Dennis Carlson:Gayness, Multicultural Education, and Community

"At the level of state educational policy, it is noteworthy that no state currently recognizes gays and lesbians as legitimate minority or cultural groups to be considered in textbook adoption or to be included in multicultural education ; and a number of states explicitly prohibit teaching about homosexuality. In 1993, for example the gay rights movement claimed a major victory in the signing into law of a Minnesota bill that makes it illegal to discrimiate against lesbians and gay men in employment and housing."pg 236

"To the extent that gayness is recognized in the curriculum, it is likely to be in the health curriculum, where it is associated with disease."pg 237

"Second, homosexual teachers were presumed to be lecherous and develop "ridiculous crushes" on students." pg 237

"The official policy in most school districs is in fact identical to that of the U.S. military, namely: "Don't ask, don't tell." pg238

"In Sears study, one young man remember: "When I was changing classes I had all the books in my hands looking down and walking up. I'd hear someone mutter "Faggot and have my books knocked down. People were walking over me as I am trying to gather my books."pg 239


COMMENTS

In so many ways is the treatment of gay and lesbians unexeptable. There have been countless suicides due to topic. Whether people are gay or straight doesn't matter, the U.S. of all things to be considered is the fact that our founding fathers set up to the system in which we have now and one major contribution to their train of thought was everything they hated while being under Britains rule. Not everyone thinks alike or dresses the same, everyone is entitled to THEIR own brain.
What one wishes to do is not our problem, we are all individuals thinking for ourselves not for others. The mere confusion among being gay and a rapest/creep is nothing less than a stereotype. Why one person/teacher can be accused of something because of their sexuality is beyond me. In terms of giving these children the knowledge of gay/straight, I say that is the parents job not necessarily the school. This is such a controversial topic it boggles my mind.Bullying is completely unexceptable, how would you feel spending a day in that child or adults life? School should be a place to make friends learn and just have fun; Not be a place where you rather run away or kill yourself.