New School For Lgbt Students

[Carolyn Marie]

This article was in the L.A. Times today.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-ne...0,3453884.story

It would be great if LGBT kids didn't need a special school to be safe from the fear of bullying and

discrimination. Until that day comes, schools like this are a welcome haven for kids to be themselves.

Carolyn Marie

[gennee]

There's a school here in NYC for LGBT students. It's sad we need such schools because school administrators pay lip service to bullying and harassment. LGBT students have a right to a safe place and to receive an education.

Gennee

[Guest Ivan Le Renard]

The idea of segregating kids into different schools doesn't sit well with me.

The current schools need to work on handling bullying and harassment! Adding a school for LGBT students seems more like a, "Oh screw it, let's just get rid of the victims and everything will be fine!"

Like both of you already said, it would be a lot better if the school wasn't needed in the first place. School should be a place of diversity anyways. They're supposed to be preparing children for 'real life,' and 'real life' is like a huge bowl of diversity!

[Guest April63]

An lgbt school sounds kinda dumb to me. Sticking people off into one corner won't change or hellp anyone...

[Guest Nigh]

I agree. While I understand their reason behind creating an LGBT school, I don't think it's going to help much. First off, there is logistically no way every lesbian, gay, bi, transgendered person could attend either of these schools (as far as I'm aware there is only this one and the one in NYC). Also, isn't segregation sort of a bad thing?

What we really need is mass reformations by the school districts- actually preach tolerance and acceptance (don't just those lame hour classes everyone had to attend once during their freshmen year), and as already stated above, have real consequences for harassment and bullying- I was more or less openly gay during my high school years, in a pretty liberal area, and still got beat quite a few times. I can't imagine what it would've been like to transition during that time- probably would've wound-up with a face not even a mother could love. Oh yeah, none of those people who kicked my derrierre ever got expelled by the way- the worst any of them ever got was a couple day suspension- how messed-up is that? I don't know if it's similar in any of the other "1st world" countries, but I'm sort of at a loss on how to shake the US school system out of its apathy.

[Shannonline]

Pandering to the 'prejudice people' of the world yet again *sigh*.

[Guest praisedbeherhooves]

This article was in the L.A. Times today.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-ne...0,3453884.story

It would be great if LGBT kids didn't need a special school to be safe from the fear of bullying and

discrimination. Until that day comes, schools like this are a welcome haven for kids to be themselves.

Carolyn Marie

I don't think this is a good idea. The best way of fighting bigotry is integration not separation. We need to education to take place in schools so they stop hating us. Hiding from them will not further civil rights.

[Guest twinstar4]

I disagree with the majority here.

High school is a hard enough place for any kid let alone one facing gender/sexuality issues.

Sure, in the ideal world where everyone behaves like a mature adult all kids could be successful in a traditional high school but we don't live in an ideal world. Despite a school's best efforts to not tolerate bullying it still exists behind teachers backs in obvious and covert forms.

I know three mothers of trans kids. All of their kids plus mine were not able to succeed in traditional high school. We have each found a different solution to this problem and for some of us it is a work in progress.

One of the positive things about traditional high school is the opportunity for the kid to socialize and experience learning how to get along with different types of people. This is a life lesson that will benefit the student all through their adult life. Alternative high school programs which are more accepting of differences than the mainstream high school can provide the student with the chance to graduate high school while also being a member of a group instead of getting a GED on their own. There is nothing wrong with getting a GED, it is certainly a valid option, but if the student could have the chance to attend an alternative high school where there is a better chance of acceptance and also the possibility of friendships then in my opinion it is a better choice.

[Guest NatashaJade]

I disagree with the majority here.

High school is a hard enough place for any kid let alone one facing gender/sexuality issues.

Sure, in the ideal world where everyone behaves like a mature adult all kids could be successful in a traditional high school but we don't live in an ideal world. Despite a school's best efforts to not tolerate bullying it still exists behind teachers backs in obvious and covert forms.

