Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Biff · 07-30-2003, 03:33 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Odemus

2) What are the requirements for being a "gay" student? Do you need to have actually engaged in homosexual activity?If this is the case wouldn't the school in fact be promoting homosexuality by forcing kids to engage in homosexual acts to gain admittance?

3) If the requirment for admittance only specifies that a child must have gay feelings or something of that nature, what is to prevent any kid who simply feels harrassed from trying to get into this school?

4)Which brings me to my next question: If the purpose of this school is to provide an environement free from harrassment, why not extend admittance to all children who are beaten up, picked on or otherwise harrassed? Why do gay students get such special treatment?

I believe the school has an open admissions policy, which answers all the concerns above. Any student who is being harassed could apply, and probably will. None of the bullies would apply to a "fag" school, so the victims could escape to a new, tolerant school. They will be beating them away at the gates, which is a tragically ironic image.

Biff

Hedwig · 07-30-2003, 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Odemus

1) Does a 14 year old child have the capacity to really know his/her sexual orientation? Do schools have the right to promote an agenda of sexual exploration?

To the first part of your question: yes. I knew I was attracted to both guys and girls when I was fourteen. My best friend, a gay man, remembers having a crush on Zack from Saved By the Bell when he was younger than that. To the second part of your question...well, they seem to do so to some extent what with dances and (at least in my school) the ability to give a valentine to your sweetheart on V-Day.

Quote:

2) What are the requirements for being a "gay" student? Do you need to have actually engaged in homosexual activity?If this is the case wouldn't the school in fact be promoting homosexuality by forcing kids to engage in homosexual acts to gain admittance?

I haven't thoroughly looked into this new school...but someone I doubt it. I could marry a man and be monogamous to him for the rest of my life but that wouldn't make me less bisexual.

Quote:

3) If the requirment for admittance only specifies that a child must have gay feelings or something of that nature, what is to prevent any kid who simply feels harrassed from trying to get into this school?

I'm actually not sure what the attendance requirements are for this school so I couldn't hazard a guess.

Quote:

4)Which brings me to my next question: If the purpose of this school is to provide an environement free from harrassment, why not extend admittance to all children who are beaten up, picked on or otherwise harrassed? Why do gay students get such special treatment?

Because, to my knowledge and in my experience, gay kids actually get picked on far more than a lot of others. I've seen teachers verbally harass gay students...not just the other students.

Bluenose · 07-30-2003, 05:15 PM

1- While I have no problem with heterosexual people (I have worked for a married couple, I have a straight cousin, and my friend's uncle is straight; all very nice people), I DON'T find heterosexuality physically revolting. I even tried it a few times.

2- Reread the link in the OP. The Harvey Milk high school is almost twenty years old and the news is only that they are going to get a ' new ' building, rather than continue in their present location.

themistocles · 07-30-2003, 07:00 PM

Kind of wierd that after decades of fighting segregation, civil rights advocates have now embraced it.

Manasseh Q · 07-31-2003, 12:37 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Vylo
While I have no problem with homosexual people ( I work for a lesbian, I have a gay cousin, and my friend's uncle is gay; all very nice people), I find homosexuality physically revolting.

Should I question your motivations for posting this? "I have nothing against X.... but"

As for the school, I see nothing wrong with it provided it is private. It looks no different than christian/mormon/jewish schools that already dot the landscape.

Godless Dave · 07-31-2003, 12:56 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Odemus
1) Does a 14 year old child have the capacity to really know his/her sexual orientation?

I don't know about you, but I sure as hell knew I was heterosexual when I was 14!

Biff · 07-31-2003, 02:59 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Manasseh Q

As for the school, I see nothing wrong with it provided it is private. It looks no different than christian/mormon/jewish schools that already dot the landscape.

Actually, that's the whole point. This WAS a private school for close to 20 years, but now it has been voted in as a NYC public school.

Biff

Fr.Andrew · 07-31-2003, 03:26 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Biff
Actually, that's the whole point. This WAS a private school for close to 20 years, but now it has been voted in as a NYC public school.

Biff

(Fr Andrew): The way I understand it is that there has been a "program" involving a couple of classrooms within the school system--not a private school--now there has been created "the nations first public high school for gay, bisexual and transgendered students" with it's own building.

Fr.Andrew · 07-31-2003, 03:37 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Manasseh Q
As for the school, I see nothing wrong with it provided it is private.

(Fr Andrew): It's not private. It's a "special needs" school, like those established for pregnant girls and non-English speaking children.

themistocles · 07-31-2003, 03:54 AM

I don't know that this is a good social experiment. If these gay kids spend their entire awkward teenage years specifically designed to foster their "abnormality" to "protect" them from the real world, they risk conditioning these students in a manner in which they are incapable of coping with real life when they have to leave high school, where for the first time in years, they will have to work with people not like themselves.

It would be difficult to think up a more cruel idea than this one.

If they truly were having "serious" issues of violence against homosexual students, then the school district should have been cracking down on school violence. Instead of a melting pot, the principle of this idea vindicates Plessy v. Ferguson, and repudiates Brown v. Board of Education. That may be hyperbole in true effect, but it is no different in principle.

Let's balkanize our society. Perhaps there should be whites only, blacks only, and such?...Great idea!

07-30-2003, 05:15 PM	#13
Bluenose Regular Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: small cold water flat Posts: 471	Some of my best friends... 1- While I have no problem with heterosexual people (I have worked for a married couple, I have a straight cousin, and my friend's uncle is straight; all very nice people), I DON'T find heterosexuality physically revolting. I even tried it a few times. 2- Reread the link in the OP. The Harvey Milk high school is almost twenty years old and the news is only that they are going to get a ' new ' building, rather than continue in their present location.

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07-30-2003, 07:00 PM	#14
themistocles Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: las vegas, nevada Posts: 670	Kind of wierd that after decades of fighting segregation, civil rights advocates have now embraced it.

07-31-2003, 03:54 AM	#20
themistocles Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: las vegas, nevada Posts: 670	I don't know that this is a good social experiment. If these gay kids spend their entire awkward teenage years specifically designed to foster their "abnormality" to "protect" them from the real world, they risk conditioning these students in a manner in which they are incapable of coping with real life when they have to leave high school, where for the first time in years, they will have to work with people not like themselves. It would be difficult to think up a more cruel idea than this one. If they truly were having "serious" issues of violence against homosexual students, then the school district should have been cracking down on school violence. Instead of a melting pot, the principle of this idea vindicates Plessy v. Ferguson, and repudiates Brown v. Board of Education. That may be hyperbole in true effect, but it is no different in principle. Let's balkanize our society. Perhaps there should be whites only, blacks only, and such?...Great idea!

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