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Topic: Classes open at gay high school (Read 367 times)

MzWings
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Classes open at gay high school
« on: Sep 8^th, 2003, 11:44am »

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http://www.cnn.com/2003/EDUCATION/09/08/gay.school/index.html

By Rose Arce
CNN
Monday, September 8, 2003 Posted: 11:29 AM EDT (1529 GMT)

NEW YORK (CNN) -- A newly expanded gay-themed high school began the school year Monday with about 100 students attending classes, about 200 supporters rallying outside and a small band of protesters demonstrating against it.

Since 1985, Harvey Milk High School has served students who are gay or believed to be gay, but its recent expansion to 100 students sparked criticism from conservative groups.

Application to the school is voluntary. Teens are admitted regardless of sexual orientation, but must show they are at risk of dropping out because of harassment.

The school, located in Manhattan's East Village, has a 95 percent graduation rate. With its expansion, it will be run like other alternative high schools in the city.

Small protest outside

About 10 protesters, led by stridently anti-gay Kansas minister Fred Phelps, demonstrated across the street from the school and screamed at supporters to repent for their "sodomite behavior." Phelps is best known for picketing the funerals of gay men, including the service for Matthew Shepard, a gay Wyoming college student beaten to death.

The Hetrick-Martin Institute, which studies gay youth, helps operate the school. The institute says nearly all gay teens are repeatedly harassed at school and are three times more likely to drop out or commit suicide than other youths.

The school is named after San Francisco City Supervisor Harvey Milk, the first openly gay elected official of a major U.S. city. Milk was assassinated along with Mayor George Moscone in 1978.

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david
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Re: Classes open at gay high school
« Reply #1 on: Sep 8^th, 2003, 11:51am »

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Although I personally have no problem with ones choice in partners (your bedroom is your buisness) I feel a "Gay High School" is wrong not because its "GAY" but is separates people who are "different" this in many ways is racist very similar to "White only" schools etc of decades past. I hope these student suceed in thier goals but a "Gay High School" is just wrong and totally againist the principals this country was fonded on. "All men are crerated equal"! I recall having a "Gay" student in my High School and yes many verbally abused him but many others found out "WHO he was instead of "WHAT" he was and although I dont recall what it is he does but he is a very successful memeber of his community and has aided many others. A Gay themed High School may have a good intent but I feel it will cause more hatred for Gays rather than give them a safe haven!

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Rhune
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Re: Classes open at gay high school
« Reply #2 on: Sep 8^th, 2003, 1:17pm »

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I grew up in a small town with a gay friend who was tormented and I wish he could have gone to a school like this instead.

He grew up so picked on that he hated himself, and for years had a death wish and lived very recklessly. Now that he's settled down and found himself so to speak, and no longer hates himself, he found out that his younger days deathwish paid off...he has AIDS.

Had he gone to a school like this instead, I don't believe he would be dying right now.

I hear what you are saying and that my mind might not have been opened up as much as it is if I had not grown up with someone like him, but in the same token I would never wish on any human being what he had to endure growing up.

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azure
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Re: Classes open at gay high school
« Reply #3 on: Sep 8^th, 2003, 5:42pm »

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not sure I like the idea of a whole school for gay people, but think they should definately have extra cirricular ectivites if they would like.

Actually, I guess whatever one is happy with is ok with me. SO basicallt I guess I have no opinion :juggle:

lol

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Rhune
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Re: Classes open at gay high school
« Reply #4 on: Sep 8^th, 2003, 5:57pm »

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I think as long as it's not mandatory, then they should have the option to go to a private/alternative school that is for gays only, just like there are private schools for boys only, or girls only, or catholics, etc.

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MzWings
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Re: Classes open at gay high school
« Reply #5 on: Sep 9^th, 2003, 10:19am »

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Not to stir up a nest of hornets here - but......are there any schools in the US (specifically) that are for heterosexuals only? I don't think so but I thought I'd ask.

I think that if gays are ever to matriculate into mainstream society - heteros need to be exposed to homosexuals and vice versa - in every sense. "Coming out" has been tough for most but in the long run, I see that as a positive factor.

