Days of Silence

Same-sex marriage isn’t the only pro-gay policy making waves in California. Now school districts with bullying problems are forming alliances with organizations such as the Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) and the Gay Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN), often at the behest of the American Civil Liberties Union.

Upper Lake Union Elementary School District (ULUESD) recently decided to adopt comprehensive “sensitivity” policies following an ACLU lawsuit over the alleged assault of a 14-year-old student last Fall. The ACLU recently issued a press release celebrating the out-of-court settlement with the California school district.

“We’re pleased the District is taking such a big step in the right direction,” announced ACLU attorney Juniper Lesnik for the press release. “The lesson for other schools is to address anti-gay harassment early before it escalates to violence.”

“Robby,” whose real name has not been released, was reportedly attacked and beaten by a group of boys in his school locker room. “The boys knocked Robby to the ground and kicked him in the stomach, head and sides while screaming ‘fag’ and ‘queer’ at him. Robby received medical care for his injuries,” writes the ACLU.

“Robby” and his family received $25,000 for the injuries inflicted, reports the Lake County Record-Bee. Robby’s mother said that her son needed blood tests in order to ensure that there was no serious damage to his kidneys and liver.

While the assault against “Robby” was clearly lamentable—and already illegal—there remains the question as to whether the school district’s recent decision to adopt a comprehensive “sensitivity-training” curriculum serves the needs of local students or simply furthers the gay rights movement.

As AIA has documented, many actors behind the school safety movement seek to advance a pro-gay agenda, and see anti-gay bullying as a nationwide public school malaise. Some of the new new policies at Upper Lake Union will involve the direct integration of GLSEN and GSA educational materials not only at the Middle School where the assault occurred, but district-wide. These new programs include:

1. the annual “Day of Silence”;

2. GLSEN’s “No Name Calling Week;” and

3. Gay-Straight Alliance’s “Making your School a Hate Free Zone” program.

District officials have also committed to support a Gay-Straight Alliance club at the Middle School where “Robby” was assaulted, one of as many as 630 GSA chapters in the state, according to a GSA directory. There are more than 3,000 GSA clubs registered with GLSEN, according to GLSEN’s website.

The District will also adopt other comprehensive measures to combat homophobia, including:

–     new anti-discrimination and anti-harassment policies,

–     requiring teachers to discuss instances of bullying and harassment at each staff meeting,

–     distributing the National Education Association (NEA) LGBT sensitivity handbook to all teachers.

The NEA handbook in question tells teachers that students with religion-based objections to homosexuality have only limited rights in public schools. In answer to the question “Are people entitled to express religious or moral opposition to the GLBT community?,” the authors write:

“Yes. Within the school context, however, students have more limited free speech rights. Student speech can be prohibited if it is likely to cause a substantial disruption of school activities or create a hostile educational environment. Epithets, slurs, and harassment fall outside the free speech protection.”

Does this mean public schools should adopt speech codes similar to those at Universities? Perhaps, instead, they can receive treatments similar to those prescribed at the University of Delaware.

The ACLU has been pursuing similar lawsuits nationwide in an effort to expand GSA access to schools. Schools affected include Boyd County High School, Irmo High School, and Okeechobee High School.

This April, the ACLU threatened to sue a Memphis High School, Hollis F. Price Middle College High School, for outing the relationship status of a homosexual couple. Principal Daphne Beasley had staff members compile a list of dating students of all sexual orientations which she argued was an attempt to curb runaway public displays of affection in school.

According to media reports, the original list of dating students included both heterosexual and homosexual couples—but the ACLU singled out the Principal for outing the names of two homosexual boys, claiming the Beasley had a history of homophobic behavior

Other ongoing examples of GSA activities, such as one found at Deerfield High School (Illinois), remain troubling. In the Spring of 2007 Deerfield High decided to host a mandatory GSA panel which would feature openly gay upperclassmen and women talking about their sexuality.

The event came under fire by the Illinois Family Institute and Concerned Women for America (CWA) after it was discovered that the school district intended to make students sign a confidentiality agreement that they would not discuss the details of the event outside of class, even with their own parents. District officials later dropped the requirement because of the controversy.

This March, Deerfield High also came under fire for making Tony Kushner’s play, Angels in America, mandatory reading. The play, which features explicit homosexual scenes and profanes Mother Theresa, was later listed as an optional title after CWA and parents protested the schools’ decision.

Bethany Stotts is a Staff Writer at Accuracy in Academia.