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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.
interesting, i’ll be back later
This is running away from the problem. Remember the whole civil rights deal? Seperate does not mean equal? Work with the bullies, not the LGBT youth. This is posing discrimination as a mercy act. It’s like patting the heads of the homophobes. “Oh, kids will be kids. Now play nice without your little gay friend.”
I am 17 and in high school. Maybe it is because I am from a small town in New Hampshire, but I never experienced all that hate. I would never want to go to an all gay high school. All that makes me think is we would be going backwards, that we need a special school because we are different. I like being with all my friends, straight or gay. Yes, we have bullies in my school, but they are usually dealt with pretty quick. Maybe that is the answer, put the bullies in their own school. And the story mentioned that many students have heard the word gay, as in “that’s stupid”. We have. That does not offend me. The word gay has really changed. It can mean “that’s stupid” or just that it means you like guys. It all depends on how it is used. I am not offended by it. I would actually be more offended if someone called me a fag.
As a graduate of Harvey Milk High School, I have to say that having a school like this is definitely a good thing. Otherwise I probably would have just got my GED. NYC’s lgbt high school is not setup for average lgbt students, it is intended to help lgbt students who have special needs for safety such as homelessness and is only a last resort.
If having this school helps a few more kids graduate or get their GED who otherwise might not have done so, how can it be a bad thing or a waste of taxpayer money? I know that graduating from Harvey Milk has helped me tremendously when it seemed I really had nowhere to go in life.
A particularly pernicious frame used by the conservatives opposing such a school is that “it would require administrators to take a moral stance on homosexuality.” This is a lie. It would, in fact, require that administrators *refrain* from taking a moral stance on homosexuality. And, anyway, the conservatives are not worried about anyone taking a moral stance on homosexuality–they’re actively promoting such a stance–they’re concerned with anyone taking a stance *with which they disagree.*
I think I more agree with what one guy said. If we’re going to build a seperate school, let’s make one for the bullies. I don’t think there should be any seperations within schools, as it furthers the very segregation you are trying to fix. We simply need better education on diversity in schools, as well as out. If we have a loving, accepting environment at home, as well as at school, kids are more likely to mesh together regardless of race, sex, orientation, etc. Just my 2 cents!
Why are schools allowed to be a dangerous place for anyone?
This whole concept that bullying is a “normal” part of life is just unacceptable.
I knocked it in the head pretty early.
Someone hits you in school? Call a cop.
911 works regardless of who is dialing the number or where the call comes from.
Assault is assault is assault. It’s illegal and kids don’t need to wait for some finger-up-the-nose “teacher” to intervene for them.
Usually, bullies actually LIKE witnesses.
So, kids, you got the cell phone? USE IT.
And press charges.
A note of interest. I saw this article earlier and shared the news with two friends of mine from Europe, one 20 and one 28. One lives a very ‘out’ life and is a university student, and one is a pro-gay issues activist in the Catholic Church. Both of them were against even the thought of the idea of a Gay high school. I was shocked at their opposition to such an idea and shocked at the level of opposition they demonstrated.d When I also pointed out how remarkable that such an idea was even being considered was, they did both agree on that.
It would be interesting if within the liberal European culture if this opposition is across the board or just an isolated phenomenon. bnr
Hi, I believe we should not have
special schools for gay people. We
really need to live together, not
apart. If gay students are being
maltreated the ones who commit these
acts against our people should be
educated by having to take a gay
sensitivity class which should be
offered in high schools. If we are
all going to live apart I believe
we are all doomed!
Sorry, but this is a terrible idea. Almost sounds like we’re going back to the days of segregation. The schools need to start taking responsibility for their students. Bullying should be acknowledged and punished appropriately, leading up to expulsion. As for the gay kids themselves, a false sense of security is the last thing they need. Ultimately, you grow up and will HAVE to interact with all types of people. Better to do it while you’re young than when you begin your career.
Just as in New York City, this is nothing but a way for the school system to shove gay kids into a separate school to (a) lower the system’s risk of legal liability for (b) continuing to do absolutely nothing to address the problem of bullying. Why undertake the hard job of eliminating harassment in schools, when you can just shove the gay kids into a separate school?
The argument, “…false sense of security and make them unprepared for life outside schoolhouse walls,” is ridiculous. Those kids who are being bullied and harassed won’t make it through school they’ll just drop out. And where does that leave them?
Sure the schools need to fix the bullying but have they? Obviously they don’t seem to be able to control the situation. And I’m sure some adults in the school system are probably anti-homosexual anyway, so they could NOT possibly care less.