be a REALLY important post (unlike New York where I'm from)), is openly gay and he was just decisivly reelected. In fact, he's probably one of the best-known sheriffs in the U.S.

[KirkW]

snyper wrote:

<quoted text>
That's fine for a larger strategy, but I'm not willing to sacrifice kids now for goals later. In Arizona, this is the best that can be managed until they are old enough to get the hell out of there.

If you want people to accept us you don't achieve that by separating us from them.

When I grew up I made smart choices about who I told and when I told them. I'd love it if we could all just be open but sometimes you have to make a choice to stay silent until you can be safe and ultimately (as we get older) we are responsible for our own safety.

Schools and school officials can't or won't do that all the time and some parents choose to do more harm would kick their kids out (how any parent can do that though is beyond me - but that's for a different thread).

Separating yourself is sometimes the best choice but I don't think that should be the first choice.

[Lililth_Satans_B ore]

snyper wrote:

<quoted text>
That's fine for a larger strategy, but I'm not willing to sacrifice kids now for goals later. In Arizona, this is the best that can be managed until they are old enough to get the hell out of there.

completely agree... high school is about education and finding who you are... how many gay kids have to keep who they are hidden just to avoid physical harm... good for the kids of this school

[col712]

Fa-Foxy wrote:

How about "Specialty Schools" for black people, Jewish people, short people, blond-haired people, baseball fans, kids whose parents once owned a Rambler, kids who once unfortunately had to live in New Jersey, kids who have an uncle named Harry, etc.....?

They do have them! Get in the real world Fa-Foxy! To bad you are so out of touch, you do not realize the different public schooling options available to all. This is a school that is free from harrasser like you!

[col712]

KirkW wrote:

Separate but equal has never been equal.
I understand kids wanting to get out from the bullying and the desire to feel comfortable but the solution is not to segregate but to educate.

The first thing to do is have a comfortable place to learn. Students should not be the lab rats to see if things work.

[Fa-Foxy]

col712 wrote:

<quoted text>
They do have them! Get in the real world Fa-Foxy! To bad you are so out of touch, you do not realize the different public schooling options available to all. This is a school that is free from harrasser like you!

Now I'm a "harrasser" ?? How is that ?

[snyper]

Fa-Foxy wrote:

ly <quoted text>
I just moved to Pinal County last month, and the County Sheriff here (which in Arizona seems to be a REALLY important post (unlike New York where I'm from)), is openly gay and he was just decisivly reelected. In fact, he's probably one of the best-known sheriffs in the U.S.

Fine, so when will you and he spearhead the repeal of their State ban on Marriage Equality?

[Fa-Foxy]

snyper wrote:

<quoted text>
Fine, so when will you and he spearhead the repeal of their State ban on Marriage Equality?

I think the ban is terrible, and should be repealed. You all know I am, and always have been, in favor of 100% EQUALITY IN ALL THINGS, INCLUDING MARRIAGE, FOR EVERYONE WHO IDENTIFIES AS LGBT (I'm G).

[snyper]

Fa-Foxy wrote:

<quoted text>
I think the ban is terrible, and should be repealed. You all know I am, and always have been, in favor of 100% EQUALITY IN ALL THINGS, INCLUDING MARRIAGE, FOR EVERYONE WHO IDENTIFIES AS LGBT (I'm G).

How passively "supportive" of you.

At least borrow a pair.

[snyper]

Uve- wrote:

I think it's a great idea - keep the queer freaks away form normal decent kids!
-Uve

You've just violated the TOPIX ToS.

[KirkW]

col712 wrote:

<quoted text>
The first thing to do is have a comfortable place to learn. Students should not be the lab rats to see if things work.

+

I understand what you are saying but that's just not reality. First, students have always been lab rats lest we forgot "no child left behind" which left behind lots of children. And second, school has never been a comfortable place for most students. Almost everyone gets picked on by one group or another.

And before you jump all over me, I'm not saying it's right or it should happen - but we all know it does. Unless you were one of those picking on others, chances are you got picked on in school and you know you weren't alone.

THAT'S what needs to stop.

Frankly most kids are mean little assholes - and one wonders where they learned that from.

In extreme cases I get separation but not in your normal run of the mill environment.

I was a gay student once and I think this is a bad precedent. I accept that others feel differently.

[Quest]

KirkW wrote:

<quoted text>
If you want people to accept us you don't achieve that by separating us from them.
When I grew up I made smart choices about who I told and when I told them. I'd love it if we could all just be open but sometimes you have to make a choice to stay silent until you can be safe and ultimately (as we get older) we are responsible for our own safety.
Schools and school officials can't or won't do that all the time and some parents choose to do more harm would kick their kids out (how any parent can do that though is beyond me - but that's for a different thread).
Separating yourself is sometimes the best choice but I don't think that should be the first choice.

With my first read of this article, I was appalled that the gay kids were being segregated for ANY reason, but, after some though, I tend to agree with Snyper.
It all depends on the school you are in, and the culture there.
If the alternative for some of these kids is either dropping our completely, or home schooling, then this alternative would be the lesser of two evils, at least for THEM.
The kids who remain in those hostile schools and society in general my not benefit, but those kids should never be sacrificed. They need te opportunity to learn in a safe environment. Every kids does.