My second period is a class of low skills, low functioning kids. They are in the main extremely ignorant. This class manages to bring up on a regular basis how homophobic they are and how disgusting gay people are. They also rabidly deny that they could be gay. It really isn’t that I am trying to convert anyone, but I get really angry with the barage of venom directed at anyone who is not exactly like them. I told them that they are narrowminded bigots. They argued with me until I got out the dictionary and looked up the words for them. At this point they are agreeing with the assessment.
But I am so furious. I have a really hard time being polite with people who will flat out tell me that gay people are disgusting and if they find out that someone is gay they are going to beat the crap out of them.
I have 26 weeks left to deal with this class. It feels like forever.
I have a HUGE notebook of lessons for teaching tolerance – if you’re interested I could ship it to you.
I know it’s incredibly frustrating, by try to be patient and keep standing up for the “other” point of view. Just making it clear that you don’t allow that kind of attitude in your classroom is a huge step.
We also used to have a bunch of posters and stuff from the Gay-Straight Alliance club that teachers would put up in their classroom about tolerating all people, and a room being “a safe place to talk about…..”
Have you thought of being the sponsor for a club like that?
Just making it clear that you don’t allow that kind of attitude in your classroom is a huge step.
I agree. Even if you can’t change their minds in 1 day, you can certainly change what comes out of their mouths.
I did this with my teenager, when I still had her. I just made it clear that while she & her friends might say xyz, it was completely unwelcome in our home. It worked in that setting.
I throw people out for “that’s so gay.” It simply isn’t acceptable language. But changing them saying, “I think that anyone who does that is disgusting” is a bit more complicated.
One of the girls I dance with is consistantly say “That would look gay!”, I always reply with…”and what is wrong with that?”
Oh, I’m a professional writer. I’m great at “coming up with other ways to say things”.
For example: “I think that anyone who does that is disgusting” becomes “I really dislike it when someone does that”.
And this also focuses on “I statements”, which is a sadly-neglected social skill in our culture.
PS: you’re doing a great thing. I know it’s hard to remember that in the daily-ness of it all, but you are. And we’re all glad that you’re doing it.
We have a GSA on campus. I am also pretty well established as queer friendly among my students. the notebook could be a very good thing as getting through to these nitwits is more than I know how to do right now.
I love that you got out the dictionary to look up the word “bigot.” Go you.
I’m not gay, but I’d be open, were it ever part of the right lesson, to come and have them barrage questions at me about the fact that I happen to really really like cock. I’ll make sure I get in a refresher in Multiple Assailants at Impact first if necessary. 😉
Can I just say “Go you Joe!”
That’s an awesome offer.
Unfortunately, I’m not sure that it is within my providence to do. I can ask though. It would probably have to go throught the Student Family Center. hmmmmm…
According to them you are either straight or you are gay, there is no gray area–although girls kissing is hot. AHHHH
And as far as them assaulting you in my class, I don’t think that would actually happen because we have it firmly established that if they get up and throw a punch I will seriously injure them. I haven’t had 1 ounce of physical aggression from a class known for hitting teachers.
*nods* Yeah, I don’t know what the right way to make that happen through the school is that would be appropriate.
And yeah, I’m bi, if they wanna call me gay that’s cool too, I’m not against it, it’s just not the way I use the word, and I don’t expect that “bi” wins me any points (if anything, it costs me.)
And yeah, I don’t imagine I’d be running into violence. I’m not quite that self-destructive. The real reason for me to take Multiples (which I’d have to travel to take somewhere out of the Bay Area) is cos I wanna. *KICK* *KNEE* *ELBOW* w00t. 😉
Hell
I’d come in if you wanted me to. Hi, my name is Taylor, I’m an Ex-marine, and accoding to the kinsey scale, mildly bisexual.
Not sure how that would land, of if it would help 🙂
T.
Re: Hell
Not sure that it would be allowed, but thank you!
You might also acquaint them with this:
From the Human Rights Campaign: California Hate Crimes Law
The California hate crimes statute defines “gender” as “the victim’s actual sex or the defendant’s perception of the victim’s sex, and includes the defendant’s perception of the victim’s identity, appearance, or behavior, whether or not that identity, appearance, or behavior is different from that traditionally associated with the victim’ s sex at birth.” Cal Pen Code § 422.76 (2001).
California hate crimes law directly addresses violence based on sexual orientation. Cal Pen Cod § 422.75 (2001).
And from the Office of the Attorney General:
Penal Code section 422.75 provides for sentencing enhancements of one to three years for certain bias-motivated felonies against the above groups, or against persons perceived to belong to one or more of these groups. Penal Code section 422.75 also provides for heightened penalties of one to four years if more than one felony hate crime was committed at the same time, the offender had a prior hate crime conviction, a firearm was used, or if the hate crime was committed on certain types of public or private property (i.e., schools, libraries, community centers, meeting halls, places of worship, offices of advocacy groups, etc.).
Penal code section 422.76 defines gender for purposes of various hate crime statutes to mean the victim’s actual sex or the defendant’s perception of the victim’s sex. This includes the defendant’s perception of the victim’s identity, appearance, or behavior, whether or not the characteristics are traditionally associated with the victim’s sex at birth.
The Attorney General’s website also gives contact information, by county, for agencies set up to assist with this kind of situation. They might have someone who would come in to “inform” your class of the potential criminal ramifications of the things they’re saying.
http://ag.ca.gov/publications/civilrights/01CRhandbook/chapter1.php?PHPSESSID=0a7e54888329f785908ee1d2b47cf616
In California, it’s not just someone’s opinion — it’s the law.
Hmmmm. I’m thinking about making those into posters.
I think that would probably be a good thing – it might not change their minds about gay people, but it might cause them to think twice before they start beating up dudes who offend them with even the slightest whiff of eau de homo.
I think this is GREAT approach. It takes it out of the realm of opinion and into legal FACT. You might also talk about “assault” vs “battery” and how verbally threatening to do bodily harm is in fact a crime.
that’s some thin ice you’re walking on there!
Can you post a rule that no one is allowed to speak in derogatory fashion about anyone different than them? Or is the a an infringement on their rights?
It’s all very muddy. Technically I am not allowed to be “pro-gay” because that makes it look like I am pushing the issue, whether I am or not. But I am allowed to say no hate based comments at all.
Exactly! I figured that you would be sensored from being pro-gay…
It almost seems like they need to read one of those children’s picture books about people all being different from each other.
What I keep thinking about is that one of those kids IS gay…and they are being pushed even deeper into the closet by the remarks made by their peers.
What if the topic was religion? What if they were bashing Catholics and that was making someone else scared and uncomfortable?
I feel for you. You’ve taken on a great task.
shouldn’t be _that_ muddy… Student handbook should have a section on hate speech and/or sexual harassment. Saying mm or ff sex acts are disgusting could be qualified as sexual harassment or “creating a hostile work environment”…
and if you’re not allowed to do hate-based comments then the kids aren’t either.
*hugs you* sorry they’re being thickskulled nitwits.
sorry, misread the bit you wrote about you being able to say “no hate-based comments”, my bad and my tired.