I know three mothers of trans kids. All of their kids plus mine were not able to succeed in traditional high school. We have each found a different solution to this problem and for some of us it is a work in progress.

One of the positive things about traditional high school is the opportunity for the kid to socialize and experience learning how to get along with different types of people. This is a life lesson that will benefit the student all through their adult life. Alternative high school programs which are more accepting of differences than the mainstream high school can provide the student with the chance to graduate high school while also being a member of a group instead of getting a GED on their own. There is nothing wrong with getting a GED, it is certainly a valid option, but if the student could have the chance to attend an alternative high school where there is a better chance of acceptance and also the possibility of friendships then in my opinion it is a better choice.

You are absolutely correct. As much as we would like a perfect world where everyone can be as they wish to be, we are nowhere near that place. High school is brutal and students who are different are punished. I get the outcasts, my misfit toys, and my room is a sanctuary for a lot of them who would otherwise be tormented out in the general population.

LGBT students are more likely than not to drop out because of the kinds of bullying they receive. Why not provide them with a sanctuary where they can learn and thrive without fear for their lives in many cases? Yes, we would not be exposing the general population to these wonderful kids, but their education should come first and you cannot learn if you are constantly worrying about where the next attack is coming from. These schools are a really good idea. I wish I could work at one (it would be a great place to transition ).

luv

Gin

[Guest April63]

High school is brutal for everyone. Making a special school doesn't really help anything. It will have its own problems as well.

[Shannonline]

I completely disagree, I consider this to justify the ignorant hatred towards the LGBT, it's like saying "hey world you were right LGBT people are freaks and they should be segregated from the rest of society". This is yet again pandering to the selfish judgemental people of the world and it's a band-aid solution, sure it works in the short term but what happens if one day it's decided to try and blend the LGBT community back into normal school? And they reject it. We shouldn't be bowing down to this people we should be saying "hey we are people too and you'll have to get used to it", punish people for effecting not just LGBT peoples lives but anyone including nerds/geeks, NO ONE should have the right to make anyone feel different. We are all humans no?

WE SHOULDN'T BE PANDERING TO THESE JUDGEMENTAL MONKEYS. This is not an ideal. Just another win for LGBT haters.

[Guest NatashaJade]

I completely disagree, I consider this to justify the ignorant hatred towards the LGBT, it's like saying "hey world you were right LGBT people are freaks and they should be segregated from the rest of society". This is yet again pandering to the selfish judgemental people of the world and it's a band-aid solution, sure it works in the short term but what happens if one day it's decided to try and blend the LGBT community back into normal school? And they reject it. We shouldn't be bowing down to this people we should be saying "hey we are people too and you'll have to get used to it", punish people for effecting not just LGBT peoples lives but anyone including nerds/geeks, NO ONE should have the right to make anyone feel different. We are all humans no?

WE SHOULDN'T BE PANDERING TO THESE JUDGEMENTAL MONKEYS. This is not an ideal. Just another win for LGBT haters.

Shannon, I understand your position completely and, to be fair, it is not for every student. I do not believe all LGBT students should be segregated. I do believe, as do the good people who've opened these schools, that there are some students who are so at risk that they have no solution but to drop out. We provide many types of alternative education programs for at-risk students. My goal as an educator is to make sure every student can succeed. If these schools can help students who would not otherwise do so, why see them as a threat? The judgmental monkeys don't care either way. They'll still be monkeys with or without LGBT students to torment.

luv

Gin

[Carolyn Marie]

One thing that seems to have gotten lost in this discussion is the fact that such schools offer GLBT students a choice. If they were segregated against their will, then of course that would be wrong. This allows the kids, and their parents, to choose whether to take advantage of it. They can weigh the benefits of being segregated and relatively "safe" with the disadvantages of not being with the mainstream of other kids their age.

No solution will ever be perfect, or right for everyone. I see nothing wrong with being able to choose one over the other. Not everyone wants to defend themselves every day of school. Not everyone should have to.

Carolyn Marie

[Shannonline]

How about we segregate the BAD students instead???????????????????????? They are the ones causing the PROBLEMS in the first place. Why are they getting let off from being punished?? Oh that's right everyone loves bullies they run the world how silly of me to forget.

[Guest Sakura_Stingray]

most of the time it is the parent who decides if their child should move to a diff school... not the actual one who is in the institution(child) and therefore it is a form of concern by parents... now remember back in the old days(and i sen on televisions) of segregated black culture? they had their own schools the back of resteraunts their own water founting(waterhose) and such.... this school idea will just be a step towards separating everyone... but it wont work.. you will see that a possibility of 1 out of every 5 child might be considerd lgbt in some way? pretty soon you will have half of the original school trying to send them to this segregated school.... and then a new batch of kids start to come out.... and the process may continue untill you have a group of posers trying to be in thie "hip" crowd.... to some this might be a good idea but think of the other side aswell.... if this new type of cliq forms it will be a form of making fun of the lgbt community like the emo cliq is an emberessment to the goth cliq due to others having a hard time telling them apart(some of the time)

the gamble is risky and there cn be many branches of outcomes that may happen and this is just one possibility out of many....

a second note. most of the time, and it is through my experiance.. the teachers are not willing, or they have their own views of the lgbt community before they had their teaching career and this will rub off on their teachings... if they feel like you are setting a bad example for the rest of the class they will send you to the principal with a lame reason.. and depending on the school the principal is required by their educational standard law to punish the student in some way for the disobediance... they took out the spanking measure, but they can give the child detention... the max detention i received was having to go to a seperate, segregated educational facility(i forgot the official name...) but it was a place where they sent the bad or emberessment of kids. for example some of them punched teachers.. one threw a fork at the cafeterial staff and another even kicked the vice principal in the groin.... I was lumped into the group of these kids and what was my crime? my crime was simply asking the teacher if i could use the restroom several times during the class and everytime i qould ask the teacher would say no.... they lumped a person who was forced to endure pain under bodily pressure from fluids with a group of delinquents...

im not saying that all teachers are like this but it is a fact that teachers, like many people have their own oppinions.. and they will use their own oppinions in the teachings of their students.. if not verbally then with cognitive reactions and body movements, singling them out infront of the class more so than the rest.. the list can go on. the teachers are essentialy a parent type figure for the children since they are in the school setting for half of their day so whatever they receive from school from teachers will be absorbed by all of them. in some institutions also teachers are there for a pay check and not to teach the kids..

i have a lot of hate for the school system and i can see where this school was trying to lead.. but it is a stupid concept... other students are only 50% of the problem because of their actions.. but it is also 50% of the problem by parents/guardians/teachers as they help hone the childs mind to act on their actions...

[Shannonline]

This thread makes me want to dig out the movie Freedom Writers and watch it again

[Guest sarah f]

This would be nice while I was in school. Maybe then I would have come out a lot sooner than now. At least things are getting a little better for the trans society.

Love,

Sarah F

[Guest twinstar4]

Like Carolyn Marie said, there is Choice here. The student has a choice. Some kids can take the petty and not so petty B S that goes on in school and some can not. They will drop out...or worse. Alternative schools are usually for all kids who can't make it in the regular school not just the GLBT kids. I know this article was about a GLBT school, that's because it is in a large city where there is a huge population of all kinds of people so there would be enough with that specific issue. Not so in most other places where the alternative schools are for anyone who doesn't fit in, but still wants to be in school.

Gin is speaking from direct experience with education. Gin, you are a gift to your school. You provide a refuge for the kids there.

My daughter has a chance now because she is lucky enough to be in an alternative school. Yes, there are still problems and she may not make it but she has a much better chance because there is more acceptance of differences. In fact she is learning more here about getting along socially with other kids because these kids treat her as a member of their small school community, so unlike the big high school. Some kids are there because they suffered sexual abuse, rape, substance abuse, you name it. I just went to a parent/teacher conference meeting and I learned that my kid is not known as the TG kid, she is known as _____, the student. Just like everyone else.