What do you think of a school who outs a gay student to his mother and classmates?

Shouldn't teachers and school administrators be psych-screened for bigotry or religious views that may endanger their students?



http://atheism.about.com/b/2008/05/06/pr...

What do you think of a school who outs a gay student to his mother and classmates?
that's AWFUL, and kind of frightening. I'm 25 and I'd be mortified if someone outed me to my mother. Jeez. This woman needs sorted.

Those poor kids, he was an honour student, got told he couldn't represent the school on a trip... not like he was a bad kid up to no good, how could that happen? That's too young to have to go through both school outing, parent and full scale media scruitiny.

Teachers aren't supposed to do that.
Reply:I think every skeleton in that principal's closet should be printed up and posted all over town for everyone to see. I'm guessing she's not perfect and she has some secrets she wouldn't appreciate her whole community know about - everyone does. This principal's actions were totally unethical and bigoted, and I hope she was fired! The only way any couple in school should have been of any concern to her is if their affections/activities were disrupting their classes or other students - simply walking from class to class together is what one would expect to see any pair of friends do for goodness sake, as well as sitting together for lunch or chatting in the halls before class, etc. Yeah - outwardly expressing your bigotry and intolerance, and sticking your nose where it doesn't belong, therefore taking time away from the job you're *supposed* to be doing - way to set an example for the rest of the students Principal Beasley! UGH.



Unfortunately - trying to find a better class of teachers and administrators may not be easy - teachers are already underpaid and in this economy, school budgets are being cut big time. We're lucky we have anyone to run our schools and educate our children. (I saw the list of teachers and staff who will be laid off at my local High School - wow. It's scary what's happening to our education system.)



ineedhelpwithmyselfimage - what is the source of the report you posted? I read the ACLU report, which is pretty similar to what is said at the link the asker posted.
Reply:You know, I could see a teacher being concerned about a kid if they suspected they were being abused, or they were suicidal...but gay? What right did they have to tell the parents? You know, there are plenty of hetero kids having teenage sex, and I am sure it is pretty obvious to teachers, but you don't hear of teachers reporting that to parents. I think it is effed up and if I were the school board or whoever, I'd fire the teacher.



And I didn't read the article, I just answered the question...so my view may um, not be fully educated.
Reply:Disgusting. How on earth is she still allowed to be a principal? I would pull my kid (gay or straight) out of that school so fast her head would spin. This is just one more reason I'm thinking about home schooling my kids. At least from me they will learn the simple facts of life like love is love, and you can't choose who you are attracted to.



EDIT: @ineedhelp...: It has been my personal experience that the simplest kiss, or even holding hands (which is viewed as okay or even "sweet" when done between a male and female) is seen as "explicit sexual behavior" when it is concerning a homosexual couple. My two gay friends were escorted from a resaurant once for explicit sexual behavior when one proposed on bended knee, and the other replied with a kiss. When it comes to an obvious bigot's views on what can be considered "explicit sexual behavior", I'll wait to make up my own mind after hearing the other side. I still view what she did as deplorable!
Reply:It would depend on the teacher's intent. If it was merely to embarrass or harass, then that's wrong. It the teacher had a legitimate concern for the student's safety or well-being, it still could've been done more tactfully (probably).



I don't know all the specifics, nor did the liberal media necessarily report all the facts (or the teacher's side accurately). You do know that you can't believe everything that's reported?
Reply:If I were the mother of that student, I would have hung up on her and been on the phone with a lawyer ten minutes later. I would see to it that she was out of a job and that the school system had a big lawsuit on their hands for tolerating that sort of behavior from someone they hired to be the principal of the school.
Reply:I think it's terrible. Just as I think it's terrible that this blogger blames Christianity for this principal's behavior, without ascertaining first if the woman is even a Christian. He puts anti-gay and Southern US together and BAM! he gets bigot.

He is a bigot himself to do so.



My son has a gay friend at school; his parents don't know, and we will never, ever tell them because it's not our place or our business.
Reply:Vot Anarж shows a lack of understanding of the pressures of facing bigots



the only 1 hobo is making stuff up to suit his bigotry



some of the trouble is that religious views and bigots will never see how much damage they cause, some views need to be screened to protect the students



