Openly gay 14 year old student defends teacher at School Board meeting

[uncageg]

Posted: 11/14/10 at 7:39pm

You gotta watch this. Talk about smart and articulate...

http://tv.gawker.com/5689407/openly-gay-student-defends-teacher-at-school-board-meeting?ref=nf

[wendilin622]

Posted: 11/14/10 at 7:56pm

Just saw that, but I wish I knew more of the backstory as to why the teacher was suspended....

[uncageg]

Posted: 11/14/10 at 8:17pm

wendi, here is the back story:

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/11/14/14531/892

[JohnBoy2]

Posted: 11/14/10 at 8:35pm

Wearing a Confederate flag belt-buckle is anti-gay?! Never heard of that, and I live in Virginia, where the gay guys wear them! If that account is true, then I think the teacher was wrong to make an issue of what the kid was wearing. He engaged the kid in a discussion, then removed him because he didn't like what he had to say. I don't think the teacher should have been removed, but neither should the student have been removed by the teacher. It's an example of be careful what you ask for... The teacher should have just used his time to express what is wrong with bullying and hatred.

Edit: Just reread it, and it says the belt was in violation of district policy (strange), so the teacher had every right to ask the kid to remove it.
Updated On: 11/14/10 at 08:35 PM

[uncageg]

Posted: 11/14/10 at 8:36pm

I have a feeling the student was removed not because of the belt buckle but possibly what happened in the exchange.

Edit: I read some more articles but it seems the details of the exchange haven't been released. I can see your point though. But even still, that speech the kid gave was quite impressive.

Updated On: 11/14/10 at 08:36 PM

[Q]

Posted: 11/14/10 at 10:08pm

"violation of district policy (strange)"

You live in Virginia, and you think it's strange? Do you pay any attention to what goes on politically south of you? Whatever symbol that flag once had, it is now commonly seen as something very different - and has caused great unease and even litigation to the state level of government.

It might not be seen as inherently 'anti-gay', but it has certainly been seen as something signifying bigoted attitudes.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 11/14/10 at 11:12pm

"I live in Virginia, where the gay guys wear them!"

Oh JohnBoy, that's ridiculous, even from you.

[JohnBoy2]

Posted: 11/14/10 at 11:48pm

You, apparently, haven't been to Virginia, Namo. Not ridiculous.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 11/14/10 at 11:52pm

I have been to Virginia. The gay guys wear them? All gay guys? The black gay guys? Every single gay guy?

[JohnBoy2]

Posted: 11/15/10 at 12:09am

Well, now you're taking about a completely different thing. Are we talking about an anti-gay symbol (which the article suggests), or an anti-black symbol? And yes, even black gays have worn that here in VA. Besides, I'm sure they're not even referring to the true Confederate Flag. Everyone, refers to the Battle Flag of Northern Virginia, as the Confederate Flag. The flag pictured on the left is the Northern VA Flag. The one on the right (The Stars and Bars) is the National Flag of the Confederacy.

[winston89]

Posted: 11/15/10 at 12:50am

You got the flags right, but I think you mean the one on the left is the Stars And Bars and the one on the right is the VA Confederate flag.

[JbaraFan1]

Posted: 11/15/10 at 12:50am

Wow. I love that kid. Go, Graeme!

[Q]

Posted: 11/15/10 at 1:09am

Also, this statement from the district was quoted in the article:

"The student was speaking out on being offended by the gay and lesbian lifestyle because it's against his religion [and] the teacher said that wasn't appropriate."

So, I guess even if JohnBoy doesn't think it was meant to be taken as anti-gay, the student did - and that's the situation at hand.

[JohnBoy2]

Posted: 11/15/10 at 1:59pm

No, the one on the left is the Northern VA Flag, the one on the right is the Stars and Bars (Confederate Flag). And, I said that had the teacher not engaged the student in the discussion to begin with, the anti-gay comments wouldn't have been an issue. I'm not convinced that the teacher handled the situation in the best possible way. Regardless, the student's comments are excellent.

[uncageg]

Posted: 11/19/10 at 5:13pm

The young man is going to be on "Ellen" on Monday 11/22/10.

[taximom]

Posted: 11/21/10 at 5:26pm

The flag on the left is also known as the The Battle Flag of the Confederacy and has erroneously come to be known as THE flag of the Confederacy. The one of the right is the first flag of the Confederacy. There were other versions as well. All this via Wikipedia - just to clear things up:)

[dramamama611]

Posted: 11/22/10 at 5:50am

JohnBoy: really? the teacher shouldn't have TALKED to the kid? The student was in violation of school policy. Discussion is truly the only way for any ideas to spread, for people to learn. He didn't force the kid to say anything.

[uncageg]

Posted: 11/22/10 at 6:04pm

Graeme was on Ellen today. He explained that the student that was asked to leave was not the one wearing the belt buckle (Who was a female student). The student that was asked to leave the class was another student who got into the discusiion and then started making anti-gay remarks. He was asked to leave the class after the remarks were made. Evidentally the young lady wearing the belt buckle stayed in the class.

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 11/22/10 at 8:23pm

Wow!

He is a vaery mature 14 year old.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sit1CAuuvHY&feature=related