Today marks the GLBT National Day of Silence. I don't know a lot about the reason or history of the day, I just know there are certain colors kids in schools wear to show they support GLBT rights - my sister said this years' color is red.
If you have kids, or know any in school, please post. I'd be interested in what happens in their school today.
I have a story to post when I have time on break ... my sister and her husband are close friends with a couple whose daughter was involuntarily singled out in class last week.
Needless to say, her father has contacted the school and is after the liberal teacher who allowed the situation to happen.
But alas, you'll have to wait about 10 minutes for the story...
My sister was telling me that last week, a daughter of a couple they're close to was in a class where a group from the anti-defamation league came in to ask questions. The teacher is very liberal and allowed the group class time.
It began about race, but then they wanted to play a game, where kids who answered questions one way would be on one side of the classroom, and others who answered the questions another way were placed on the other side of the room.
This is where it went south...
They began asking questions like, do you have glbt friends? Do you support glbt rights? How would you feel if you had two moms (or two dads).
She was the only person on one side of the room - all the other classmates were on the side opposite her, affirming their support of glbt rights.
As stated before, her parents are furious. Her father called the school and has requested to meet with the principal and teacher involved.
I find it ironic that this "anti-defamation" group, whose goal is to end discrimination and prejudice, singled out this young girl because of her belief.
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"God, send me anywhere, only go with me. Lay any burden on me, only sustain me. And sever any tie in my heart except the tie that binds my heart to Yours."
--David Livingstone
"To see no being, not God’s or any, but you also go thither,
To see no possession but you may possess it—enjoying all without labor or purchase—
abstracting the feast, yet not abstracting one particle of it;…."
--Walt Whitman, Leaves of Grass, Song of the Open Road
Last year, my 16 year old nephew didn't get the memo about what color to wear/not wear. Unfortunately he unknowingly wore a color of support and had to defend himself against some other kids.
During lunch a few boys came up to him accusing him of being gay and supporting GLBT, said they wanted to meet him outside after school. He ignored them.
After school, he noticed they were waiting outside as promised. So he walked on by, listening to his music and paying no attention. They weren't too happy about that, so while one kid video'd the confrontation (they were going to post to YouTube later), the others started pushing him and tried getting him to stop. He kept going. So they kept knocking into him and slapping his head to try to get him mad. Finally the instigator grabbed his arm and tried punching my nephew ... who ducked, and in view of parents (his mom didn't see it happen), teachers and other students, pulled back (with his backpack and guitar strapped to his back) and layed the kid out with one punch.
Then he turned his music back on and walked away.
He was suspended for a few days for fighting. Were it not for the video of the confrontation showing he acted in self-defense, he may have been kicked out of school and arrested for assault according to the principal. The other kids were given suspensions from a few days to over a week for the instigator - who has a history of fights.
From last year to this year, things have changed. Several schools here have "encouraged" students to support GLBT rights by allowing activists time in classrooms (such as the story above) and school assemblies.
It appears Mtv has gone in on this NDOS event with another cable channel, LOGO (I believe LOGO is a GLBT channel).
There is a massive assault going on right now against our kids and beliefs, and it's being pushed by the public school system and the biggest teen tv channel, Mtv.
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