Homophobia and Scares of Child Sex - The Next "Big" Rethug Scandal

[TheBigotBasher]

The Washington Times and Fox News are at it again. An Obama Tsar to be marred in scandal. This scandal has enough to get every red blooded Republican angry, but it is of course without serious foundation. That of course will not stop the calls for heads to roll.

Kevin Jennings is Assistant Deputy Secretary for the Department of Education’s Office of Safe & Drug Free Schools. He is gay. That has got every bigot group in the Country targeting him and the Washington Times has just sent out some red meat.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/sep/28/at-the-presidents-pleasure/

The subheading gives the story away

'Safe school czar' encouraged child sex with an older man

A teacher was told by a 15-year-old high school sophomore that he was having homosexual sex with an "older man." At the very least, statutory rape occurred. Fox News reported that the teacher violated a state law requiring that he report the abuse. That former teacher, Kevin Jennings, is President Obama's "safe school czar.

The incident in question happened in 1989. Jennings was 24 and was a teacher in Massachusetts. A student of his, aged 15, told Jennings that he had sex with an older man in a bus depot restroom. The age of consent in Massachusetts is 16. No age of this "older man" is given, 16, 17, 20, 30 or 40. No details of how old this 15 year old will be provided by fox. 15 years and a day, or 15 years and 364 days. Technically it makes no difference if the older man was 16 and the 15 year old was 15 and 364 days. Most Republicans would however accept a sexual relationship between 15 year old nearing his sixteenth birthday and a girl of 16 or even 20. The homosexual nature of this will allow for no mitigation.

Although people may wish that teenagers are not sexually active, the fact remains they are. Jennings had however gained the trust of the boy. Trust he would have lost had he reported that to the police. In 1989, America was a very homophobic place to be. In part encouraged by the rise of the religious right. Had Jennings of gone to the police, he would have outed the boy at school.

Coming out is a difficult experience in itself. Being forced out by a teacher you trusted would have been devastating.

It would also have completely undermined the ability of Jennings to gain the trust of any of his pupils.

To say the least, notifying the authorities or ensuring the trust of your pupils would have been a difficult call. I say he got it right.

Watch Fox News and the right twist this. I fear we will cave on this, just as Van Jones and Acorn and give their baying hounds some more red meat.

[rubberducky]

1. How did this story even come out? Does fux have the then15 year old in an interview?

[TheBigotBasher]

3. Jennings is quite open about it.

He has discussed this as moral choices facing teachers, is on record for it, hence the comment by the Times;

However, the new audiotape contradicts this claim. In 2000, Mr. Jennings gave a talk to the Iowa chapter of the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, an advocacy group that promotes homosexuality in schools. On the tape, Mr. Jennings recollected that he told the student to make sure "to use a condom" when he was with the older man. That he actively encouraged the relationship is reinforced by Mr. Jennings' own description in his 1994 book, "One Teacher in 10." In that account, the teacher boasts how he allayed the student's concerns about the relationship to such a degree that the 15-year-old "left my office with a smile on his face that I would see every time I saw him on the campus for the next two years, until he graduated."

[rubberducky]

6. Thanks. Looks like he is done.

[TheBigotBasher]

7. If you think back to 1989

(I would have been of a similar age to "the child"), that one bit of advice, wear a condom, orobably saved his life if he took it. If his trust had been betrayed, would that advice have been given equal standing?

[rubberducky]

9. I`m not saying it`s right, but the right will crucify this poor man.

No, I don`t think he should have betrayed this young man`s confidence, he should have NEVER mentioned it to anyone at anytime. What the hell made him think it was ever right to break that confidence?

[TheBigotBasher]

10. He did not break the confidence.

No one can identify the man in question; it was discussed as a question of how best to handle the trust between a teacher and a pupil.

David Hart, a former advisor to Margaret Thatcher takes a similar view to me

http://www.tips-q.com/1410026-washington-times-slimes-kevin-jennings

Although he seems to think he will survive this and our Democratic friends wont give in.

Queerty, surprisingly, are a bit more reticent.

http://www.queerty.com/the-attacks-on-safe-school-czar-kevin-jennings-are-lame-tried-but-so-is-our-defense-20090929/

[rubberducky]

11. Thanks for clarifying the story for me.

Maybe next time I`ll shut up until I know the rest of the story. Again, thanks for setting me straight.

[Laf.La.Dem.]

2. Sad to say

but I agree with you - they will cave - Jennings will be out within one week

I also think Jennings did the right thing back in 1989:cry:

[Nuclear Unicorn]

4. This'll go over like a lead balloon...

...on the heels of Polanski's arrest

[TheBigotBasher]

8. Fox will just draw so many comparisons to that.

The Moonie Times is drawing a comparison to Mark Foley ffs.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/sep/29/sex-scandal-double-standard/

[triple point]

5. The Moonie Times and its Loonie readers...look at the comments.

:puke: