Homophobic Principal Outs Students
High school is rarely kind to gay teens. It's bad enough dealing with homophobic peers, but when faculty get in on it as well it's just plain outrageous.
The principal of a Tennessee high school kept a list on display of all known student couples; an idiotic practice to begin with, but it resulted in the outing of a young gay couple, which in turn led to a smattering of verbal harassment from students and teachers alike.
The ACLU is representing the couple, and is charging the school with violation of the students' constitutional right to freedom of association.
Principal Outs Gay Student Couple [365Gay.com]
Will O'Wisp
Posted to Gaiety on 30 April 2008
· Comments (5)
Other stuff like this: high school, homophobia
I heard about this on another blog yesterday. If anyone is interested, here's some contact info on the bitch...
Daphne Beasley
BeasleyD@mcsk12.net
(901) 435-1765
Physical Address:
807 Walker Avenue
Memphis, TN 38126
Also, the contact information for her boss, the superintendent of Memphis City Schools.
Dan Ward
2597 Avery, Room 214
Memphis, TN 38112
Phone: (901) 416-5300
Fax: (901) 416-5578
e-mail: superintendentward@mcsk12.net
And this link lists all the members of the Memphis School Board members...
http://www.memphis-schools.k12.t...tions/ board.htm
I would suggest that any emails to the School Board be polite but firm, but as far as the bitch goes, let her have it. It's not like she'll EVER change her mind, so go ahead and get it off your chest. Here's a copy of the email I sent to Superintendent Ward...
Dear Mr. Ward,
I am repulsed by the deplorable, hateful behavior of Principal Daphne Beasley. I was always under the assumption that part of a principal's job was to protect the students, and provide them with a safe place to learn. Do you REALLY want to be saddled with another "Lawrence King" incident? This monster has practically given her bullies the green light to do as they wish with these two young men. This ignorant thug needs to be removed from her post. She is a true embarrassment to her profession, and you should be just as ashamed if you do not take steps to punish her for her TOTALLY inappropriate behavior. Please, PLEASE show the rest of the world that Memphis is not a backward, cruel, ignorant place that seeks to harm it's own children. I can only hope that the families of these children decide to sue Ms. Beasley and the School Board of Memphis for everything they can get, and I pray that the boys are not harmed by the "good Christians" of their community.
Hmm...couldn't get the link to work on this site, but here's the original blog I read it on, and the link works from there.
http://joemygod.blogspot.com/
Incidently, joe.my.god is a GREAT blog. Well worth the visit.
As an educator myself, I simply cannot comprehend this! That principal must be off his damned rocker.
I work at an extremely conservative rural school, and I think I teach character lessons about racial equality, women's rights, and LGBTQ issues far more often than I ought to have to, but someone's gotta do it. It makes a difference! I think this might be the kind of thing I fly off the handle about--I can hardly stand my kids calling things "gay" and whatnot.
Here's what I wrote. CCed it to the principal and everything...
Mr. Ward,
I'm sure you are aware of the situation involving Principal Beasley at Hollis F. Price Middle College High. I am not usually one to respond to such kinds of situations, and I'm sure you've gotten several earfuls already, but I was so shocked by this story that I couldn't sit back and not say anything.
I can understand the reasoning behind Ms. Beasley wanting to monitor student couples; a high school is indeed a place for learning and focus, and public displays of affection are distracting and inappropriate. However, the method Ms. Beasley employed to fight this was absolutely ridiculous. As I stated before, a high school is mainly a place for learning and focus. High school drama (though unavoidable) should not be the focus. By compiling a list of couples, Ms. Beasley completely overstepped her boundaries as an educator and administrator. It is her job to ensure that her school is producing quality students, not publicly-conscious couples. I would assume that Ms. Beasley would not want the student body to know the status of her romantic relationships, and she should extend that same right to her students.
The fact that this situation resulted in the "outing" of two students is admittedly what got me interested in this situation, but the issue of student privacy is what I am more passionate about. However, I feel that I must also address this fact. It is very rare that coming out of the closet is an easy process. On top of typical teenage situations, homosexuals must also deal with coming to terms with a fact about themselves, telling their family and friends, facing rejection, and adjusting to a new lifestyle. These situations are best handled at one's own pace--a luxury that these two are no longer afforded. In addition to their classmates and families knowing, their sexuality is now the focus of people all over America. What Ms. Beasley did to these students is irreversibly damaging. I believe that high school should prepare students for the road ahead--I'm sure Hollis F. Price now represents a huge bump in these young men's roads.
I cannot pretend to know Ms. Beasley or the way she runs her school. I'm sure she is a talented educator and administrator, or else she would have not been given the position. However, this one incident has proven that she is out-of-touch with the needs of high school students and did not carefully think of the ramifications of her actions. I hope you will reconsider whether or not she deserves to be a principal in your school district, especially considering the negative attention she has brought to the school. Whether this is seen as an issue of student privacy or human decency doesn't matter--she has done wrong in either case.
Sincerely,
“Every day I feel like they’re still punishing me, and I’m worried that this is going to hurt my chances to get into a good college.”
*shrug* put this in your college app essays and it might actually help you get in. a story of perseverance in the face of being black, gay, and the subject of official harassment for the administration. admin officials eat that shit up.