Category Archives: Education

April 3, 2014

I Just Want to Scream Sometimes…

By Joe

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…but right now, I’m too tired to do so. I forget how exhausting directing a play is, especially when you can’t delegate much responsibility because you are working with teenagers. The last week is always the worst. There are things that have been forgotten, then their are people who promised to help, but then might not be able to (not because hey don’t want to but because of health or whatever reason are not able to), and of course there is the worrying about will everything go well and will the actors remember their lines. And not matter how much I prepare and make lists, there is always something that gets forgotten or that must be done last minute. I have not gotten a good night’s sleep in over a week and it’s been worse since Sunday. No matter how tired I am, I keep thinking of things that need to be done. When I lie down to go to sleep at night, I lay there and think of all the things that still need to be done, trying to remember what I’ve forgotten, and so on and so forth. Then when I finally fall asleep, I dream of the play all night long. Tuesday night, I dreamed that a cast member died, and I had to replace her within two days of the play. Logic should have kicked in and said that the play should be cancelled, but dreams are not logical.

Anyway, I tried to think of something to post today, and this is what came out. Please excuse my whining. The performances are Friday and Saturday night, so I can’t wait until Sunday, when I can finally rest and catch my breath. Until then, I will be nervous, frazzled, and overworked, so I hope that all who know me, including the students I have in class, will understand my state of mind. I’m not a crazy person, just a stressed.

1 Comment | posted in Education, Miscellaneous

March 31, 2014

Back to School

By Joe

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Spring break is over and it’s time to return to school. Ugh! A week wasn’t long enough, but I got a lot accomplished for the play. It’s going to be an intense week of practices and dress rehearsals to get ready for the actual production this weekend. It’s exciting and nerve racking all at the same time. I will be glad when it’s over. It seems like we’ve been working on it forever. Wince this week is over, only six more weeks of school before summer. This year seems to have flown by.

Anyway, if posts are short this week, I apologize, but it will be a very busy week of preparations.

Have a wonderful Monday!

Leave a comment | posted in Education, Miscellaneous

March 13, 2014

Tea Partier Actually Thinks The Common Core Will Destroy ‘Traditional’ America

By Joe

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I wasn’t aware that the Common Core State Standards had anything to with homosexuality or religion, but Alabama Tea Party leader Dr. Terry Bratton seems convinced the new education measure has a specific and radical agenda. By the way, even though I teach at a private school, we do follow state curriculum standards, so I am quite familiar with Common Core, so I have been following this debate on the news. However, an article on the Huffington Post pointed out Bratton’s lunatic rant about the Common Core.

Bratton spoke to the state Senate Education Committee about his fears on the Common Core at a public hearing Tuesday. The committee was considering, and eventually approved, a bill that allows school districts to opt out of the Common Core, according to Right Wing Watch.

In case you don’t know, the Common Core is a set of new education standards that have been adopted in more than 40 states, including Alabama, in an effort to make sure students around the country are being held to the same benchmarks. While the Common Core Standards are designed to emphasize critical thinking and deeper learning and aim to better prepare students for college and careers, they do not take a stance on homosexuality or religion.

Nevertheless, a video of Bratton shows him accusing the Standards of promoting “acceptance of homosexuality, alternate lifestyles, radical feminism, abortion, illegal immigration and the redistribution of wealth.”

“Alabama places a priority on family and Christian values. We don’t want our kids to be taught to be anti-Christian and anti-Catholic and anti-America,” said Bratton. “We don’t want our kids to lose their innocence, beginning in preschool and kindergarten, told that homosexuality is okay and should be experienced at an early age.”

Bratton also railed against what he called ideas of “social justice” woven into the Standards. He said such teachings are “contrary to traditional American notions of justice in the United States Constitution” and claimed they teach kids that “America is an unjust and oppressive society that should be changed.”

However, when asked by Alabama outlet The Anniston Star where he found such ideas in the Standards, he said they were in the “reading lists” associated with the Core’s English standards. According to the Common Core website, the reading lists are meant to “serve as useful guideposts in helping educators select texts of similar complexity, quality, and range for their own classrooms,” but teachers are not required to teach these suggested texts.

Finally, Bratton told the state senators that voting against the opt-out bill could impact them for all eternity.

“Do you want this on your record when you come to the End of Days, knowing the Master Teacher said, ‘As much as you’ve done to the little ones, you’ve done it unto me?’” he asked of the meeting’s attendees.

