Rants

Rant on.

In the week before last week, a student at a school in Madisonville, Tennessee wore a shirt to school supporting the rights of gay students.  On the front it said, “Gay Straight Alliance:  We’ve got your back” and on the back were the initials of the gay-supporting organization, GSA.  It’s a tradition at the school to wear a shirt and have fellow students sign it, and this student did, in fact, gather dozens of signatures.  (The article makes it sound like an annual thing around this time of year, but it did not go into specifics.)  The student had been trying to establish a chapter of the GSA at his school, but the principal, Maurice Moser, refused to allow it.  This escalated on Friday when the principal called him in as school was starting and demanded the student turn the shirt inside out or replace it.  The student, Chris Sigler, refused, choosing to call his mom about it.  His mother was fine with him continuing to wear it.

Now things got bad.  Later in the day, the principal went to the student’s classroom, had everyone but the student leave the class (according to the story, the student’s sister was there and refused to leave) and then possibly assaulted the student.  There’s a conflicting reports on that, but Mr. Sigler claims Mr. Moser pushed him.  This brings an interesting witness into the picture who, over the course of three comments on the news story, gave her account of what happened.

The witness–identifying herself as “Chelsea” in the comments–states somebody called the classroom (apparently the classrooms have phones) and spoke with Mr. Sigler, asking him to come to the office.  Mr. Sigler refused.  An assistant principal came to the classroom then and asked him to come to the office and again Mr. Sigler refused.  The principal then called the classroom and after saying “Hello” Mr. Sigler hung up on him.  Finally, the principal came to the classroom, got everybody out, and the confrontation happened.  According to Chelsea, Mr. Sigler got into Mr. Moser’s face more than vice versa.

Okay, so now we have some confusing information about what happened.  One thing should be clear, though, and that is the principal, regardless of whether he physically assaulted the student or not, did not take an appropriate course of action.  I’ll start by saying a school administrator’s job, and the principal’s most of all, is to support the students, even when you have a personal dislike of what they’re doing.  If it doesn’t break a law or rule, it should be supported.  Certainly something like the GSA, which helps students deal with one of the most difficult parts of their life, should be given full administrative support.

The principal should never have gone to the classroom.  And when he did, he should never have asked for the students to leave.  That, quite simply, is asking for trouble.  He was out of control–very much not in control of the situation, at least–and this is a demonstration of that fact.  The first call to the class should not have been to the student but the teacher.  That should have been the only call.  The teacher would then have the responsibility of getting the problem student to the office.  If the student refused, the teacher could have called back and the parents notified to come get their student.  Not for wearing a T-shirt but for refusing to follow the instructions of school administrators.  If you’re told to go to the principal’s office, you go to the principal’s office.  Mr. Sigler certainly erred in his refusal to do so, but Mr. Moser’s reaction was, in my opinion, far worse.  Mr. Moser is, after all, the adult, and should have responded in a more mature fashion.

Then there’s Chelsea’s statement.  She opens up by ranting about the gays in the school.  She says she has gay friends, and that the ones who get bullied are the ones who go around “announcing what they did over the weekend with their boyfriends.”  As another comment pointed out, this is different from the straight couples how?  She brings up God and His judgment, etc., which, quite frankly, has no bearing on the issue at hand.  It’s nice you have religion, but this is a problem with discipline and how the school is enforcing it.  Chelsea states the school rules do say that students aren’t allowed to wear shirts which are offensive and that she’s “pretty sure” the shirt is offensive.  In what way, exactly?  There are no words considered to be swear words.  No suggestion of sex or violence.  Just a statement of support for a national student organization which helps kids discovering their GLBT identities have a safe and supportive environment at school.

I am sick and tired of this shit.  I really am.  I ranted last year about the girl who couldn’t take her lesbian date to prom.  That story also mentioned a young man who was not allowed to wear dresses to school and eventually had to move.  The examples go on and on of kids who are going through tough times not just thanks to other kids but also school administrators, teachers, etc., who refuse to support them in their most needful hour.  It’s the sixties all over again, but with gays instead of interracial problems.  Let’s get over this crap, please?  Let’s accept people, young folks particularly, for who they choose to be.  If they’re not out trying to hurt people, let them be who they are.  If you don’t like it, don’t be friends with them.  Better yet, get to know them better so you have a better understanding.  Dislike them for being mean or cruel or a jerk or something, but not for who they choose to love.  That’s not a reason for dislike, it’s an excuse for hatred.

Rant off.