Lesbian T-shirt school storm

Herald Sun ^ | 19Feb2006 | MARY PAPADAKIS

[CrawDaddyCA]

A STUDENT being asked to remove a T-shirt with a lesbian slogan has sparked a protest at a school in Melbourne's northwest.

About 30 students at Strathmore Secondary College last week rallied behind Year 12 classmate Stephanie, 17, after she was told by teachers to change out of the T-shirt for school photos.

Stephanie, who did not want her surname published, said she had worn a T-shirt bearing the slogan "Nobody knows I'm a lesbian" to school on several occasions without concerns being raised by staff or fellow students.

"I've had it for ages," she said.

But she said things changed when she wore it on school photo day, sparking concern among Year 12 co-ordinators.

She was quickly asked to take the T-shirt off.

"They said it was because certain parents would complain," Stephanie said.

Her mother, Susan, said she had had the controversial T-shirt printed for her daughter when she was about 15.

Susan said her daughter was brave to wear the T-shirt in public and particularly at school.

"I'm proud of her," she said. "I love her and I don't care what she is."

Stephanie said she was disappointed by the school's request for her to remove the T-shirt, but understood the concerns.

She said she would wear the T-shirt to school again once the issue had calmed down.

The incident triggered a protest by other Year 12 students, who turned up at school wearing T-shirts with similar slogans. They included "Nobody knows I am bulimic", "Nobody knows I'm pregnant" and "Nobody knows I'm on steroids". The students said they found the request to Stephanie discriminatory and an attack on free speech.

Stephanie said she was shocked by the amount of support she had received.

"It's pretty cool I guess," she said.

The school declined to comment this week.

[BadAndy]

"Her mother, Susan, said she had had the controversial T-shirt printed for her daughter when she was about 15."

Candidate for mother of the year. These pro gay militants just can't keep their perversions to themselves.

[usmcobra]

That's a guy, not a gay.

[Caipirabob]

"Tina, Sherry, Anette and Ted pose for a casual photo..."

[usmcobra]

Manboobs!

[wintertime]

Her mother, Susan, said she had had the controversial T-shirt printed for her daughter when she was about 15.

Where was this girl's father? That could explain a lot.?

[wintertime]

All schools must restrict free speech, free press, free expression of religion, and free assembly, if they didn't chaos would reign.

This is perfectly OK if this were a private school because all the students would be there because of their choice or that of their parents. They would be voluntarily agreeing to suppress these rights.

The problem with compulsory government schools is that many children are not there by choice. Government has set of a system of price-fixed monopoly schools and then when private schools are scarce, they threaten the parents with police action if the child doesn't show up. This isn't "choice".

So...here we have a student with the lesbian tee-shirt. If the government school respects her rights, the school is simultaneously undermining the moral, ethical, and values ( that means religion) of all the other students who must see it.

The government is in an impossible situation because it can not respect the rights of all the students in the school. It can NOT respect the girl's free speech rights and at the same time respect the rights of the another student's right not to be proselytized in a belief system that would destroy their religion.

The student is in an impossible situation because private schools are scarce due to the price-fixed government schools, and homeschooling is impossible due to the taxes the parents must pay to support the lesbian affirming government school.

Government schools are unconstitutional on both the state and federal levels.


http://www.newswithviews.com/Stuter/stuter9.htm


Solution: Complete separation of SCHOOL and state.

[robertpaulsen]

I agree.

She needs to wash her hair, take a bath, use some makeup, burn those clothes, and lose about 40 pounds. Then she'll discover her self-esteem and won't have to resort to these tactics to draw attention to herself.

A 15-year-old doesn't have a clue whether she's a lesbian or not.

[sgtbono2002]

Her mother is as nuts as she is. Her father is hiding under a table somewhere and those girls with her dont seem too bright either. If this is the group in the future of America I change my mind and support abortion.

[robertpaulsen]

Hmmmm. I wonder. Is Strathmore an all-girl school?

[Pusterfuss]

Now if that shirt had said something about mohammed....

[far sider]

Now if that shirt had said something about mohammed....

LOL. That's an idea:

"Nobody knows I draw cartoons of Mohammed."

[wagglebee]

They all look like lesbians to me.

[SSR1]

I wonder what they would have said if a boy had worn that shirt to school?
LOL I might get one as a joke for a friend of mine. He will get a big kick out of it!

[BadAndy]

"Looking at this pic, it's obvious which one is the lesbian."


From the looks of her, what choice does she have?

[Lou L]

Her mother is as nuts as she is.

Yes, she is a new-age "parent." Rather than helping to reinforce school rules and order (do schools even have rules anymore?), she openly and flagrantly allows her daughter to be a disruption by endorsing her behavior.

[sgtbono2002]

Take a peek at the child. Does she really look like her mother has taken any time with her ?Paid her any attention at all? Her only way of attracting any attention is to wear a sign saying she is queer. The other kids hanging around her appear to be a little on the strange side too.

[King Moonracer]

Thats a face only a bull-dyke could love....I hope she at least trims her toe-nails.

[383rr]

It should say 'everybody knows i am ugly and stupid'.

[krb]

She's either a lesbian, or a male linux expert.

[MineralMan]

"She's either a lesbian, or a male linux expert."

There's a difference? [grin]