Homophobia: Alive and Thriving in Our Public Schools

While things in general are getting better in terms of societal acceptance of gays, one sad exception remains many of the nation's public schools where the slightest action that might be deemed LGBT supportive can endanger a teacher's job and where administrators continue to suggest that being gays is something abominable.  I've written a number of times about the way in which gay bashing and anti-gay bullying continues as an unofficially endorsed sport in the local York County, Virginia school division.  True, the division purports to have an anti-gay bullying, but it seemingly is never enforced.  At least when the victims are gay or perceived to be gay.  But the foul anti-gay agenda of administrators who are either homophobes themselves or who lack the spine to stand up to bigoted parents spreads across the county.  Hence the story of a teacher who was suspended for playing a gay supportive song at the request of a student:

A Seattle-based hip-hop star is speaking out after a Michigan teacher was suspended for playing his gay-inclusive song in class.

In a Nov. 29 blog on his website, Macklemore called the suspension of Centennial Middle School teacher Susan Johnson "completely out of line and unjust." Johnson had allowed a student to play Macklemore's "Same Love," which contains lyrics like "I might not be the same, but that's not important/No freedom 'til we're equal, damn right I support it," in class.
Macklemore noted:

"This incident is just one of tens of thousands that have happened across the country where schools have exposed a latent homophobia, preventing safe space for all young people to feel confident in being themselves. It’s clear that Ms. Johnson felt bullying and 'gay bashing' were issues that needed to be addressed, and by doing so, was punished."

Saying that he wrote "Same Love" in hopes that the song "would facilitate dialogue and through those conversations understanding and empathy would emerge," Macklemore concludes:

"It’s discouraging that a song about love and civil rights has led to a teacher getting suspended from her job. But that’s where we are at. For those of us who get a pit in our stomach when reading a story like this, it just makes it abundantly clear there is far more work to be done."

And then there's this story out of Arizona where two male students were punished by having to hold hands in front of the entire school so as to subject them to anti-gay taunts:

A first-year principal in Mesa, Ariz., has been thrown into the spotlight for employing a controversial -- yet apparently effective -- method of student discipline.

When two Westwood High School students got in a fist fight during class this week, Principal Tim Richards gave the teens an choice: suspension or public humiliation -- by sitting next to each other holding hands in the school courtyard.

The students chose the latter, hanging their heads as peers watched and taunted them from all sides. Westwood students found the stunt funny.

"Kids were laughing at them and calling them names asking, 'Are you gay?'" student Brittney Smyers told ABC 15. 

Photos of the freshman and sophomore hand-in-hand gained attention online, drawing praise from some who called the punishment effective. Charles Crockett, 14, one of the boys involved in the tussle, admitted to KPHO that he won't fight again. And while the punishment only lasted an hour, Charles says he skipped school the next day because the teasing became unbearable.

But critics say that the punishment encourages bullying, allowing students to publicly taunt the teens. Others have suggested that it sends a negative message about gay students by asserting that two males holding hands is an embarrassent.

[T]e district isn't standing behind the principal's move. District officials have released a statement, which reads in part:

The district does not condone the choice of in-school discipline given these students, regardless of their acceptance or willingness to participate. District leadership will address this matter with the school principal, and review district protocol regarding student discipline with all administrators.

Thankfully, the school division in Mesa, Arizona isn't backing the principal's actions.  But generally, such is not the case.  And what motivates all this anti-gay hate and bullying.  You guessed it, the "godly Christian" set and their insistence that anyone who doesn't conform to their Neolithic era derived religious beliefs be punished.  There is no better argument against Christianity than many of its alleged followers who worship hate and fear and trash the Gospel message.