Middle school students stand up for gay classmate

[davidinalameda]

http://www.advocate.com/new_news.asp?ID=15336&sd=03/05/05-03/07/05

gods, now this is impressive!

Twelve Beatrice Middle School students in Beatrice, Neb., staged a brief walkout this week to protest what they called the unfair treatment of a gay student. The students refused to go to class after a teacher took gay pride posters away from a gay student who had brought them to school, said Stevie Woodrum, one of the eighth-graders involved.

The students also claim the gay student is bullied by other students and that school administrators have not done anything about it. "People shove head into lockers," Woodrum said. " gets treated way worse than any other kids." School principal Randy Schlueter said the alleged bullying was brought to the attention of school officials, who have taken steps to deal with it.

[coloradodem2005]

1. That is impressive.

[hippiegranny]

2. there is HOPE!

With all the stories we read these days about how kids are being indoctrinated into the "hate others who are different, especially if they're gay" club, this is a breath of fresh air! The parents of those kids really are doing a great job.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

3. oh okay...

See, now, I'm used to middle school being grades 3-6. I was a bit shocked by the headline at first!!

Anyway, great job by these kids.

[Rainbowreflect]

4. And Beatrice is a small town in Nebraska.

That makes it even more amazing.

[beyurslf]

5. And the children shall become the teachers....

[dsc]

6. That is nothing short of amazing

I look back at middle school as a giant horror. That is way beyond cool that this kid at least has someone watching his back. Bravo.

[xchrom]

7. wow -- now that is wonderful!

[Langley85]

8. Excellent

Go, kids! That's awesome. If only more schools had kids like that.

[FuzzyDicePHL]

12. Another cool story

About a year ago, I was very pleased to meet a cool woman in my housing development who is super-progressive and who is vocal about her views on equality. Meeting her was extraordinary for me, since I must admit that I tend to have my own prejudiced views about those around me here in suburban/rural PA (not completely unfounded -- it's a pretty conservative area).

She's got two kids, the younger of which is a 15yo boy, a football and basketball star at the local high school. He has a group of friends who are roughly the same age and who hang out at my friend's house a lot. My friend and her husband (not the kid's dad) treat all the friends just like family -- feed them, transport them, take them on vacations with them, etc.

My friend told me recently that there had been an instance where one of the kid's friends called somebody else a faggot while they were at her house, and her husband heard it and got really upset and consequently had a talk with the boys about it, letting them know it wasn't cool.

A few days later, her son came to her with the following idea:

He's starting a "gay jar," akin to a "swear jar." Every time he or one of his friends say something like, "That's so gay," or call someone a fag, etc, they will be required to put $1 in the jar. When the habit is (hopefully) broken, they'll donate the contents of the jar to HRC or the Southern Poverty Law Center.

I constantly thank my friend for teaching her kids about equality, acceptance, and treating other people with respect. It makes me feel so much better to know that not EVERY kid these days is falling into step with hateful conservativism.

I hope this anecdote brings hope to others too.

[Langley85]

13. awesome people

If only all parents would instill tolerance in their children, this world be such a better place.

[big peaches]

9. Thanks for Some Good News ...

... in the midst of all the bad. I needed to read that!

[Ian David]

10. Gay student wants bullying to be stopped

Gay student wants bullying to be stopped
Beatrice Daily Sun, NE - Mar 4, 2005
Beatrice Middle School eighth-grader Bryse Patz says he just wants to be treated like everyone else ... to be able to live in peace," said Patz, who says he is gay. ...
http://www.beatricedailysun.com/articles/2005/03/04/news/news3.txt


Students stand up for gay peer
Lincoln Journal Star, NE - Mar 3, 2005
BEATRICE — Twelve Beatrice Middle School students staged a brief walkout this week to protest what they called the unfair treatment of an openly gay student. ...
http://www.journalstar.com/articles/2005/03/03/local/doc422786cd4217a054268537.txt

[Duncan Grant]

11. Brandon Teena lived in this region of Nebraska.

I was raised in a city in NW Missouri which was also very close to SE Nebraska. I've been to Beatrice, NE a few times.

Just wanted to add a note in remembrance of Brandon Teena who lived near Beatrice in Humboldt and Falls City, NE. I never thought I'd see an event like this in Beatrice during my lifetime. Pretty amazing if you ask me. :thumbsup: :kick:

edit: kick