Student opinions, and other things...
I subscribe to an email publication from The Daily Campus, the student newspaper at University of Connecticut. One thing that has come up lately is the gay marriage debate. It's interesting to see what young people are saying about this. Here are a few links to their letters:
USG senator fails to represent gay community
USG senator should show more tact
Homosexuals are still Americans
Gays deserve an equal voice for their rights
Religion, Bible unjustly influence leaders
(Los Angeles, California) Arnold Schwarzenegger today made his first public statement on gay issues in the campaign to unseat California governor Gay Davis. The bodybuilder-turned-actor-turned-politician told a radio audience that he is opposed to gay marriage, but supports domestic partnership rights.
Answering a barrage of questions on a number of issues by Sean Hannity on his syndicated radio show, which also was broadcast live on Fox Television, Schwarzenegger said: "I do support domestic partnerships" but added that he was against gay marriage. He said marriage should be between a man and a woman.
Damn Arnold, if I'd known that, I might have had to re-think my movie-buying decisions of the past. At least he has an opinion about SOMETHING. He has all the answers to the problems of California, but has he ever come out on any issue on how he is going to make it work? He puts out cliches with no substance. Hummmm, kind of like his movies... moving on.
Study: majority of Scots find gay relationships "wrong"
A study of Scottish people has revealed the majority find same sex relationships always, mostly or sometimes wrong.
According to the Scottish Executive poll, 48% thought that gay and lesbian relationships were wrong, although 40% felt that such relationships were "not wrong at all".
Huh? I guess if you find something "always, mostly or sometimes wrong", you are probably pretty safe.
Gay Couple Wins Settlement In Housing Denial Suit.
(Boca Raton, Florida) A Boca Raton apartment complex is required to post a nondiscrimination sign in their office and include a statement of nondiscrimination in rental applications under an agreement reached in the case of a gay couple who were denied housing.
In addition, the Royal Colonial Apartments will pay Fred Sternbach and Stephen Miller $75,000 in damages and legal fees.
Father Files $100,000 Suit Against School for Son's Gay Harassment
The father of a 12-year-old California student filed a $100,000 claim against Pacifica School District on Sept. 15, alleging administrators failed to protect his son against classmates' anti-gay remarks and death threats.
In his suit, Mike Shaposhnikov documented over 120 separate incidents against his son. Among the allegations are reports of physical and verbal abuse, callous indifferent on the part of the schools principal and administration and in one isolated incident, a death threat.
This is a story I've been following for awhile now. It's somewhat hard to believe in a way, because Pacifica is a beautiful little town just south of San Francisco right on the Pacific Ocean. It's serene and peaceful. Apparently, not so serene if you are a gay student. I'm worried about the student and I hope the school now takes the matter seriously.
The site allows for readers to leave comments. This was the comment I left:
The Pacifica School District says that they have done everything that they can to stop the harassment. If you believe that, I have a bridge to sell you. If they wanted to stop the harassment, it would stop.
I would start by calling for a school assembly requiring all students and teachers to attend. I would address harassment and cruelty to others as UNACCEPTABLE. Those who did not abide by this standard would be EXPELLED and their behavior and actions would be recorded in their permanent school record. That's called ZERO TOLERANCE!
People have rights, but their rights stop at the point that they cause others anguish and heartache. I hope that this boys father cleans house on the school district. The school district needs to understand that they had the power to stop this when it started and THEY DID NOTHING. Making a half-hearted attempt just doesn't cut it. I hope they get what they deserve.
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My son was hit, kicked, and shoved to the ground many times last year by a boy in his class. I told school personnel as did my son. Nothing was done. This went on all year and nothing. My son did not want to go to school and had a hard time trusting school personnel. This year my son and a different boy had a issue. The boy said my son poked him with his finger in the arm; more than once. The boy slapped my son in the face. My son got suspended for this finger poking incident the other boy however was not suspended for slapping my son in the face. The parent of the other boy called the police on my son the next day and filed a police report against my son. My son son is being told he will go to jail if he bothers this boy again. My son has never been in any trouble before this one incident and has not had another incident with this boy.
I have kept my son home in fear of retaliation fro the other boy or the parent. My son is also scared to go to school because he is afraid the boy is going to lie again about him and he is going to go to jail. So I have kept him home and he has been taking independent study to avoid any further conflict with this boy and his mother.
Yesterday a little after 3:00pm I told my son to go bring all his completed work to the school because the holiday break is coming up. So as my son was at the school dropping his homework/school work off this boys mother came up to my son and started screaming at him saying things like "your going to jail!"; "go run home to your mother!". After she had done this to my son she went into the school and said my son said bad words to her and poked her. The sad thing is that the school would not even listen to my son in defense. The mother of the boy did not know that another parent saw this incident and said she was lying and she approached my son unprovoked. Now this mother has taken her son of the school as well claiming her son is having nightmares and is afraid of going to school because of the poking incident. I am not sure what to do. I have already taken my son out and my son has not been in school for about two weeks and now all of a sudden this boys mother says he's having nightmare after two weeks of my son not even being there? Who's being bullied here? The boy who was poked with a finger or the boy who was slapped in the face and told he is going to jail? Which one do you think is having the nightmares?
I'm sorry but I had to get this out.... I have no help in this situation.