School Bullying Policies Stir Gay Rights Debate

A surge of teen suicides has drawn national attention to the issue of school bullying.

Many of the young people who have taken their own lives were bullied by their peers for their perceived sexual identities. Quickly, the issue of addressing school bullying becomes intertwined with the nation's ongoing gay rights debate.

Campaigns such as the "It Gets Better Project" have sought to raise awareness about gay bullying and bring a message of hope to struggling teens. Celebrities, activists and politicians -- including President Obama -- have joined the anti-bullying campaign.

Many schools across the nation have responded to the recent surge of youth suicides by adding tolerance lessons to school curriculum. The policies have drawn criticism from parents eager to preserve religious views that regard homosexuality as a sin.

The New York Times reports,

Angry parents and religious critics, while agreeing that schoolyard harassment should be stopped, charge that liberals and gay rights groups are using the antibullying banner to pursue a hidden "homosexual agenda," implicitly endorsing, for example, same-sex marriage.

Comments

[QHereKidSF]

12:46 AM on 12/20/2010

I question the efficacy of the "It Gets Better Project" and messages like it. Are we basically telling LGBTQ youth to sit still and quietly endure the constant bombardments of anti-gay bullying until at last they are able to escape. As research shows, those men and women most aggressively abused as youth witness myriad repercussions from adolescent-aged bullying in their adult life. 57% of adults who report being bullied as school-aged youth, also report being bullied as adults in the work environment. Bullying is not something LGBTQ youth can escape. I did exactly what the "It Gets Better Project" tells queer youth to do: I waited it until I could escape to the GAY MECCA -- San Francisco, CA. But, things sure as hell didn't get better for me. Just look at my face, and ask me how!! I DARE YOU!!
Matt(e)o | QHereKidSF
http://bit.ly/qherekidsf

[hockeygoddess19]

11:34 AM on 11/12/2010

Please read the story of Brandon Bitner at BrandonBitner.com - I don't know if he was gay, but he was bullied. A beautiful young man - didn't know him personally, but as a mother his story tears at my heart.

[Spank05]

06:11 PM on 11/11/2010

I could not agree more with the people on this thread that point out the fact that if you want your children to be taught the bible and live by its rules you need to get your child out of the public schools and into a religious institutions or home school them.

[ChaCubed]

02:40 PM on 11/15/2010

Posted 4 days ago and no one favorited it yet??? Hard to believe. F&F Spank

[Big Game Hunter]

05:41 AM on 11/11/2010

Baggers are bullies and want their "right" to teach their kids to do it too.

[clayboggess]

09:07 AM on 11/09/2010

Bullying in any way, shape or form should not be tolerated. It doesn't matter who you are or what your sexual orientation is. It doesn't even matter if you are promoting the gay agenda or not. We should all be standing firmly against it.

Clay Boggess
http://www.BigEventFundraising.com

[Ryhunt86]

11:34 AM on 11/10/2010

Nice spam

[Bette Davis Lives]

05:55 PM on 11/10/2010

You call it spam, I call it the free enterprise system!

[ColetteRae]

08:19 AM on 11/09/2010

The zero tolerance policy for bullying should be in place and strictly enforced across the board at these school, which doesn't seem to be happening. When you read about all types of kids who were harrassed and bullied at school and where it was carried onto FaceBook, etc, the parents always say later they went to the school time and time again and nothing much was done.

[Disdain]

08:06 AM on 11/09/2010

This problem is a much bigger issue than just sexuality. This generation is growing up completely desensitized to the value of human life. In Georgia, we have 4 teens facing murder charges for the killing of another child who just happened to be the "next person they saw". In Florida we have a 15 year old set on fire while his teenage attackers laugh. In Chicago and honor student is beaten to death by a mob of students. We have videos after videos of teenagers savagely attacking each other and proudly showing it off online. There is a complete disconnect taking place with this generation that we better address before it gets any worse and it starts at home.

[ColetteRae]

08:12 AM on 11/09/2010

Fanned and fav'd. I agree.

[Saboruto]

08:44 PM on 11/08/2010

This is a sad, sad state. The religiously insane right are so desperate to "fight the evil homosexual agenda" that they're happily putting children's lives at risk. How sad is that? I mean, fine, so you're a Christian and you're convinced that gays are the source of all evils in the world. Believe what you want. But to fight reforms that would prevent bullying of children on the basis of your prejudice? So much for "love thy neighbor". More like "throw thy neighbor's children to the wolves if it advances thy closed-minded propaganda machine".

[shastaman]

08:42 PM on 11/08/2010

Absolutely NOT! ! !
But, the school year should be reorganised into a year round program particularly in the elementary years so as to increase the retention of the kids lessons and increase enthusiasm by giving more frequent extended breaks!
Too bad the witch Vicki Phillips shut down Johnathan Edwards school
It's legacy of success was remarkable!

[Angie Tyne 1]

07:30 PM on 11/08/2010

So tell me again who are the 'true' xtians? They all seem to think they are.

