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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3 comments:
Personally, I believe that the creation of high schools for the GLBT community is great! You see in the news very often that GLBT students are victimized because of their sexual orientation. Providing this safe haven for the students to learn in an environment where they can feel free to be who they are would only help their development and self identity. Of course, it should be the student's choice whether he or she decides to attend the school...and while I'm talking about choices, remember people do not choose their sexual orientation!!!! Now, if these schools were around when I was in high school, I can't say that I would have CHOSEN to attend. I had the best high school experience ever. Everyone assumed I was gay in my super conservative high school community, but it was never an issue. I was in the popular crowd, held office in every important organization all four years, was on homecoming and prom court for king, graduated in the top 10 people of my class of 400+, and best friends with the jocks and the cheerleaders. I was lucky! I'm also sure that there are other GLBT students that would not CHOOSE to attend one of these schools, but I think it's great to have the option to do so. If my high school experience had been a ngative one, however, I'm sure I would have CHOSEN to attend a school like this one in Chicago where there were students going through similar situations. GLBT students deserve a normal learning environment, and if it's in a high school targeted towards the GLBT community, I say bravo!
There are schools for women. There are schools for men. There are schools for blacks and whether or not you choose to accept it, there are schools for whites. Why shouldn't there be schools for gays and lesbians? I do not believe that there should be a separation of any kind in our institutions because at the end of the day we all have to live amongst one another. However, I do feel that since we, as a society, have already established institutes that separate us based upon race and color that it would only be fair to give that option to separate the other "isms" as well. I do not believe in separation but I do believe in being fair. We started separating so why stop now?
Under normal circumstances, no. I'm not a fan of "separate but equal" public schools. We've been there before, and it's not a good idea.
However, since students can't be forced to be tolerant, and we've all but given up on teaching kids to be civil, LGBT schools, if they keep kids safe, may be a good option.
My question: What will be the criteria for getting in? If LGBT students get a better education, would parents and kids try to skirt the system and fake their sexuality to get in?
Probably not, but I'm curious as to the criteria.
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