California Junior High Principal Apologizes For Not............

[Johnboy60]

California Junior High Principal Apologizes For Not Warning Parents About Pro-Homosexual Program for 8th Graders

The principal and a teacher at Goleta Valley Junior High School in Santa Barbara County, California are apologizing to parents for not following school district policy relating to a pro-homosexual workshop given to 8th grade students in a leadership class at the school.

The controversial workshop was presented by “Just Communities Central Coast” in three, 45-minute sessions over three days. It included handouts defining homosexual terminology, including queer and transgender, and listed “heterosexism” as “oppression that ‘pushes down’ people who are LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transgender and questioning) and ‘pushes up’ people who are straight.”

CNSNews.com - California Junior High Principal Apologizes For Not Warning Parents About Pro-Homosexual Program for 8th Graders

 

[ACougar]

I can see a lot that is pro-tolerance but nothing that is pro-homosexual... did someone attend this training and decided that they would be become homesexual instead of hetrosexual?

 

[Tenka]

I am shocked and appalled, how will children remain straight after this kind of onslaught.

One page featuring cartoon-like figures and entitled “Gender & Sexuality Definitions: A Visual Map,” depicts a person's body with the heart area labeled as “sexual orientation” and the genital area labeled as “sex.”

CNSNEWS, another source I'll know to ignore for next time.

 

[PreachersWife2004]

How about focusing on the fact that they just didn't follow the rules?

 

[clarksided]

This just in:

"gays are people"

"[wash my mouth][wash my mouth][wash my mouth] no"

"sry"

 

[ACougar]

Isn't that the role of Churches and parents? Schools are simply teaching that were all human beings and that we all deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. Not everyone is hetrosexual, this is how some people are oriented as opposed to others... Religious rules are another matter, if your religion teaches that homosexual people should remain abstinate, then that should be taught at home and at church.

How about focusing on the fact that they just didn't follow the rules?

 

[PreachersWife2004]

Isn't that the role of Churches and parents? Schools are simply teaching that were all human beings and that we all deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. Not everyone is hetrosexual, this is how some people are oriented as opposed to others... Religious rules are another matter, if your religion teaches that homosexual people should remain abstinate, then that should be taught at home and at church.

Let me clarify. The SCHOOL didn't follow the rules that the DISTRICT has in place for these things. The SCHOOL was supposed to alert the parents that this class was being held, so that parents could decide whether or not they wanted their children to participate.

and no, frankly I do not think it's the school's place to teach kids about sexual orientation. I do not need a school telling my children that sexual immorality is okay. This is why the rule is in place, so that parents can say "I'd rather my child not learn about this in school" and take appropriate steps.

What if the principal had failed to tell the parents that a Catholic priest was coming in to talk about Catholicism for three days? I'm sure people would be up in arms that rules were not followed.

 

[BigBadWlf]

Next thing you know this rouge principle will bring a program that tells those poor impressionable children that black people are human beings to.

Can you imagine the indignant outrage THAT would bring?

 

[selfintercession]

Let me clarify. The SCHOOL didn't follow the rules that the DISTRICT has in place for these things. The SCHOOL was supposed to alert the parents that this class was being held, so that parents could decide whether or not they wanted their children to participate.

and no, frankly I do not think it's the school's place to teach kids about sexual orientation. I do not need a school telling my children that sexual immorality is okay. This is why the rule is in place, so that parents can say "I'd rather my child not learn about this in school" and take appropriate steps.

What if the principal had failed to tell the parents that a Catholic priest was coming in to talk about Catholicism for three days? I'm sure people would be up in arms that rules were not followed.

Well actually the separation between Church and State should (theoretically) stop that (^^^) from happening at all. There's a difference, however, between a Catholic priest preaching in a school and the school teaching kids that no matter how you feel about "sexual immorality", everybody deserves to be treated with respect and it is NOT OK to discriminate against or mistreat people because they're gay.

 

[BigBadWlf]

This just in:

"gays are people"

Shame on you for putting up this pro-homosexual post.

I insist you apologize to one and all for subjecting who knows how many children to such a wicked thing!

 

[AmyGlen]

As a teacher I miss the days when teachers could just teach academic material. That's orginally why public schools were created, to teach children about math, science, english, social studies, etc. It should be the domain of the parents to teach about all of this extra stuff that has nothing to do with academics. Public schools are so weak when it comes to teaching math and science, and yet instead of spending more time on these subjects and strengthening our teaching of them, we've got to spend time on things that quite frankly should be the responsibility of the parents.

Schools are not supposed to be babysitters. If you want your child to learn about tolerance towards gays then teach your child about tolerance towards gays. It shouldn't be the responsibility of the school to do this. One reason why public schools are growing so weak at teaching academics is because teachers have to waste time on things like this that have nothing to do with academics.

 

[selfintercession]

The problem is that many parents don't have the time, or are unwilling to sit down and talk about social issues with their kids. Yes, the public school systems in North America have changed over the past couple of centuries -- but so has society.

 

[AmyGlen]

The problem is that many parents don't have the time, or are unwilling to sit down and talk about social issues with their kids. Yes, the public school systems in North America have changed over the past couple of centuries -- but so has society.

That still doesn't mean schools should take over all of the responsibilities of the parents. If some parents can't take a few minutes out of their day to discuss important social issues with their children then I have to wonder why these parents bothered having children in the first place since they obviously expect others (teachers & the school system) to raise their children for them. The purpose of the public school system should not be to raise people's children for them; to take on this extra responsibility means that we tend to grow weak at teaching academics. Parents may not have time to talk over social issues with their kids, but schools also don't have enough time to teach core subjects in-depth if they are also trying to concentrate on teaching social issues. Our public schools are criticized for failing in math and science, and we have high school students who can't even read. Public schools may have changed along with society, but it's this change that's causing them to fail academically.

 

[selfintercession]

You can wonder about why certain parents decided to have children as much as you want to, but it won't change anything. The fact is that if the schools don't teach kids about what society sees as OK and not OK in the most basic sense, they're never going to hear it. And then you'll have older people talking about how kids these days are going nuts and ruining society... the kids need to hear that gay-bashing isn't acceptable in this day and age in a civilized society -- and if you want to tell your kids that the homos are still going to hell at the end of the day, then that's your right.

And the academic failure is happening because of ridiculously-short school days and parents who don't invest the time to make sure their kids are doing their homework properly -- not because schools are telling kids that they shouldn't beat people up because they're different.

 

[AmyGlen]

And the academic failure is happening because of ridiculously-short school days and parents who don't invest the time to make sure their kids are doing their homework properly -- not because schools are telling kids that they shouldn't beat people up because they're different.

I teach in the public schools. There is a lot of concentration and emphasis on teaching social issues (homosexuality is only one of these issues) and not enough concentration on teaching core subjects in-depth. For example, in elementary schools (both upper and lower) self esteem is taught more often than science.

About the school day, kids in the US actually spend more hours in school than kids in Asia who constantly outscore us in math and science. American kids spend 1,146 instructional hours per year in school, while in Singapore they spend 903, Taiwan 1,050, Japan 1,005, and Hong Kong 1,013. The difference is in Asian countries they concentrate fully on academics and not on social issues which are seen as the responsibility of the parents.

 

[selfintercession]

However, since American schools do teach about important social issues whereas Asian ones apparently do not (and I have to take your word on that one since I have no idea myself), then it seems logical to add more hours to the school day. Since you disagree about teaching those issues in school at all though, you'll probably disagree. So I guess we're at the point where we just have agree to disagree

 

[gnomon]

I always like to look at the facts. The ones that matter.

1) These "children" are teenagers. Pubescent "children" already slobbering over images of each other.
2) Human sexuality exists and is not restricted to the traditional concepts. Homosexuality, bisexuality, intersex, transgender, etc. are real.
3) Human gender is a socially constructed concept. It's not a biological phenomenon. Sex is the biological phenomenon and pretty much every sociologist, biologist, anthropologist, etc. know that sex is not a hard code determinant of gender roles in the world. Culture plays a huge part.l
4) Some Christians are upset that someone is teaching the truth about biology. In other words, someone is teaching factual information regarding an academic matter.

The only thing telling is that from the story people are upset that someone is taking the time to teach about violence and discrimination against people different from the norm.

Is it the school's place to teach this? As long as it's a progressive school then yes. Reading enough religious forums it's quite clear we cannot rely on the prejudice of many people in this country to teach their children the truth.

Oh yeah, that whole workshop has only one unit focused on sexual orientation. Other than that chart it provides a list of definitions that even the most ardent anti-homosexual human being would accept. They are pretty basic. Considering the average American teenager hears these words regularly it's really no big deal. It then goes on to ask individuals their perception of violence/discrimination against homosexuals and what can be done to reduce such violence/discrimination.

No tips on gay sex. Nothing about gay marriage.

What, exactly, is there to be upset about unless you are that pathetic and prejudiced of a human being? The only thing that irritates me is that they left out intersex.

 

[selfintercession]

Reading enough religious forums it's quite clear we cannot rely on the prejudice of many people in this country to teach their children the truth.

Well personally, the way I see it is that people certainly have the right to tell their kids what they think about sexuality etc. based on their morals and religion... at least in places like the U.S., Canada and other democratic parts of the world... but on the other hand, they can't expect for society to not expose their kids to other points of view as well. That's life and that's the way it should be IMO.

 

[gnomon]

Well personally, the way I see it is that people certainly have the right to tell their kids what they think about sexuality etc. based on their morals and religion... at least in places like the U.S., Canada and other democratic parts of the world... but on the other hand, they can't expect for society to not expose their kids to other points of view as well. That's life and that's the way it should be IMO.

That's true.

But those upset at the workshop should at least get it right. It's not teaching anything about sexuality. Session 2, on sexuality and discrimination/violence, is functionally no different than Session 3 on racism. If people are upset at Session 2 than they should be at Session 3 as well.

As far as teaching social issues this is something schools have been doing, with the massive blessing of conservative groups, from day one. Any argument along those lines is false because it fails the test of history. Teaching patriotism in our classrooms is solely a social function with zero academic merit. I don't hear a certain class of posters on this thread complaining about that.

 

[selfintercession]