Right wing school district decides anti-gay bullying not good after all.

[RandySF]

COON RAPIDS, Minn. — The school board in Minnesota's largest school district on Monday night approved a replacement for a policy that required teachers to stay neutral when sexual orientation comes up in class, a stance that some critics blamed for fostering bullying.

The Anoka-Hennepin School Board adopted the "Respectful Learning Environment" policy on a voice vote. Only board member Kathy Tingelstad voted no.

After hearing more than an hour of testimony from more than 20 people, board member Scott Wenzel said he believed the change will help the district and the community move forward.

Tingelstad told reporters afterward she didn't appreciate all the outside pressure that has come down on the board over the issue in recent months.


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/13/minn-school-board-could-c_n_1274779.html?ref=gay-voices&ir=Gay%20Voices

[qb]

1. For those who don't know, this is in Michele Bachmann's district famous for teen suicides.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/11374278

[Aerows]

2. Oh gee, you think?

I mean what could POSSIBLY go wrong when allowing kids to bully each other relentlessly.

Glad they changed it. It was a stupid idea in the first place.

[Archae]

3. Notice how that Uber-"Christian" Barb Anderson had a snitfit?

"Gay agenda! Gay agenda! Gay agenda!" Yibble yibble yibble...

[Kalidurga]

4. I saw this on the local news.

This Tinglestad person seems to think that straight kids have the right to bully gay kids. She was really really po'd about the change, she thinks it's part of the gay agenda. I just don't get it does she really think that it is a bad thing that gay kids don't want to be bullied?

Never mind it was Barb Anderson that I saw. I don't know who this other person mentioned is might recognize her if I saw a picture. Anyway, there were at least two horrid people in the clip I saw of the meeting.

[FreeState]

5. GLSN: the impact of this proposed revision is even worse (than recent history in the district)

http://www.glsen.org/cgi-bin/iowa/all/news/record/2842.html

"Today, the Anoka-Hennepin School Board will vote on proposed revisions to the Respectful Learning Environment curriculum policy. GLSEN has been actively monitoring the developments in the Anoka-Hennepin School District and we remain deeply concerned by the revised policy put forward for consideration.

"Community members have worked diligently, and with great resolve, to advocate for strong and clear district-wide policy designed to ensure a safe and respectful learning environment for all students. The revised Respectful Learning Environment curriculum policy reflects a desire to find common ground, but falls short in serving the needs of every student including LGBT students and students with LGBT families.

"The revised policy remains confusing, and may convey a harmful message that any discussion of LGBT people and events is contentious and inappropriate for the classroom. The contradictory language calls upon educators' to affirm every student, yet it fails to address how to do so in instances where very different opinions are presented, stemming from family background and beliefs. GLSEN remains disturbed that the policy presented in its current form will continue to leave educators ill-equipped to address a wide range of social issues in the classroom, including those pertaining to sexual orientation and gender identity/expression.

"Put in the context of the district's recent history, however, the impact of this proposed revision is even worse. At this point, the persistence of any kind of 'curriculum policy' in Anoka-Hennepin does little beyond reminding district students, parents and personnel that some in the community once sought to eliminate any discussion of LGBT people from their schools. Given the grave challenges facing the young people of Anoka-Hennepin, including LGBT students, it is distressing that one political faction within the community would continue to hold enough power to require the continued existence of a policy with such hurtful origins and dubious impact."