QUEERING THE SCHOOLS

City Journal ^ | May 29, 2003 | Marjorie King

[lilylangtree]

Thanks. Forwarded it on.

[wideawake]

That answers the question.

If you were able to read two consecutive sentences with comprehension, you would have known that I was referring to your desire to impute to me all the failings of America's educational system.

I care that the system is failing, of course: I care enough to make my own arrangements and to help my like-minded fellow citizens do the same.

The only political means of resistance is to push for the defunding of public schools. There is no way to legislate teachers into being loyal Americans with good, moral values. One must instead take their ill-gotten money away from them and give it back to citizens so they can reallocate those funds to decent people.

And of course, you have no positive suggestions of your own. You impotently carp at me while simultaneously being unable to read an English paragraph properly.

[Capt.YankeeMike]

The good Lord willing, my sons have never seen the inside of a public scrool, and will never have to.....
The Capt.

No, I dont drive a new car, my sons are worth much more than a stupid car.

[Mr. Mojo]

She adds, “Gender is just a bunch of stereotypes from society, but I am completely personal, and my gender is fluid.”

Would someone please explain what that means?

English is my only language.

[Consort]

Your initial answer was wrong and then you went to smoking mirrors to try to cover it. Keep digging.

[rintense]

What was the Right doing when the Left took over academia?

Bending over.

[EdReform]

"The queering of the public schools has perhaps advanced furthest in California, where a new state law requires public schools to teach all K–12 students (and K means five-year-olds) 'to appreciate various sexual orientations.' "

"Queering Elementary Education: Advancing the Dialogue about Sexualities and Schooling, Edited by William J. Letts IV and James T. Sears, Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc., 1999, 291 pages"

An excerpt from:

Book Review - Queering Elementary Education: Advancing the Dialogue about Sexualities in Schooling

Progressive Perspectives
Vol. 4, No. 1, John Dewey Project on Progressive Education, Spring 2002
College of Education and Social Services, University of Vermont

"Queering Elementary Education is unique because as it's title suggests it does not apologize for the stance that it takes, nor does it wallow in the problems of being homosexual in a heterosexist society. It is a book all educators should read whether they are elementary school teachers, administrators, or college professors. It challenges assumptions about how we view education and how we view caring for children. Edited by William J. Letts IV and James T. Sears, it offers many perspectives on the various aspects of elementary education and the myriad ways it is heterosexist.

In the first chapter James T. Sears proposes several ideas that appear throughout the book: speaking the unspoken by teaching about queer issues in elementary school, homosexuality as part of the human condition, and asserting that heterosexism and homophobia are acquired or learned beliefs. Bickmore asks, "why discuss sexuality in elementary school?” and answers “given the amount of (mis)information about gender relations and sexuality that flows freely these days in public spaces, media and peer groups, elementary educators could not prevent children from acquiring sexual information even if they wanted to do so"(p. 15). These concepts as well as others are discussed in various ways throughout the book..."

An excerpt from:

Queering Elementary Education - Book Review By Jack Nichols, GayToday.com

"Probably no other title in the pantheon of liberationist literature will evoke more controversy than Queering Elementary Education. If there was an unseemly uproar over Daddy's Roommate and Heather Has Two Mommies, just wait till the Religious Reich spies this august tome on some thoughtful teacher's shelf.

Its editors, both educators, have provided what some see as a companion volume to the award-winning film, It's Elementary. They take it for granted that children in the earliest grades have already been introduced "through schoolyard and media" to the concept of same sex love and affection, that most remain confused about it and that it is best to begin demystification processes early in life rather than allowing mistaken perceptions to take root.

It's Elementary's producer, Debra Chasnof, exults: "What a relief to finally have such a thoughtful collection of essays and research to back up what we've found in schools across the nation... an examination of the ways children's lives are hurt by homophobia and an inspiring array of strategies educators can use to turn this problem around."...

The American Pediatric Association recently called for the teaching of sexuality to begin by the middle of elementary school. Dr. Sears requests that Queering readers remember that "by the time boys and girls have become teenagers they have well-developed gender and sexual scripts: how boys and girls should behave, who makes up a family, and so on. These become our cultural straightjackets that cultivate the homophobia and sexism we see in the adult world."

"Rather than focussing on reducing such prejudices, shouldn't we consider how not to instill, foster, or intensify these prejudices in the first place?" he asks. Queering Elementary Education begins with "Foundational Issues" answering queries such as "Why Discuss Sexuality in Elementary School?".

The book's second section deals with children's sexual and social development, including supposed effects of being taught by openly gay teachers. Part three looks at possible curriculums, examining and critiquing the "heteronormative nature of elementary school science." Part four deals with family ties while the final section examines educators and their allies..."

Teaching Kindergarten Kids About 'Human Differences' and Homosexuality Isn't 'Easy' in Newton

Choice4Truth

[Consort]

Bending over.

We have a winner.

[EdReform]

Assemblyman MOUNTJOY opposes promotion of homosexuality in public schools

GLSEN (Gay and Lesbian Educational Network) Assault on Broward County Public Schools!!!

( An Introduction to GLSEN )

Parent Alleges Harassment for Exposing 'Fistgate'

Fistgate to be Held Again on March 15

How You Can Help Stop PFLAG & GLSEN!

[wideawake]

Your initial answer was wrong

No it was right, as I demonstrated. The takeover of US universities by leftists using the loophole in the draft laws is a well-known fact of history.

The tradition of the US university previously was to try to stay out of politics - but when the war protesting/draftdodging crew was given the run of the place, the previously apolitical conservative element in the university was caught unprepared and routed.

Most intelligent observers of the phenomenon know how tenure committees work, etc.

then you went to smoking mirrors to try to cover it.

"Smoking mirrors"? LOL!

Far from it - I accurately explained why US academia is ruined and I articulated my alternative strategy for dealing with the reality of the situation.

You've offered nothing - you've said that my explanation was wrong twice now. But have you offered a counterexplanation, or have you disproven even one detail of my assessment? Not in the slightest.

Keep digging.

You're the one who's digging - and so far you've been unable to disprove my analysis (hint: "no you're wrong", "no, you're wrong" isn't an argument - it's schoolyard trashtalk).

[Consort]

You blamed the war in Viet Nam and you denigrated the profession with your "day job" remark. Your answer was wrong on both accounts. That's the way it is.

Your "solution" is poor idealistically and is unworkable. Schools are the business of the states and the problem is the predominance of the Left. A strong Conservative influence would go a long way in solving the problem. Closing the schools will move the bad Liberal teachers to whatever replaces the schools.

[wideawake]

You blamed the war in Viet Nam

I blamed the deferment policy which put patriotic potential professors on the battlefield, while their America-hating counterparts were racking up the academic points necessary for advancement. It's kind of hard to compete for a postdoc position while you're fighting.

you denigrated the profession with your "day job" remark

The "profession" is anything but professional nowadays. If you were ever hectored in a classroom by an unprepared and unbathed man in sneakers and a t-shirt while you were paying thousands of dollars a quarter for the privilege, you'd understand.

The denigrators of the profession are the members of the profession.

Your answer was wrong on both accounts.

My answer was correct. Three times now you've claimed that I was wrong about the Vietnam War's imapct on academia. Three times now you've failed to offer even the semblance of an argument that it was not.

Your "solution" is poor idealistically and is unworkable.

Tell that to the tens of thousands of families who homeschool their children. Tell that to the thousands of Americans who graduate from small denominational colleges every year.

Schools are the business of the states

The root of the problem. Education used to be the business of the family.

the problem is the predominance of the Left. A strong Conservative influence would go a long way in solving the problem.

How do conservatives assert this influence? By pleading with the leftists who control the schools to please, please hire people we like? Do we ask them nicely to resign?