Gosh - I hope I'm coming across sensibly. I'm just saying basically, that gays should be afforded every right and privilege that straight people enjoy. I believe straights need to be showing more tolerance and waaaay less bigotry of others who are "different" - and by that, I mean ANY type of difference.

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"Senility Prayer"...God grant me...
The senility to forget the people I never liked
The good fortune to run into the ones that I do
And the eyesight to tell the difference."

david
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Re: Classes open at gay high school
« Reply #6 on: Sep 9^th, 2003, 10:39am »

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Excellent point

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azure
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Re: Classes open at gay high school
« Reply #7 on: Sep 9^th, 2003, 11:03am »

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I full heartedly agree wings, I believe that is what I was trying to say in my former post.

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david
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Re: Classes open at gay high school
« Reply #8 on: Sep 9^th, 2003, 11:20am »

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I believe the three of us were trying to make same point :tup:

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Rhune
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Re: Classes open at gay high school
« Reply #9 on: Sep 9^th, 2003, 11:25am »

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It will be great when it's that way some day, but somehow I doubt it will be in my lifetime.

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david
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Re: Classes open at gay high school
« Reply #10 on: Sep 9^th, 2003, 11:29am »

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[quote author=MzWings link=board=controversy;num=1063039457;start=0#5 date=09/09/03 at 10:19:32]Not to stir up a nest of hornets here - but......are there any schools in the US (specifically) that are for heterosexuals only? I don't think so but I thought I'd ask.

Sadly it would be considered "Racists" if there were but then so is a "Gay High School" Someday perhaps we can all co excist without judgement and/or segration (looking for my MZ spell check to fix spelling errors)

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MzWings
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Re: Classes open at gay high school
« Reply #11 on: Sep 9^th, 2003, 2:12pm »

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on Sep 9^th, 2003, 11:25am, Rhune wrote:

It will be great when it's that way some day, but somehow I doubt it will be in my lifetime.

As much as it pains me, I don't see the acceptance/tolerance happening by people even in my grandson's or greatgrandchildrens lifetime. While I don't mean to get all preachy here, there are a couple of things I believe. One is that the Lord (I call Him Lord but you can call him/her what you wish) put humans on earth to learn and teach. I believe that He gave us an outline how to do both.

I googled Harvey Milk Highschool and clicked around. There are words and phrases used by us (all) daily which we grew up with and don't find offensive or hurtful - but others do.

Here's a little example - I underlined and bolded for a quicker read:

http://www.washingtondispatch.com/article_6541.shtml

A Response to the Harvey Milk School: It's Still Discrimination

Exclusive commentary by Greg Lewis

Sep 5, 2003

"First, I want to thank David Mensah and Bari Mattes for correcting the information in my September 3 Commentary, "Gender Bias," about the racial/ethnic population of the Harvey Milk School and the income levels of a typical Harvey Milk student's family. I amend the phrase in question to read "mostly intelligent so-called 'gender minorities.'"

The problem is that to point to the ratio of racial and ethnic minorities to non-minorities at the Harvey Milk School is willfully misleading: A student's race or ethnicity has no bearing on whether he or she gets into the school! Race and ethnicity and socio-economic status have nothing to do with it; they're simply accidents of the admission policy. Mensah's and Mattes' use of this statistical evidence is no less than an attempt to obscure the point, which is to question how students qualify for admission in the first place.

That said, I would point out that Mensah and Mattes have yet to respond to the article's main assertion, that it is a misapplication of public money to fund a public high school the admission to which is based on the "gender preferences" of students. There are any numbers of good reasons to channel students into special schools, but their sexuality is decidedly not one of them.

Nor does it wash for Mensah and Mattes to play the violence card. The Harvey Milk School does not exist for students who have experienced abuse at their schools; it exists for gay, lesbian, and transgender students, presumably whether or not they have been the victims of abuse. As Mensah and Mattes point out, it is the responsibility of law enforcement and the public school systems to assure the safety of students. But we don't know that the abuse suffered by Harvey Milk students occurred while they were at school. Nor do we know that all students of the Harvey Milk School have been victims of abuse at school. Perhaps Mensah and Mattes can set us straight on these issues.

That a student might be singled out for violence because he is gay is no less damaging than that a student might be singled out for violence because he is, for example, obese, or has dark skin, or wears glasses, all of which, again, unfortunately, have occurred too frequently. If the Harvey Milk School were indeed an "interim" school for students who had been the victims of abuse at school, there wouldn't be any need for me to repeat the following: Explain to me one more time how the concept of a high school for students of a particular "gender orientation" is 1) constitutional, 2) legal, and 3) an appropriate way to spend taxpayer money.

And for Mensah and Mattes to somehow disingenuously suggest that we should look at the Harvey Milk School "without bias or special agenda" is absurd. That is, in fact, exactly what I did in my commentary piece. I looked at the situation without bias or agenda and discovered that the Harvey Milk School is itself biased in its admission process. No matter that a small number of respondents to an opinion poll (conducted at the behest of the organization which, as I understand it, administers the Harvey Milk School) "think it's a good idea" to provide interim safe haven for students who are victims of abuse. Indeed, to use such an opinion poll to justify what may well be a violation of our country's laws is a willful misapprehension of the public trust.

And while I applaud the school's success, I would assert that any school which takes a small group of similarly intellectually capable students regardless of "gender orientation" and focuses equivalent resources on their education would likely achieve similar results. The real question is, why aren't those kind of resources being marshaled to provide similar learning environments for students regardless of "gender orientation?"

The separate-but-equal philosophy implicit in the Harvey Milk School's segregationist admittance policy is as dangerous to the legal foundations on which this country operates as it was when it was applied prior to the late 1950s to keep black students from attending white schools. And for the defenders of such a practice to resort to the court of public opinion is no less specious than was the appeal to racist public opinion prior to Brown v. Board of Education.

It remains to be seen whether there will be a legal challenge to the right of the Harvey Milk school to perpetuate discriminatory and biased admission practices. Certainly, given the courts' record in favor of such practices, the outlook for correcting the situation is not good. But until that challenge is made and an outcome determined in the courts, I find it hard to believe that the weak and dodgy assertions of such defenders as Mensah and Mattes are going to convince many Americans of the legitimacy or the justness of their cause."

« Last Edit: Sep 9^th, 2003, 2:14pm by MzWings »

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"Senility Prayer"...God grant me...
The senility to forget the people I never liked
The good fortune to run into the ones that I do
And the eyesight to tell the difference."

Lesbia
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Re: Classes open at gay high school
« Reply #12 on: Sep 11^th, 2003, 3:06pm »

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Hi! Wanted to jump right in, and what better topic than this one!

Am I to understand that this isn't just a school for gays but a school for all kids who are picked on or harrassed for any reason?

MzWings, you asked if there are any schools in the US for straight people only, and I'm thinking that any Catholic or religious school would not allow "open" gays. And, heck, we all know about Bob Jones University, though that isn't high school. I'm for any private school excluding anybody they want. They're private, afterall.

Oh, and I agree with everything that Rhune said. Cool

And isn't Fred Phelps a complete Tool?

:rose:

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Rhune
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Re: Classes open at gay high school
« Reply #13 on: Sep 11^th, 2003, 3:15pm »

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I'm embarassed to live in the same state with him. I understand people not having the same opinion I do and I can understand (even though I don't agree) with people who are opposed to homosexuality. However, any person who would go and picket the funeral of another person, like they aren't human, like they deserved to die for being gay or deserved to have been murdered....I'm ashamed to be on the same planet as that man...

« Last Edit: Sep 11^th, 2003, 3:24pm by Rhune »

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Lesbia
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Re: Classes open at gay high school
« Reply #14 on: Sep 11^th, 2003, 3:56pm »

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Again. Completely agree with you, Rhune. He's quite the madman, no? I mean, what is his deal? I can't get into the mindset of someone like him.'

Besides, I'm not sure he's sane . . . Huh

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