Bay schools phase out gay-friendly curriculum

Bay schools phase out gay-friendly curriculum

news.yahoo.com...

ALAMEDA, Calif. – The school board blinked.

Under the duress of a lawsuit and threats of recall, the Alameda Board of Education has voted to phase out an elementary school curriculum it adopted in May to prevent anti-gay bullying.

The so-called Lesson 9, which had become an opposition centerpiece in a national anti-gay marriage campaign, will be replaced by a more generic anti-bullying message.

(visit the link for the full news article)


[edit on 10-12-2009 by Roadblockx]

Until this morning, I hadn't even heard about this special program being introduced to elementary students regarding anti-gay bullying. I would think a program teaching about bullying in general would be a better idea.

Please don't turn this into an anti-gay thread. What I am hoping to get from everyone is whether elementary school is the place to begin teaching kids about being gay. As a dad of two boys, I would much rather them learn about the whole topic of sex education from me but not in elementary school. Probably when they 12 or 13 which is junior high school. Am I looking at this wrong?

I'm all for ant-bullying programs but I see no advantage to focusing on one group getting more "protection" then another. Equal protection.

Again, please don't turn this into a hostile thread because it will get buried in the trash bin. Thanks everyone!

news.yahoo.com...
(visit the link for the full news article)

[edit on 10-12-2009 by Roadblockx]

I think a general anti-bullying message is a great idea. As long as it's enforced. There's no need to separate out different reasons for bullying. I'm all for gay rights and teaching kids to be accepting of people who are different than themselves. but unless they have lessons for ALL reasons for bullying, then a general message is best, in my opinion.



[edit on 10-12-2009 by Benevolent Heretic]

I think these anti-bullying laws are a bunch of bunk! Kids are growing up to be a bunch of whining sissies. How will they ever learn to deal with a cruel, grown up world when they have been pampered and protected from every unkind word or whatever when growing up?

I certainly feel that addressing the bullying question is a good idea along with giving kids real skills in dealing with bullies and managing the situations themselves rather than passing the buck, as that would empower the child with lifelong skills.. I also feel this should be extended to include teaching children how to deal with abusive and bullying adults.

[edit on 10/12/09 by thoughtsfull]

reply to post by inthesticks


They wont have to deal with anything. The government can deal with it for them. That seems to be the plan.

I agree with the op. Getting made fun of because you have say, a clubbed foot, buck teeth or big ears is no less hurtful than when you're gay.
Actually, homosexuality isn't a physically obvious "abnormality", so to speak, whereas those with physically obvious ones have nowhere to hide from ridicule. Imo, having something odd about you paraded around your entire life is much more difficult than something that is easily hidden.

I'm all for supporting gay rights (or the rights for anyone as long is it doesn't hurt anyone else) but I think this type of specific targeting doesn't do anyone any favors. What we need is to treat respect of ALL people, as well as the means to deal with bullies. All this would do is stratify the school even further and not really help the problem. It's just like how the DARE program has been shown to increase drug use, scare tactics just don't work.