Chicago plans "gay-friendly" high school

Chicago plans school for gay students
The head of Chicago's school system has proposed the creation of a "gay-friendly" high school to counter the high bullying, depression and drop-out rates among homosexual pupils.

The Pride Campus of Social Justice High School would be open to all students in the city, and would probably end up being "majority straight", said Arne Duncan, the head of Chicago Public Schools.

But it would provide a supportive atmosphere for gay pupils, using prominent gays and lesbians - including James Baldwin and Gertrude Stein - in its curriculum.

Bill Greaves, the city's liason officer on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues, said the school would "make sure these people are not invisible in history".

He said it was important that gay and lesbian historical figures were highlighted to give young gay people positive, successful role models.

The proposals were supported by most of the 50 Chicago residents who attended a public meeting on the city's education. They will be voted on by the Chicago board of education on October 22.

If approved, the Pride Campus would be unlikely to open until 2010 and would teach 600 students.

The scheme has already been tried elsewhere, with the Alliance High School in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, which considers itself "gay friendly" and has 125 students.

"We want to create great new options for communities that have been traditionally under-served," Mr Duncan said in the Chicago Tribune. "If you look at national studies, you see gay and lesbian students with high dropout rates... I think there is a niche there we need to fill."

Could there also be a "straight-friendly" school where straight children would be supported by traditional family value curricula and not be placed in a sexually charged atmosphere having the gay lifestyle forced down their throats? (Gays and other sexual persuasions would be welcome.) Is there a plan for a sadomasochistic-friendly school, as well?

I would like to know when they plan to open up the abstinence friendly high school. If protecting boys who want to have sex with boys is at such a premium, then surely protecting teens who want to wait until marriage should be at that same premium.

Could there also be a "straight-friendly" school where straight children would be supported by traditional family value curricula and not be placed in a sexually charged atmosphere having the gay lifestyle forced down their throats? (Gays and other sexual persuasions would be welcome.) Is there a plan for a sadomasochistic-friendly school, as well?

Are you comparing being gay to sadomasochism?

You are a piece of work, Keli.

As to abstinence-only sex ed, it has been shown to be ineffective. Groups that preach abstinence, like these "silver ring" groups have HIGHER incidence of VD's, usually by having unprotected anal and oral sex because those activities aren't considered "doing it".

Nope, nothing to see here, just ostriches, I think. I can't tell because their heads are in the sand.

I would like to know when they plan to open up the abstinence friendly high school. If protecting boys who want to have sex with boys is at such a premium, then surely protecting teens who want to wait until marriage should be at that same premium.

Your are talking about separate male and female campuses, right?

That would be fine, Zig.

If we are going to have protected classes of people, then we should make it across the board.

While I do not believe in gay sex (someone's preference does not mean they have to act on it), I also know that teenagers can be cruel. I do not begrudge efforts to protect any child from harm, but I do want such protections for various groups. The choice aspect here is one that I favor. Let there be charter schools for the academically proficient, seperate sex schools for the traditionalists, etc. In Chicago there is already Juarez high school and Cristo Rey that are aimed specifically at Latinos, and Northside and Walter Payton that are aimed specifically at gifted learners. If we are going to have a gay high school, I think it's only fair that we also have schools for those teens who do not wish to engage in premarital sex. What's good for the goose needs to be good for the gander.

I'd also like to add, as a recovering Chicagoan, that Arne Duncan is an absolute schmuck. The schools are deadly places and Duncan will blame anyone but the kids. I'm so sick of his failure to assess personal responsibility on the perpetrators of violence.

Chicago's handgun ban is proving most effective--we are setting records for violent crime and teen murder. The solution of Duncan and Mayor Daley? More gun control (because it is working so well already).

I think it's fascinating that Duncan is impotent when it comes to protecting schoolchildren on the south and west sides of the city so he's decided to advocate a gay school, that will almost certainly be placed in a safe neighborhood. I think what we'll find is children enrolling at "Pride" just to go someplace safe.

Chicago's handgun ban is proving most effective--we are setting records for violent crime and teen murder. The solution of Duncan and Mayor Daley? More gun control (because it is working so well already).

I agree that the war on guns has been about as successful as the war on drugs.

