Jesus Tap-Dancin' Christ

Um, no, it really isn't any more than an all-girl or all male school. Isn't it a choice to attend as well? Guess what? Voluntary segregation is legal.

Jesus Tap-Dancin' Christ

Did you ever have to file assault charges? I did in eighth grade. I was 12 at the time. Did people ever make attempts to drown you? People did that to me once. Given the situation, I could prove jack and shit--so I had to deal with it.

Right now, between a vicious self-hating circle, my hatred for all human life, and severe depressive cycle that I often enter into, I can tell you right now that people who are slightly different than normal live hellish lives wherever they are (well, at least in the US). You know how I was different? I was smarter and knew more than any ten of them put together (in one class, I actually knew more about the subject than the teacher) and I wasn't exactly a social person (I still am not). That resulted in three of the most hellish years of my life.

Feather

This is what amuses me about it. If they win, then they are basically acknowledging that sexual orientation is deserving of the same protections afforded race, religion (harhar), and so forth.

Personally I don't think any public funds should be used for the school whatsoever because it is segregation by just about any but the most blindly ideological interpretation. But I won't mind if such funds are used until homosexuals get the protections under the law they deserve.

Derec

All-boy or all-girl schools are fully private as far as I know. This one is, at least in part, funded by public funds.

Quote:

Voluntary segregation is legal.

I didn't say it was illegal but that it was a dumb idea. I never said stupidity was outlawed, although perhaps it should be.

UMoC

Fr.Andrew

(Fr Andrew): It's considered a "special-needs" school--like those that teach parenting skills to pregnant teens, and for kids who don't speak English well enough (yet) to compete in the regular school.
Do you take issue with tax money funding them as well?

pug846

Although normally I would jump at the opportunity to call conservatives hypocrites, they actually aren�t here. Although it isn�t entirely clear from the link, the conservative groups are suing based on state law in New York that doesn�t allow discrimination based on sexual orientation. (This makes no sense, of course, because heterosexuals are allowed to attend the school.)

elwoodblues

No, though I probably could have done so successfully.

Oddly enough, yes.

My point isn't that the assaults and prejudice are not a real issue. They are, for all teenagers, espcially those out of the accepted norm, and gay teens in particular. This just isn't a good way to attack the issue. You don't do the gay kids many favors by insulating them from the world. You don't get straight kids used to gays by taking them out of the 'regular' schools into 'special' schools.

As far as I've EVER seen, familiarity is just about the only thing that breeds acceptance, at least with most people. It's called exposure therapy. Put a homophobe in a situation where they're forced to interact civilly and productively with a homosexual, and they eventually get over it. The issue isn't taking the gays out of schools; it's getting enough bloody teachers so they can manage to maintain a controlled, civil atmosphere.

BTW, if that means a camera in every hallway, then so be it. Provided there is oversight to prevent abuse of this, I'm all for it. I'm a libertarian, but to this end, I'm willing to go that far. Kids shouldn't be afraid to go to school, and they shouldn't need to go to a 'special' school to escape that fear. There are better ways.

debater10

For me, the question of segregatio comes to this:

Are people being allowed or refused entrance based on race, gender, sexual preference, political ideology, theology, country of birth, economic status, or any other factor that does not directly affect the learning process. The problem I have with the school officials is that they are being VERY vague as to what defines a "gay school". If it is a school where the more conservative political rhetoric is not permitted, than it should not be a publically funded school. It obviously is not a school that only lets queer kids in.
My question then is this: What makes this school unique from any other school?

Derec

So what special needs does this school cater to?

Quote:

Do you take issue with tax money funding them as well?

Not for the ESL school, although I would prefer having an ESL class taught in a regular school rather than having a special school.

And as far as pregnant teens, yes, I would object to that. That's where sex ed, school councelor and library books can be used, not a special school.

UMoC

Happy Wonderer

It is a little late for sex ed with pregnant teens, they have already shown at least some mastery of the subject I would object to a special school for a different reason: it reinforces the ostracization of pregnant women from society. I think it would be helpful if even nonpregnant teens learned childrearing skills.

hw