High schools for gay students a positive alternative?

Walking down the hallway or stopping in the bathroom countless students that identify themselves as gay have probably been harassed and ridiculed. Other gay students may feel scared to express their developing or developed sexual identity because they fear being judged by their peers. In years to come these students may have another option in Chicago.

The Chicago School Board will vote on the proposed School for Social Justice Pride Campus Nov. 19. Initially, this vote was to have occurred Oct. 22, but a decision was postponed because of the large number of other school proposals that the Board of Education must decide on.

What makes this vote significant is that this proposed school is being created to cater to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students. Officials say that the high school will not be a “gay high school” but rather an institution for students who find traditional schools non-conducive to learning because of their sexual orientation.

This would make Chicago the third city in the nation to have this type of school. The first two high school are New York's Harvey Milk and Milwaukee's Alliance.

The proposed Chicago school would enroll 600 students and would be open for anyone to attend. Officials are hoping the school would be open for the beginning of the 2010 school year.

Research and surveys have found that students who are bullied because of their sexual orientation are more apt to miss class, drop out and not graduate. Enormous percentages of students surveyed also report being harassed and physically assaulted at school.

Supporters believe that the creation of these schools would help tremendously in the academic and social development of high school students who choose to live an alternative lifestyle.

However, the creation of these proposed schools leads to other issues and more questions. By sending students to these alternative high schools, we as a society are not completely addressing the core issues.

Instead of teaching tolerance in our schools, maybe this implies view separation as a better solution. This may send a message to “normal” students that there is something wrong with their fellow classmates who live an alternative lifestyle and that separation is the only solution.

Majority Mind Question
Do you agree or disagree with creating high schools for gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender youth? Why or Why not?
Do you think this will further stigmatize gay students? On the whole will it lead to more or less prejudice?
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