I would pitch the war on drugs as well, no doubt. There was a great Onion headline that read "Drugs win Drug War."
\

I resent the way the war on drugs (and underage drinking) is being fought. Old people like us seem to think the way to win the "war" is by saying that drugs are not cool (which goes against what the cool kids in school as well as in the media tell them). Rather than try to "be cool," we need to admit that teens face enormous pressures on them that we simply can't relate to. Hard drugs should be avoided because they will kill you, and for no other reason. If someone wants to bake their brains in a basement with pot, I don't see the issue beyond their own personal destruction, which folks do with alcohol, cigarettes, and cheeseburgers all the time.

................. I don't see the issue beyond their own personal destruction which folks do with .........................., and cheeseburgers all the time.

Uh, I resemble that remark.

But I'm down to about a third as many cheeseburgers as a few years ago- and down 60 pounds in body weight to boot.

So there is hope ..................

I lost 80 pounds on that Atkins Diet.

Unfortunately I found 60 of them. Turns out they were over by the beer and twinkies:)

I have a question. You gents seem to agree with me the war on drugs is a failure and that marijuana, at least, should be decriminalized.

What about those dangerous hard drugs like heroine and cocaine? How do you think they should be dealt with?

I have my own thoughts I would like to hear yours. Should I move this to a new thread?

Nah, I like tangents.

I agree that marijuana should be legalized. It's not working having it be illegal. Take the money out of enforcement and teach kids early it's negative effects, just like nicotine, and when they turn 21, let it be legal. Of course, continue to ban it's use for those with CDLs and train conductors, and make the criminal penalties for driving while baked all the more severe.

As for heroin and cocaine, I would keep it illegal but I would sentence treatment for it's mere use but then tougher sentences for dealing and committing crimes while on their use. If someone can manage to use them "wisely" (and by wisely I do not concede that there are good uses for them) in such a way that they do not harm others, I don't see how punishing them does anything. Get them in treatment and get them over their addictions.

However, I have no patience for the druggie who robs banks and mugs people to pay for their addictions, and such crimes need to prosecuted fully. Such people do not need to be "understood," they need to be taken out of society for a long time.

So I would make a distinction between victimless crimes across the boards and those with real victims.

I certainly do not condone the use of drugs (except for people who are terminally ill--I say give them whatever helps). I think the responsibility for not using drugs, however, needs to be at the individual level and not at the governmental level. When your drug use affects the innocent, however, I think the book (and a heavy one at that) needs to be thrown at you.

Well there are very few (if any) cases of violence associated with Marijuana that I know of.

And the violence and crime associated with heroin and other central nervous system depressants is caused by trying to finance their habit.

If the drug was readily available and legal the violence and crime associated with it would end.

But I dont believe that is true of cocaine (especially crack cocaine) and other stimulants.

De-criminalization (which is not the same as legalization) might as well be tried for heroin. What we're doing now isn't working (except to keep the coffers filled for some very bad people).

SheikBen wrote:De-criminalization (which is not the same as legalization) might as well be tried for heroin. What we're doing now isn't working (except to keep the coffers filled for some very bad people).

And at the very least, partially funding a war. Afghanistan is about more then OBL.

As for the rest, I have thoughts but it's a beautfiuld day and I'm going to ride in a little while. I'll ponder on it until Monday and then post my thoughts.

School takes 1st-graders to see lesbian teacher wed
World Net Daily ^ | October 11, 2008

A public school in San Francisco bused 18 first-graders to City Hall yesterday, so the youngsters could scatter rose petals in celebration of their lesbian teacher's wedding.

The students, from Creative Arts Charter School, waited on the steps for their teacher with bags of pink rose petals, bottles of bubbles and, at least for some, with political buttons asking Californians to vote down Proposition 8, a ballot measure that seeks to define marriage in the state as a union between one man and one woman.

"She's a really nice teacher. She's the best," 6-year-old Chava Novogrodsky-Godt told the San Francisco Chronicle, wearing a "No on 8" button on her shirt. "I want her to have a good wedding."

San Francisco, The City by the Gay....

That, Keli, is horrible. If I took 1st grade students to a Christian wedding where the Gospel was preached, I'd make CNN and be Keith Olberman's "worst person in America."