[jwcmass]

08:52 PM on 11/08/2010

This is a question that would take days (indeed millenia) to answer.
Most basically, I would say that what makes a Christian "authentic" is not what one believes, but whether one is actually LIVING out the teachings of Jesus.
Paul may have put it best when he said, "If I have faith to move mountains, but have not love, then I am an empty gong"
 
As far as THIS issue is concerned, I would refer you to an excellent documentary called "For the Bible Tells Me So" which examines what the Bible REALLY says about homosexuality, and what some churches have done to cause great harm, and how other churches are greeting members of the GLBT community with love -- unconditional love, and acceptance.
One great witness is the ordination to the episcopacy of Bishop Gene Robinson of the Episcopal Doicese of New Hampshire (who is interviewed in the movie, and whose story is told).
 
Sadly, he announced he would be retiring in early 2013 -- he is well liked among those he serves, but he has received many death threats (some apparently quite gruesome) and he doesn't want to put his family through more of this.
 
But Christian churches DO need to step up and accept their responsibility for creating a climate fo self-loathing and depression (it is a big factor among those who have committed suicide or who have contemplated doing so) by its teaching --
 
I would remind my fellow Christians (of whatever faith) that Jesus himself NEVER SAID ONE WORD ABOUT HOMOSEXUALITY!!
If it is so immoral, then I would have to think he would have said SOMETHING.
 
But he DID speak a great deal (and used very severe language) about hypocritical religious leaders.

[rainbowblue]

07:00 PM on 11/08/2010

What would be better would be school teachers and administrators on the look out for both the harrasment and youths that seem to be suffering from depression. This issue is so simple, yet so above the heads of most people that I'm saddened that no one has gotten a clue in the eight years since I've been in high school. It is criminal for school administrators and teachers to ignore the plight of their students, gay or otherwise. This "tolerance" stuff is straight out of the 90's, but with no one actually looking out for the kids it's pointless. The thing that annoys me most is that adult gays, who were once bullied and probably considered or attempted suicide, don't care about the issue (or rather give off that impression). They rather lead the charge on DADT, but how many really want to serve? Or what about marriage equality, again another issue that serves only a small portion of the community.

[jwcmass]

07:22 PM on 11/08/2010

I would only add that students themselves ought to be taught to look for signs that their peers and friends may be suffering from depression and may be contemplating suicide.
Often these kids will reveal tell-tale signs with their friends, and not confide in an adult.
In my town about a decade ago there was a period where two middle school students took their life within a month (and several others attempted it or were seriously considering it).
After the fact, many of their friends revealed that the persons talked about suicide, but they thought they weren't serious.
 
Training of this type for teachers, coaches, students, other youth workers doesn't take a great deal of time -- and especially with the case of students who are trained, and who see a friend in need, MAY save lives.

[SionShankel]

07:25 PM on 11/08/2010

I am queer and I disagree. Here in San Francisco we are attacking gays rights and homophobia on all fronts...some things are popping in the media more than others..but just look at the success of the Gay Straight Alliance..wow..many schools with these orgs in them now.

DADT is not just about the right to serve...its about a huge tax payer funded employer practicing severe employment discrimination. Ask yourself how you would feel if employees of ATT could be witch hunted and lose their job and all their pension and benefits just for being gay? I think in any other government agency you have to serious felonious crimes or murder to get that punishment. Since Clinton signed it, it has affected 15,000 people! Many who also have families they support. It dove tails nicely with ENDA. Marriage equality is more than just about a ceremony..it is about forming strong legally supported families which provide for the health and wealth of those in them. That is how serious cultural strength is gained. Different cases, bills and legal precedents will reinforce each other. They are all building blocks for equality.

[BenK1976]

06:50 PM on 11/08/2010

wait, so the bullies want to get away with bullying by calling it a religious issue? what a pile
I think the agenda is protecting kids, you can have different beliefs but you can't hurt a person to prove your faith, that's downright wrong.

[Ioan Lightoller]

06:52 PM on 11/08/2010

Fanned and faved. Whoever said, "religion is the last refuge of scoundrels" got it right. How sad that someone can find a "religious" reason for harrassing and bullying kids. Cowards.

[NoElephants]

06:50 PM on 11/08/2010

I've got an idea - why don't we make gay marriage legal, and outlaw religion? Would solve so many problems (see article on huffpo today about the woman who killed her 4 year old daughter and then wrote 'divine intervention' in the girls blood).

[Angie Tyne 1]

07:31 PM on 11/08/2010

Sign me up!!!!

[Ioan Lightoller]

02:14 PM on 11/09/2010

Fanned and faved! The world would be a better place without the pernicious influence of religion. Note to fundies on here: you say Christianity is a religion of love. Then prove it. Start working with us to stop the bullying of ALL children. And take down your stupid anti-bullying sites because they show that you want all kids except GLBT kids protected. GLBT is not to be mentioned, right?

[allison77]

06:42 PM on 11/08/2010

I always thought that public schools were a secular organization. Who knew that Christianity was the religion of all public schools paid for by taxpayers?

[KeepLeft]

06:41 PM on 11/08/2010

If you want your kids taught religious doctrine, either pay the premium and send 'em to parochial school where they can be taught intolerance, or keep 'em at home and brainwash 'em yourself, but if you send 'em to public school, and I'm paying for your spawn to learn alongside mine, then be prepared to have them taught that we expect them to get along with the rest of the unwashed masses.

[Ioan Lightoller]

06:53 PM on 11/08/2010

Fanned and faved! I couldn't have put it better!

[SionShankel]

07:08 PM on 11/08/2010

Keepleft, fanned and faved!