Student Told To Support Gay Rights Or Get An 'F'

NewsNet5 ^ | 5/8/2

[NativeNewYorker]

KIRTLAND, Ohio -- What if a class assignment forced you to choose between getting a passing grade or following your moral values?

A class at Lakeland Community College was told to wear a pink triangle for the day to symbolize gay pride.

NewsChannel5's Kareen Wynter reported that one student decided to fight it, but it almost cost him the school year.

Many students dream of graduating school with high honors, but this student said that he has little to look forward to in his final weeks.

"It's a moral issue I have," he said. "I pay tuition to come to this school. I shouldn't have to defend my moral issues."

A class project in criminal justice turned sour for the college senior, who we'll call Ian.

The assignment was to wear a pink triangle around school for the day as a symbol of gay rights and then write about the experience. Ian confronted his teacher.

"I asked 'What if a student were to feel uncomfortable with this -- would there be an alternate assignment?'" he said. "She said no."

He, in turn, got an F and faced expulsion.

So why wasn't the student offered a backup assignment? Lakeland administrators said that it is part of classroom policy.

"I think if the situation were easy, it wouldn't have been part of the curriculum," said Barbara Grano of Lakeland.

Still, faculty members said that they didn't break the rules.

"Absolutely, this student had an option," she said.

When NewsChannel5 spoke with Ian later in the day, his teacher had given him an apology note that read, in part, that the requirement was waived.

Ian said that he doesn't think things would have been resolved had NewsChannel5 not gotten involved.

"I appreciate everything you've done," he said.

His mother was happy, too.

"I was thrilled," she said. "Here's a young man who stood up for himself, and it worked."

Professors at Lakeland said that there's a list of things you can and can't challenge in the school's handbook.

[goldstategop]

Agreed. The broader point overlooked here though is how gays are able to force others to accept their views about their lifestyle even while they are the same people who plead for acceptance on the grounds of non-bigotry, tolerance, and non-judgmentalism of others. Talk about NOT practicing what you preach. No one should be bullied into supporting a view they don't accept or agree with. I'm all for letting gays live as they wish but that doesn't mean I'm for their flaunting their lifestyle in my face and telling me I have to like and embrace it. There's a difference here. However, the left and not just gays isn't merely seeking respect for differences of opinion these days but for conformity with the thinking of the herd. That's what's so objectionable about what went on at Lakeland High. Its Un-American.

[stands2reason]

Criminal Justice, my a$$. This was straight (ahem) out of Sensitivity Training 101. What a joke.

[Dakmar]

I probably would have worn one but defaced it somehow. A swastika would do nicely in this instance.

[Puppage]

You need to go back to school, bub. There's NO SUCH WORD as irregardless. The correct word is regardless.

[SkyPilot]

Here is their Website

So why wasn't the student offered a backup assignment? Lakeland administrators said that it is part of classroom policy. "I think if the situation were easy, it wouldn't have been part of the curriculum," said Barbara Grano of Lakeland.

Grano, Barbara
C-2089d 440 953-7327
BGrano@lakeland.cc.oh.us

[A. Pole]

"It's a moral issue I have," he said. "I pay tuition to come to this school. I shouldn't have to defend my moral issues."

They should return his money!

[freedox]

I'd like to know what college course would involve such an assignment.....hopefully, it was just one of those touchy-feely electives that kids use to fill up their transcripts. Oh......and I'd also like to see a picture of the teacher. I have a feeling that would be a real treat.

[AshleyMontagu]

Bravo for this young man standing up for his values. The sad (scary?) part of the story is that he was the only one who did so, in a Criminal Justice class no less.

[A. Pole]

Apparently, the student was told to wear a triangle for a day, then report on his experiences. He was not told to support anything, and his position on gay rights was irrelevant.

Hey, why not YOU to wear a swastica (or hammer and sickle) for a day? Then report on your experiences. Please.

[Digger]

Maybe this teacher will be invited the the White House press club dinner next year along again with Ozzie & GW can give them accolades.

[goldstategop]

Sorry, my post should have identified the place as Lakeland Community College. Anyway, I wonder what the lefties would say about a liberal student being given a non optional assignment to support the Republican Party and conservative principles or get an F. I imagine the "tolerance" and "diversity" types hitting the roof.

[Eaker]

Headline looked accurate to me. In NAZI Germany those that wore yellow stars were identified as Jews and those wearing a brown shirt and jack boots were non-Jews.

Seems simple, pink triangle = homosexual supporter.

Eaker

[Landru]

""I asked 'What if a student were to feel uncomfortable with this -- would there be an alternate assignment?'' he said. 'She said no.'
He, in turn, got an F and faced expulsion."

Ohmygawddddd...
This simply SCREAMS for The Mother of ALL Lawsuits to be filed on this individual's behalf.

On what grounds; I know not.
Nevertheless, this smacks of something totalitarian in the extreme!!
The dyke/instructor knew precisely what it was she was FORCING at least some of the students to have to do.
Seems a honest & sincere instructor would've GLADLY prepared an alternative experiment in which she could make HER point -- besides this HUMILIATING endevour?

No.
This is the epitome -- a sterling example in fact -- of an activist on a *mission* to execute an agenda.

So, WHAT does the community hosting this joint (& who're picking up the TAB) have to say about this all of this; AND, this "teacher's" expectations??

I mean, the HS VP who *felt* obligated to check the li'l harlots showing-up at a school dance, wearing thongs under short skirts for the express purpose of luring the himbos in attendence, got herself bounced, eh?

Sounds like the same level of unmitigated gall & audacity to me, alright.

...eh, think the ACLU would take the case? ;^)

[A. Pole]

Phone -- 440.953.7144

I just left a message on her answering machine.

[stands2reason]

Are you a liberal?

[Harrison Bergeron]

"Oh, I see....if anal intercourse is recommended in the "school handbook", no one has a right to refuse to particpate."

About twenty-five years ago, when I transferred from a non-engineering to an engineering curriculum, the university stripped me of about 30 degree applicable credits and basically forced be to repeat almost an entire year of courses because the original one's weren't "accredited." So the answer is "Yes, they screwed me, and I was forced to participate."

It happens every day at big universities.

[goldstategop]

To the DU dummies we're all good fascists in need of a deathbed conversion.

[DrDavid]

Perhaps the instructor should carry around a Bible for the day and report on her experiences!

[Cold Heat]

Maybe this teacher will be invited the the White House press club dinner next year along again with Ozzie & GW can give them accolades.

I fart in your general direction!