edit:Rainbow the Meist AM VG JPAS ATM has put a bigoted stupid spin on it with the phrasing used
Reply:I think they should be fired....actually i think something much worse should happen to them. Anyone who goes out of their way to make a child feel singled out, especially at that delicate age, should certainly not be working with kids. That's terrible. She should be publicly outed for being a hate-filled (insert your favourite insult) .
Reply:It's bad enough that schools are forced by law to turn student information to the government to find out who is eligible for military service without their parent's consent but this is INEXCUSABLE. Those kids fourth amendment rights to personal privacy were violated. What if this pricipal were cheating on her husband and it was put up on myspace? THAT would be a criminal violation wouldn't it? Why do these christians choose to overlook the fact that Jesus said he came to abolish the old law, which included leviticus, and said the highest is LOVE THY NEIGHBOR??? The sad thing is the parents of these kids will probably THANK the school instead of suing it into the ground. GodDAMN, these ignorant, southern red neck incest loving FREAKS.
Reply:I think that what she did was deplorable. It was none of her business keeping a list of couples so that everyone could see and it was CERTAINLY none of her business to out those two boys. I only hope that TPTB, terminate her employment for abusing her power to further her OBVIOUS bigoted agenda.
Reply:Wow...



That actually happened at my high school. (It was a private, Christian school. I only had 32 people in my class. It was awful... everyone knew everything about you at all times.)



If you were suspected of being gay, you could get suspended or even expelled... and your parents were always made aware of what was going on.



Lovely, huh?
Reply:This is the kind of thing I hope is seen by the Christian bigots who constantly make themselves out to be the injured parties in issues involving homosexuality. Here's two people trying to live a quiet and private life and that's too much to ask from this horrible woman.
Reply:The thing that stunned me was that this is a public school. Luckily the ACLU is already involved.
Reply:What a stupid school.



I hope that kid wins a lot of money in a lawsuit.



It won't change the hatred, but it will give the school a proverbial kick in the nuts.
Reply:Sue her big time. I don't want to hear any of this "deeply held religious beliefs" nonsense. She lied and targeted the boy because he was gay, period.
Reply:Its a school whose governors and principal need to be put in the stocks and pilloried by any who find that unacceptable.



Good old christians eh?
Reply:That woman is a lawsuit waiting to happen.



I can't believe that people can still be so insensitive in this day and age...
Reply:They should mind their own business... the mother probably already knew....
Reply:I hope that school gets massively sued. Unless he was a danger to himself or others, that was just uncalled for.
Reply:Unbelievable. Such a childish schoolyard bully... and this is the principal??
Reply:I think that sounds like a good case to take on a contingency basis.
Reply:THATS GAY
Reply:I would sue their ***



Thats none of the guys business





This Pisses me off!
Reply:i think that is BAD
Reply:I smell a lawsuit! That sucks!
Reply:Now for the rest of the REAL STORY:



Memphis City Schools responded Thursday, May 1, via school attorneys, with the following letter:

“Memphis City Schools is committed to providing its students with the best possible learning environment. Hollis F. Price Middle College is an accelerated high school, which is located on the historically black LeMoyne-Owen College campus. Eligible students may enroll in college classes in pursuit of completing the first two years of college while attending this high school.



Because we have high school students on a college campus, we have to carefully monitor the activities of our students. We are at all times

proactive in assuring that our students are provided a safe, nurturing and disciplined learning climate. Unfortunately, in fall 2007, we received numerous complaints from LeMoyne-Owen College faculty and staff that some of our student couples were involved in explicit sexual behavior in public view on the college campus.



In light of this information from LeMoyne-Owen faculty and staff, the principal of Hollis F. Price made several general announcements to the student body that this behavior would not be tolerated. Regrettably, the improper behavior continued. Therefore, the principal felt it appropriate to notify the parents of those children she knew to be involved romantically. This was done in an effort to gain the support of the parents in reinforcing the message that such behavior is in violation of Memphis City Schools’ Student Code of Conduct. The principal did not list any information other than students’ names on her personal call list, and she certainly did not specify the sexual orientation of any student. Additionally, the list was never posted publicly anywhere at the school.



It is the position of Memphis City Schools that the principal did act in an appropriate manner in order to correct a serious issue at the school and that Memphis City Schools has not subjected either of these students to

discriminatory treatment.



In the coming days, we will submit a formal response to the ACLU. We look forward to working with them to amicably resolve this matter.”



NO OUTING

NO DISCUSSION OF ORIENTATION

NOTHING OF THE SORT.....



SO SAD, IT DIDNT HAPPEN THE WAY ATHEISM WOULD LIKE TO BELIEVE!



Griffin Girl - This letter clearly states the parents were notified regardless of orientation.......No evidence of bigotry there. Only here by all of you who want to believe these haf truths, look in the mirror! Bigots indeed.



Source - Memphis school board public information, Memphis newspapers printed the letter.
Reply:My goodness they run around hanging on to each other and the cry when their Mommy finds out???????



Come on, so sterotypical, wuusses.
Reply:What?



Is he ashamed of his "nature"?
Reply:Well when he comes to school dressed as a girl, I dont think it takes much to out him ;-)
Reply:so what did your mother say to you after she found out?