No - we take our kids out of their poisonous system, we demand our money back and we strive to make them as irrelevant as possible.

Closing the schools will move the bad Liberal teachers to whatever replaces the schools.

What it will do is put them on the unemployment line.

Private schools can require a teacher to teach traditional Christian morality and respect for our nation's history and accomplishements, and can fire teachers at will if they fail to comply.

Public schools cannot do that, by definition.

[LoneConservative]

I think the original poster was correct... My parents were Assistant Principals in the NYC school system for years. As a kid, I heard them talk about male teachers who had no idea what to do in the classroom, mostly because they didn't care. They were just happy to be anywhere else than Vietnam. I met some of them. Even as a kid, I could tell they were worthless- They were in it for the deferment, and also the summer vacation. My Mom tried to have an ESL teacher fired for incompetence- The teachers' union backed him, there were hearings, he was transferred out of the classroom, but eventually won. We heard that he just retired. My Mom has been retired since the mid 80s! These are the ones who are running the system right now. They're either retired, or are getting ready to, and they have trained the current crop of "Teachers". The City recently eliminated the Board of Education. Sounds good on the surface, but the same people that ran the board are running the Dept. of Education. Until they're gone, and the UFT no longer has politicians by the b***ls, then nothing will EVER change.

[Mr. Mojo]

How do conservatives assert this influence? By pleading with the leftists who control the schools to please, please hire people we like? Do we ask them nicely to resign?

You're right, it's way too late for conservatives to "take back" academia. The leftists are way too entrenched. The only options are homeschooling or conservative private schools.

A liberal friend of mine down in L.A. recently told me something I never thought I'd hear -- he's enrolling his 4 year old kid in private school. ...And believe me, it says alot that this guy is taking (for him) that drastic a step.

[wideawake]

I'm moving closer to believing that maybe Hitler had the right idea when it comes to homosexuals...

You mean give them prominent positions in government and allow them to practice their perversions with complete freedom? That's already happened.

Don't buy the sodomite propaganda that they were targeted by Hitler - he made the laws more lax for them when he came to power, not stricter.

[CyberAnt]

I believe both parents were working to pay all the taxes imposed by the liberals. If you want a conspiracy theory - there's a huge one!

[Consort]

The war thing doesn't fly. Not every coonservative went off to fight the war. They could have and should have countered the Left's Plan to take over education. The Right dropped the ball, big time.

For the fourth time, your answer was wrong.

Homeschooling is not an option for every family.

Education is the business of the states whether we like it or not.

...we demand our money back...

Try it.

Private schools can require a teacher to teach traditional Christian morality and respect for our nation's history and accomplishements, and can fire teachers at will if they fail to comply.

You're getting it backwards. The Left will make private and religious schools as bad as public schools rather than public schools going away. Vouchers will be one of the ways they will accomplish it. When you fight City Hall, you usually lose and the lawyers get richer.

[Consort]

They were just happy to be anywhere else than Vietnam. I met some of them. Even as a kid, I could tell they were worthless-....

All true, but not an excuse for letting them get away with it. There are no good excuses.

[First Amendment]

I'm moving closer to believing that maybe Hitler had the right idea when it comes to homosexuals...

Actually the idea that Hitler targeted homosexuals for punishment or death is a myth. Hitler was likely a sodomist himself (there's a new book called "The Hidden Hitler" - just translated from German, that makes that assertion) and homosexuals formed the elite of the SS and other Nazi elements. Homoesxuality was at the core of the Nazi philosophy. You should read "The Pink Swastika" - it's online at www.abidingtruth.com. The myth that Hitler targeted "gays" was invented by the "gay activists" so they could join the ranks of groups who really have been the target of unfair discrimination and hatred, such as Jews. Nothing could be farther from the truth.

[old-ager]

Oh oh. How has this troll stayed around here since 2000?
Admin - please do something.