STAND for SOMETHING or FALL for ANYTHING!

Schools can modify homophobic and sexist social environments in several ways-by placing affirming posters in their classrooms, providing support for GSAs, sponsoring assemblies and speakers, and reorganizing highly gendered school rituals (Pascoe, 169).


I strongly disagree with Pascoe concerning this statement.  Schools can attempt to transform students, but the root of the problem stems from parents and home environment. She states what schools can attempt to do, but she admits to removing a “Gay Pride” sticker from her car due to the strong sense of homophobia (Pascoe, 161). I am confused? How can she say what a school should do, if she is not willing to stand for what she believes in despite of the present Homophobia?

Students are taught prior to attending school to be homophobic to be prejudiced against homosexual people, this is not taught in the curriculum, but possibly reinforced at school if anything.

My husband and I do not curse we do not allow our children to be around people or atmospheres where people do. We also do not allow them to listen to distasteful music. BUT tell my why in Kindergarten my daughter comes home repeating “What the F%$K…” This is certainly not part of the curriculum, her teacher did not teach her this; she got it from another student who got it from home. Very hurtful and disappointing…


 I didn’t expect my daughter to come home with a nasty mouth, I do not expect her to go to school and see posters affirming the GLBT community and I do not want her attending assemblies etc.  I feel there is no difference between them teaching my daughter to drink, smoke, do drugs, or have sex. I do not feel the school has the right to influence my daughter in any of these matters, just to teach her the basic curriculum of math reading and science. But at the same time, I am not teaching my daughter to hate or mistreat others. PERIOD!

The school should only be responsible to do so much. They have a mission to educate our children with the basics. Parents need to step up and take responsibility and accountability for their children and their behavior.

One Nation Under God... Right?

"If men were angels no government would be necessary." Since we are not angels, government's role is to discourage harm and encourage good." James Madison-Father of the Constitution

The statement above also applies in school settings; the need to have standards and rules in school is essential to encourage good. On page 29 in the book titled Dude You're a Fag, we discussed the need for a dress code and how it emphasized gender difference through its clothing polices. America was founded on Christian Principles, "In God we trust" a belief in the Bible and its doctrine. This concept explains why the affirmation and definition of normative sexual and gender identities in a school setting reinforce definitions of heterosexuality (Letts and Sears 1999).

The fact is that Men-Women unions are the foundation of civilization!!! Would we exist without men and women unions? NO.... Would lesbians, gays, or transgendered folk exist without Men-Women unions? NO...Life as we know it would cease if everyone accepted the life style of same-sex relationships? So why tolerate it or encourage it? Why do we argue about simple things such as feminine and masculine characteristics, dress codes, and gender?  Perspectives that were formed based on life and documented history passed down through generations.

To dig deeper into modern issues, let’s talk about the notion of “Relative Truth which negates the belief that some beliefs are true and some are false. As a consequence, all beliefs are equally valid and all must be accepted.” I think this concept is displayed as a little d discourse in our class, working to change the Big D discourse of current American standards.There is a standard of right and wrong; if not, why have any rules or laws. We should accept pedophiles who “feel” or desire to be with children, and Gay-bashers who are born “mean/hateful” and can’t help themselves. FOOLISH right…

The concept Moral Relativism is the view that moral or ethical statements, which vary from person to person, are equally valid and no one's opinion of right and wrong is really better than any other. It further expresses that there is no ultimate standard of good and evil, so every judgment about right and wrong is purely a product of a person's preferences and environment. This notion is very POPULAR and encouraged in our class. I believe this is the basis of our classroom culture; YET Moral Relativism is said to “make society unstable, as the concepts of right and wrong suddenly becomes a question of shifting popular opinions.” Everyone is free to speak their opinion in class and no one is corrected or given a standard of right or wrong, a perfect example of Moral Relativism.

Fundamentally we are all expected to recognize and respect other's beliefs, and or practices without sharing them. We are expected to put up with someone or something not especially liked. YET remain intolerant of behaviors or opinions that are not compatible to our beliefs and Spiritual Doctrine. I believe the goal of Public Schools is to respect but not encourage or condone anything not encouraging what they consider good.

Please find further reading and information about Moral Relativism and Relative Truth   at www.allaboutworldview.org; www.allaboutlove.org; www.allaboutphilosophy.org