Student Suspended For Wearing "I'm Straight" Sticker

[matcom]

<snip>

A Christian student has been punished by his Michigan high school for demonstrating opposition to a school event celebrating the homosexual lifestyle. The boy's father, a pastor, says he's frustrated the rights of Christian students are being constantly trampled on campus.

Oakridge High School in Muskegon, Michigan, is one of many schools across the U.S. that took part in Wednesday's "National Day of Silence" -- an event promoted heavily by homosexual activist groups, which view it as a day to protest alleged discrimination faced by students who identify as "gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender (GLBT)." At Oakridge High, duct tape was passed out for students to wear over their lips as a way to show solidarity with homosexual students who are purportedly suffering in silence.

John Gardner is pastor of Holton Family Life Worship Center in Holton, a community of approximately 2,500 about 17 miles northeast of Muskegon. Pastor Gardner says his 15-year-old son David, a student at Oakridge High, was suspended for a day by the school because he wrote with a black marker "I'm straight" on a piece of duct tape and attached it to his shirt. He explains that David donned the message to voice his objection to the school's participation in the Day of Silence.

"They asked him, at that point, to take it off," Gardner says, "and David why do the rest of the kids in the class get to wear theirs and I can't wear something about what I believe?" According to the pastor, the teacher then instructed David to remove the message or he would be "kicked out" of class. "And he said, 'Well then, you'll have to kick me out' -- and that's what they did," says David's father.

Pastor Gardner says every week he preaches that the day is coming when opposition to homosexuality will be banned, but he never imagined it would happen in his small Michigan town. He says a "liberal mentality" is being pushed in public schools to the extent many children are being indoctrinated with it.

http://www.onenewsnow.com/2007/04/michigan_student_suspended_for.php

[bridgit]

1. and the wheels on the bus came off the bus, off the bus, off the bus...

[Starbucks Anarchist]

2. Did his shirt say, "I'm a dumbass"?

[Lyric]

3. If this is true...

That is--IF this really is the whole story, and the kid wasn't harassing other kids, or being truly disruptive...then I think he was wronged by the school administration. He's still a little asshole, of course, but assholes get to have free speech too.

As for his Daddy's nearly orgasmic rant, it's nothing more than typical rightwing hate propaganda, and should be ignored (and/or ridiculed) as such. He's not pissed because kids are being "indoctrinated" with eeeeeevil liberalism. He's pissed because they AREN'T being "indoctrinated" with conservatism. He's one of those "You're either with us, or you're against us" types; his neurons aren't developed enough to recognize or process the value of school and government neutrality. :eyes:

[Oeditpus Rex]

5. You beat me to it

He has the same free-speech rights as anyone else. His extremely tacky choice of time and place to exercise them isn't against the Constitution or any law, it's just ignorant — as is his motivation, and his father's.



Edit: Potentially troublesome grammatical error. :blush:

[MissMillie]

6. Yeah, I'm w/ you on this

the whole point of the gay acceptance stuff that schools do is to try to so some solidarity against the attitudes displayed by this student (or his father, as the case may be).

It's like they're trying to cause trouble.

And yeah, that's not illegal. But Jeez..... why can't they live and let live?

[Courtesy Flush]

8. I was thinking the same thing

I'd rather see kids learning skills to prepare them for a career, but dickheads who preach hate make it necessary for schools to teach at least a little tolerance.

[taterguy]

4. Pic of the suspect:

[dolo amber]

9. ...

:D :thumbsup:

[AngryAmish]

11. Why the hate about Jonathan Richman?

he's awesome.

[taterguy]

15. If you have to ask you must not be that big of a fan

Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of the eponymous Modern Lovers album

[AngryAmish]

17. oh, I get it now

I thought you were making fun of the way he danced...nevermind...

[RedStateShame]

12. Well played

:applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause:

[formerrepuke]

7. Consider the source: The 'onenewsnow' site is the American Family News Network:

Nearly every article on their site is fundie-related:

[BOSSHOG]

10. I listened to them awhile back and heard this

"news" story. Information may soon be available which might indicate that Teri Schiavo's husband may have abused her.

[Rabrrrrrr]

13. If true - and it probably isn't - that kid was wronged, and should sue.

I don't trust the news source, though.

The dad's and student's statement that it was an "I'm straight" tag is probably their idiot summation of a "Gay people should go to Hell and have no place in America" tag.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

16. seconded.

he may have meant bigotry by the statement, but the statement itself was fairly innocuous.

[BOSSHOG]

14. I think he has every right to wear such a sign notwithstanding

any rational decision by school officials. But I find this story akin to nazi prison guards whining about how the Jews get preferential treatment.

And the source? Focus on the Family uses the same fact checkers as limbaugh and faux.

Notice the plethora of attribution to Daddy. He wouldn't twist the story would he? He's a christian after all.

And I'd like for the pastor to explain to this old fart straight guy why we need opposition to homosexuality? To stimulte your parishoners to dig a little deeper at collection plate time?

[PVnRT]

18. That's some fair and balanced reporting

n/t

[Redbear]

19. Im afraid I have to disagree with you guys

The kid had no right to disrupt his class in this manner.

If a school hands out "Say No To Drugs" ribbons, a student does not have the right to scratch out the "no" and change it to "Say YES to Drugs."

Free speech rights for students are limited by rules of discipline and decorum.