GAY OR STRAIGHT: IT'S STILL HARASSMENT

Philadelphia Daily News ^ | February 25, 2004 | uncredited

[Cincinatus' Wife]

HE THOUGHT he saw it out of the corner of his eye. Nah, couldn't have been.

Then an adult aide in his classroom confirmed what the teacher had almost missed.

"There were two girls in the front of the classroom [groping] each other," he recalled. "They had stopped by the time [the aide] called my attention to it. But that's what it was."

And that's what it is, but not only at Fitzsimmons Middle School, in North Philadelphia, where this scene took place two weeks ago. There are about a half-dozen high schools and at least two middle schools where similar behavior reportedly has been on the increase.

The teacher at Fitzsimmons Middle School didn't know what to do. So he did nothing. Easy enough to criticize him. But they don't have a course for this at teachers college.

And as inappropriate as the behavior he described seems to me, it's mild compared to some of the aggressive manifestations the district is struggling with.

"There are six girls pending expulsion right now," school district CEO Paul Vallas told me this week. "In some schools it does seem to be part of a pattern of bad behavior in general.

"I don't think it rises to the level of sexual assault. But we're dealing with it.

"We have sent out advisories to all of the schools to clarify our policy. We're going to treat this the same as we do any inappropriate sexual behavior.

"We don't differentiate between whether it's boy/girl, girl/girl, boy/boy. We have policies in place that cover this and we are enforcing them."

Four of the six girls facing expulsion are from the Turner Middle School, at 59th Street and Baltimore Avenue, in West Philadelphia, where a group of girls who self identify as "dykes taking over" have allegedly sexually harassed other girls.

At Simon Gratz, a group called the "Lipstick Gang" has been accused of recruiting straight girls into a lesbian lifestyle. Clashes between groups of openly gay and straight girls have erupted.

In Fayetteville, North Carolina, where my oldest granddaughter goes to high school, the so-called DTO group has become increasingly assertive.

"Ashley was at a dance, and a girl that looked like a boy approached her," my daughter said. "That's not a Philly thing."

That my daughter and granddaughter were able to shrug it off was reassuring. But the idea that my 14-year-old granddaughter is having to deal with this so soon doesn't sit well with me.

That part is life just happening a little sooner than I'd like. Compared to the problems gay and lesbian children have had to face in public schools, this may seem like much ado about little.

But those aren't the kinds of comparisons parents make when their child's safety or well being is in question.

As if they didn't have enough to deal with, the district is having to quickly train personnel on how to detect and defuse some of the increasing tensions arising out of this new challenge.

"Up to now," said Gwen Morris, a school district official who is working on updating the district's responses to this issue, "most of our work has been in how to support the youngsters who have been harassed for their alternative life styles.

"There had been truancy problems. We want to make sure they feel safe going to school.

"This is different, but we're working on it. We have been working with the mayor's office and a number of outside groups around these policy issues."

System-wide training aimed at clarifying the school district's policies and sensitizing educators to the issues raised on both sides of this phenomenon is scheduled for next month.

And after that, we may get to where teachers won't have to pretend they don't see it.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

You're terrific parents.

[Types_with_Fist]

Thanks. I don't know how "terrific" we are. I'll settle for "aware" or, at least, "responsible."

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Take a bow and don't waffle. :^)

[bimbo]

This doesn’t surprise me … the children who have been taught the joys of homosexuality through “Heather Has Two Mommies” and the like, are growing up. They believe that homosexuals are privileged individuals.

[bimbo]

The activly recruiting should send chills up every mothers and father's spine.

Yes, indeed! But don’t be surprised by the recruiting … that’s how homosexuals propagate.

[garylmoore]

The ONLY answer is: Get your kids out of there! Our children have not been exposed to this horror for several years now. True, they have not had the social interaction they would have had in public school. But, I see for myself how this has been a good thing for our family. Homeschooling has not been easy for us, but we no longer have any doubts about whether or not we did the right thing

---

Believe me, you did the right thing, you are exceptional parents putting your children ahead of your own agenda.

[garylmoore]

The ONLY answer is: Get your kids out of there! Our children have not been exposed to this horror for several years now. True, they have not had the social interaction they would have had in public school. But, I see for myself how this has been a good thing for our family. Homeschooling has not been easy for us, but we no longer have any doubts about whether or not we did the right thing

---

Believe me, you did the right thing, you are exceptional parents putting your children ahead of your own agenda.

