Teacher In 'Heterosexual Questionnaire' Furor Placed On Leave

[davidinalameda]

http://www.365gay.com/Newscon06/05/052206teacher.htm

One of two teachers who came under fire over a questionnaire designed to raise awareness of of gay-based issues has gone on administrative leave, and an assistant principal has been suspended, while school administrators decide on possible disciplinary action.

Port Washington High School Principal Duane Woelfel said the decision was mutual, but social studies teacher Sarah Olson has declined to comment.

Olson and communications teacher Julie Grudzinski came under fire from some parents for distributing a "heterosexual questionnaire" on April 25, the eve of the national Day of Silence, the annual event co-sponsored by the national Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network.

The survey was given to about 400 of Port Washington High School's 930 students.

[TechBear_Seattle]

1. On what grounds was he "placed on leave"?

Ooo, I hope it was for "harassing" the heterosexuals :popcorn:

[mcscajun]

3. From the looks of things, it's because the survey was Unauthorized

See my post below.

[mcscajun]

2. Yet the questionnaire did not originate with the teacher

I was curious when the 365gay.com story didn't say which state the school was in, and I know about Port Washington on Long Island, NY, so I looked a bit and found this:

High school sexuality survey backfires

PORT WASHINGTON, Wis., May 16 (UPI) -- Two teachers at Port Washington (Wis.) High School let about 400 students respond to a "Heterosexual Questionnaire," outraging parents and school leaders.

Social studies teacher Sarah Olson and communications teacher Julie Gurdzinski opened class-period discussions about the questionnaire, which was distributed by Students for Unity, the school student organization leading the discussions.

Principal Duane Woelfel and Patty Ruth, president of the Port Washington-Saukville School Board did not authorize the survey, the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reported. Woelfel said he was unaware of the survey until receiving a call the next day from a parent who had a copy.

The survey was distributed prior to the national Day of Silence, an annual event organized by the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network. The purpose of the day, according to its Web site, is to prevent harassment of non-heterosexual students.

http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/view.php?StoryID=20060516-063904-6622r

[davidinalameda]

4. I think that this will backfire on the principal

his quote sets this up: Woelfel said that the goal of attempting to eliminate harassment of those with "alternative lifestyles" is good, but the approach was wrong.

alternative lifestyles?

what the fuck is an alternative lifestyle?

[mcscajun]

5. It's conducted in an alternative universe...

...like the one the principal lives in. :)

[ThomCat]

14. Good questions

I'm a vegetarian. THAT is an alternative lifestyle. My sexuality is not. This principle is a bigotted moron.

[sui generis]

6. But it was a discussion tool - clearly not a real survey

in the sense of collecting and analyzing a representative set of answers.


You would have to be completely and utterly (I hate to use a dirty word but feel I must: positively republican) to take that discussion exercise as a literal survey.

And here I thought they prided themselves on being intelligent and open-minded . . . :sarcasm:

[Smarmie Doofus]

7. More of a *thinking* tool really; g. forbid HS kids....

should be encouraged to actually *think* about this ( or any other ? ) issue.

[MadAsHellNewYorker]

8. Won't somebody please stop challenging the Heteronormativity?!?!

Our kids are barely hanging onto their heterosexuality with those heathen GLBTs consintly standing up and demanding to be seen as equals. I mean, how horrible is it that poor unsuspected youth are challenged on their preconceived notions and ideas. How dare we make people question their beliefs. I mean, this isn't education or anything :sarcasm:

[davidinalameda]

10. I know

the saddest thing is that some people around here need their beliefs questioned as well

[gator_in_Ontario]

12. Heteronormativity???

:rofl: :rofl:

[MadAsHellNewYorker]

13. lol

never heard the term before?

[ThomCat]

15. Right, because they aren't flooded

with images and messages about heterosexuality. Nothing on TV, in advertising, in movies or magazines, or anyplace else in culture pushes the idea of heterosexuality at kids.

My god, this one survey so overballances the messages these kids receive that it might "make" them gay.
:rofl:

[MadAsHellNewYorker]

16. I just love that the majority of American's are hanging onto

their heterosexuality so precariously, that a few placed questions and homoerotic images will turn every one gay! I mean, seeing two guys exchanging vows could destroy all of civilization as we know it!!!! :rofl::rofl:

[MadAsHellNewYorker]

9. dupe

delete

[triakis36]

11. I wonder what the students thought

The "questionnaire" was very effective in touching a nerve. But I think the parents failed to understand as upsetting as it is to have their heterosexuallity questioned by a simple piece of paper. That's something we have to go through everyday. And what better time to raise that issue than on the Day of Silence. As teachers I think Sarah Olson and Julie Grudzinski did a great job in demonstrating this bigotry and discrimination to their students first hand. I just hoped the students learned something from it.