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Loading ...Chicago mulls gay high school
09.11.2008 4:30pm EDT
(Chicago, Illinois) Chicago school officials are considering a plan to create a separate high school for LGBT students, but the proposal is not without its detractors – both outside and within the gay community.
Some LGBT advocates hail the idea, but others warn the school would isolate gay students. Conservatives call the proposal a waste of taxpayer money.A 2005 study commissioned by the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network found that gay-bashing remains a major problem in the nation’s schools.
Three-quarters of students surveyed across America said that over the past year they heard derogatory remarks such as “faggot” or “dyke” frequently or often at school, and nearly nine out of 10 reported hearing “that’s so gay” or “you’re so gay” – meaning stupid or worthless – frequently or often.
Over a third of students said they experienced physical harassment at school on the basis of sexual orientation and more than a quarter on the basis of their gender expression.
Nearly one-in-five students reported they had been physically assaulted because of their sexual orientation and over a tenth because of their gender expression.
The study also showed that bullying has a negative impact on learning.
LGBT students were five times more likely to report having skipped school in the last month because of safety concerns than did the general population of students.
Nevertheless, some LGBT community leaders say a separate school for gay students could give them a false sense of security and make them unprepared for life outside schoolhouse walls.
“If we’re going to set up a separate school, let’s put the bullies in the school and not our gays kids,” Rick Garcia, public policy director of Equality Illinois told the Chicago Tribune. “Kids should be able to go to school in a safe environment wherever they are.”
Conservatives call the proposal for the school a misuse of public funds and charge it would require administrators to take a moral stance on homosexuality.
The plan must still undergo a series of public hearings – the first is set for Sept. 18. It then would require approval by a Chicago Public Schools evaluation team with the final decision up to the head of the school system, Arne Duncan.
The earliest it could be up and running would be 2012.
The first all-gay high school in the U.S. opened in New York City in 2003, and is named for slain San Francisco supervisor Harvey Milk.
Gay students need to be acknowledged more in regular schools as normal, not removed and put in a “special” or “safe” school. That just further enforces the idea that gays are “not like regular folk” in the minds of those who would fear/hate us.
It’s very nice that the city is taking seriously the dangerous situation gay students face, but that tax money can be better spent on teaching teachers and students that diversity is normal and natural.
Well written jibii.
Integration now, segregation never!
Here we are fighting to be accepted and acknowledged and they are creating schools to separate us. How is this supposed to help?
jibbii is right, spend the money teaching the teachers that tolerance and acceptance is the key to a successful and healthy life.
I agree that the ideal situation would be considered as normal in a regular school. But, our society has not evolved to that point yet.
I would have loved to have had the option of a “gay” school when I was attending high school in the 70’s. I think it would have made it easier to accept my sexuality if I had people around me with the same orientation to socialize with and date.
A GSA in a regular school is helpful, but there is still a lot of fear and intimidation for those who are still exploring and questioning their sexuality. It’s much easier to stay closeted and confused.
This has to be one of the worst ideas ever. Gays are not zionist’s we should not shy away from public schools. The majority of gays went to public schools and although yes some people do get picked on, thats just part of life.
Whats next a school just for the jocks or geeks, perhaps the fat kids need their own school as well. Where would you draw the line with this nonsence?
bUT HOW COULD GAYBOYS GET A CRUSH ON IF THE ONLY GUYS THAT TURN YOU ON ARE IN A STR8 HS?
I agree with BIG DADDY. That is clearly a very important issue, and it must be addressed.
The money spent in either case would still be spent no matter where the students go to school. But this “separate but equal” stance is not acceptable.
I think this stupid idea that teacher and administrators would have to “take a moral stance” is a bunch of $#!+. They all need to be forced to take sensitivity training and understand that the whole world is full of people of different than they are. If they don’t want to teach people of color, disabled, different orientation, or some other minority category, then let them get jobs elsewhere within their own denominations or outside the education system. Everyone deserves a GREAT (not just good or adequate!) education. And moreover, it MUST be free from fear, confrontation, hate or confrontation from all the students, teachers, administrators and school employees.
Come on bigots, get with the program or get out of the system! Perhaps the bigots need to be harassed and see what it is like to be pushed around.
Umm… remember when black people had their own schools? how those schools were all crappy, with the worst text books, the second-rate buildings, lack of transportation and that sort of thing? Jibii is correct, the bullies should go somewhere else and not us… but on the other hand, that kind of bullying is difficult to detect. No, there should just be more options for high schools in general *not just gay/straight schools, not just libral/conservative, not just peaceful/bully school* just more options so that the families can choose which school gives the best environment and which gives the best feel
I can say, after working as a consultant in 120 NYC schools for the entire year last year and having the Harvey Milk school as one of those schools I worked with directly, that they are doing a tremendous job with the kids there. The one thing that the kids have is freedom of being creative (as all of us gay people are
without fear of humiliation. it is a totally safe haven for gay kids without fear of being picked on, beaten up, or worse. Most of the faculty are also gay including the principal, and they teach kids to respect themselves as well as not be afraid of who they are. As for their actual program, their core curriculum is solid and the kids do well. They follow the same curriculum and take the same tests as all other NYC schools. However in the stereotypical “gay” classes, their drama program is superb, their English literature classes are amazing, and their art and music departments are wonderful. And I believe it is because the kids can be as free as they want to be, campy, over the top, vocal, etc and not have to worry about trying to hide their gayness or shut themselves in because they feel like a target every time they open their mouths. I can remember in my own high school I was a wallflower – never participated in anything at all because as soon as I opened my mouth people would be muttering fag, queer, pervert, blow me, etc under their breath even when I would just try to read aloud in English or participate in PE. I agree that we shouldn’t try to totally isolate kids – they need to learn how to cope in the real world, but I can truly say I saw some amazing things at the Harvey Milk school that would never be seen if those kids were in the general public schools of NYC.
I’m not sure how anyone can think that an all gay school would be a good idea.
Every day interaction with heterosexual folk is what has allowed such great advances within the gay community. If gay and straight folk grow up with each other, grow up with friends and grow up better understanding each other; the future is only brighter.
rcltrh, I don’t doubt that the school’s curriculum would be good. I actually like the idea of more, but smaller, schools. The bigger the school gets, the more easily the “little details” slip through the cracks.
But I very much doubt that a school for gays in the answer to the problem of bullying in schools. I was picked on horribly and violently in junior high, but never for being gay. If I had just been a regular straight kid suffering, where would my “special school” be?
The solution lies in education on acceptance and zero-tolerance for bullying, not in segregation.
This is a really bad Idea.
It’s SEGREGATION.
Ugh.
People, what you need to do is educate people that being gay is the same as anything else. It doesn’t define the person, just as being doesn’t define the character of the person.
Bad idea..
This is such a great idea. I wish I would have had a gay high school to go to. Then I wouldn’t have had to drop out because of unbelievable torment and bullying because of my sexual orientation. Too many gay teens are expelled from good private schools for being gay and they drop out from public schools because there they face harrassment, assault and death threats. You just can’t learn and work to your fullest potential in that kind of environment. The recent spike in hate crimes is a clear indication that society has not accepted us so there is no need to talk about integration or interaction with heteros. Theres just no compromising with them, they are way too stubborn and their prejudices run deep. Think about it this way, Christians have their own schools because the parents are afraid of their kids learning stuff in public school that goes against their religion, so having a gay school goes along with that same concept.
Of course smaller schools is the answer… and I can’t pretend that aschool for gays wouldn’t have been nice, but then I wouldn’t have met the friends who are so great, and im sorry your teen years all sucked, but im 17 mow and I havent once been made fun of in a way that made me sad. Life is 10% what u make it and 90% how you take it… glass half full kind of thing?
WTF? I don’t want to be treated any differently than anyone else. We should be addressing the problems of hate crime and ignorance instead of facing the option of segregation. Diversity awareness. Intolerant of intolerance educating. What’s next? Our own private island? Sections of a bus? Special dining hours with specific silverware? This is absurd.