[garylmoore]

The ONLY answer is: Get your kids out of there! Our children have not been exposed to this horror for several years now. True, they have not had the social interaction they would have had in public school. But, I see for myself how this has been a good thing for our family. Homeschooling has not been easy for us, but we no longer have any doubts about whether or not we did the right thing

---

Believe me, you did the right thing, you are exceptional parents putting your children ahead of your own agenda.

[garylmoore]

Huh? Wassat? Girls and Boys shouldn't be getting the urge under adolescence -- 12 to 15.
I did, and I don't think I was atypical. And you can't blame it on the modern media, since I'm currently pushing fifty.

---

I did too, but it wasn't condoned like it is today, they didn't give me a condom and say, enjoy.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

They believe that homosexuals are privileged individuals.

And fun and fashion savvy.

[ODDITHER]

About 6 yrs ago our touchy-feely-feel-good demo Governor signed into law that all state workers had to take a sexual harrassment class. As if most of us hadn't already learned how to sexually harrass our collegues without leaving evidence. :)

At any rate, two interesting questions came up that the teachers (poor souls that had been selected and trained from within the ranks) that they avoided answering. After all neither question came from within the All-men-are-pigs especially white men category that this training was set to target.

After the "elevator" eyes scenario had been discussed, followed by the "sometimes it isn't what is said but the way it is said" scenario.

I raised my hand. With all seriousness, I asked - how do I go about reporting sexual harrassment by members of the same sex? Lately one of my co-workers has been looking at me with those elevator eyes and making very suggestive comments to me. Yesterday the co-worker asked me where I buy my underwear. It wasn't so much what the co-worker said but the way it was said, and all the while using those elevator eyes.

Another student raised his hand and asked the following. Why isn't it deemed sexual harrassment when a female co-worker comes dressed in a too tight skirt and low blouse and continually bends over my desk - leaving no doubt as to what is inside the blouse or her intentions.

The teacher could not answer either of the questions. It wasn't in the handbook on how to teach the class, I guess.

[USMARINE6]

What does Bump! mean?

[Types_with_Fist]

Nevermind that. I am embarrassed to say I do not know how to create a tagline for my post entries. I've been wondering for some time. I've looked in all my membership options but I can't find the option anywhere.

[longtermmemmory]

It is just letting others know this is worth reading when you have nothing to add or want to say.

It pushes the thread to the top.

Also
BTTT (bump to the top)

Welcome.

[smiley]

This is not only happening in schools, Freepers, it's also happening in the workplace...I know because I was constantly being harassed by a female attorney who wouldn't leave me alone....called me into her office and told me how disgusted she was because men have this little bitty pen** that gives them the power...I knew she was sick, sick, sick but that didn't stop her from calling our home at all hours of the night until my husband finally understood what I was going through. We alerted the firm that we were having our phones tapped at work and at our home and we were calling in the police department for prosecution. This attorney was fired the next day.....she still threw a hissy fit and stomped her feet! What about management? I can answer that. Management was afraid of her so they did nothing. If you want action, threaten your workplace with prosecution via the police department. The last thing your company wants is their name in the newspapers regarding sexual harassment.

[TaxRelief]

This behavior, I know from a first hand report of a 7th grade girl, is tantamount to gang warfare.

The young lady said she has been given two choices: join them or be sexually assaulted daily by them.

Of course, she now knows that she needs to convince adults to help her, BUT, she is leaning towards giving into them because it would be a "social disaster" for her if she does not.

[MrB]

True, they have not had the social interaction they would have had in public school.

I always ask, when someone brings this up, "Can you give me an example of positive peer pressure that might happen in a public school?"

Your kids are much better off without this "social interaction" because they will be used to dealing with adults instead of with immature people. Some of these people never grow up and thus become Democrats.

[Types_with_Fist]

To be sure: they ARE better off without this social interaction. I've seen what they are missing and I am eternally grateful. We are older than the usual parents. All I see "parents" do, these days, is indulge and excuse. Mostly, they ignore what their kids are doing, and when something goes wrong--as it almost always does--they blow it off as "kid stuff." Their children learn nothing either in school or out of school.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Parents must take schools to court until the NEA wheels fall off this mess callled public education.

[FormerLib]

Err Lott... Doh!

Forget it, he's on a roll.