While the bill passed the Education Committee, Sen. Scott Beason (R-Gardendale) told local outlet Montgomery Advisor that he did not think it would have enough votes to pass the Senate floor. Honestly, there is very little chance that it will pass. The Alabama Education Association, the state teacher’s union and advocacy group is against Beason’s bill. The AEA is probably one of, if not the strongest and wealthiest lobbying organization in Alabama. When they want a bill dead, even the Republican majority legislature can’t stop them, because all Alabama legislatures have their price and the AEA knows it.

And as a fellow teacher told me at lunch yesterday when discussing allowing local Alabama school boards to choose to use Common Core or not, “Well, we all know how good Alabama is at education decisions.” Alabama is ranked 46th in education, according to Education Week. At least we are no longer at the very bottom, but it shows that Alabama is not very good at the whole education business. If you want my honest opinion, there are two main reasons for it, (1) white legislatures do not want to fund education for minority students and (2) the AEA safeguards a lot of teachers who are quite honestly only qualified to teach on paper, but have no business in the classroom.

Although the Common Core State Standards have increasingly faced backlash as states begin the implementation process, a majority of Americans still do not know what they are. According to a recent poll from education reform advocacy group 50CAN, 58 percent of those surveyed did not know what the Common Core was, while 31 percent supported the Standards and 12 percent opposed them.

3 Comments | posted in Education, Politics

January 22, 2014

“Noel” Will Return to School

By Joe

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A story made its rounds on the Internet (including this blog) this weekend and on Monday after a Florida high school allegedly suspended a senior “Noel” (I am going to use his Sean Cody name not his real name, which is easy enough to find if you want to do so) when the principal discovered the student had appeared in multiple gay porn movies on popular site Sean Cody.

Noel makes no apologies for performing in porn and considers his work like any other job, and quite honestly, I have to say, he does have the body for porn, if you know what I mean. Until two weeks ago, the 18-year-old (he turned 18 in June 2013) was like any other high school senior, but he said when students at Cocoa High School discovered his videos on an adult website, they started showing each other his explicit pictures on their phones at school.

The move by the public high school sparked outrage on social media, causing students to rally behind Noel through Facebook groups and campus demonstrations.

Now, it is being reported that following an investigation school administrators are allowing Noel to return to school grounds — though they reportedly won’t give an exact reason for the suspension, citing privacy laws.

“It’s easy to become emotional about a situation when it looks like a student is being targeted for his lifestyle choices, that is not the case here,” school district spokeswoman Michelle Irwin told reporters. “We will continue to work with the student and his family to make sure he graduates and moves on with his education.”

“No child would ever be suspended for a job that they have outside of the school environment,” said Irwin. However, when reporters asked why then he was suspended, administrators said they received information that Noel made threats, after students found pictures of his work online and started to taunt him. “In this particular case, we had an investigation, which is now complete, and the student is welcomed to come back to talk to Dr. Sullivan about his educational options,” said Irwin. Reporters checked with Cocoa police, they confirmed they did investigate the alleged threats but found nothing.

Noel’s mother said she knew her son was working in adult films, adding that he took the roles to support her financially. “I think he’s the most awesome person in the world,” she said tearfully. “He stood up and he was the man of the house when I couldn’t be.”

His mother also told reporters that she believes her son’s work in adult films is why school administrators suspended him. “She [Dr. Sullivan] flat out told me that my son was expelled not just suspended,” his mother reportedly stated. “He was expelled due to his explicit, adult, lifestyle career.”

Cocoa High Principal Stephanie Soliven called Noel on Tuesday morning — after the holiday weekend — and they worked out a plan to get him back to class, Irwin said. Noel said the principal “apologized to me and said the threats were made up (by other students).” District officials confirmed the investigation had been concluded and Noel was cleared.

The discussion between principal and student was according to district policy and unrelated to a flurry of furious Facebook comments and feedback the district received from around the globe after the story broke last week, Irwin said. She did not have the policy immediately available.

Because Noel is an adult, he did not appear to violate obscenity laws, Assistant State Attorney Wayne Holmes said. “We’re basically in a society today where consenting adults can do what consenting adults want to do,” Holmes said, adding that the community standard for what is obscene has changed with the increased use of technology and the Internet. “What 30, 40, or 50 years ago may have been a crime, you can now go to a local movie theater and see.”

Noel shuffled his bare feet through dry pine needles carpeting the cement walk outside his home while speaking Tuesday with Florida Today. He slumped his muscular, 5-foot, 9-inch frame, hung his blond head and avoided eye contact. “I’m just ready to return to school, like a normal day,” Noel said Tuesday. He was anxious though on the eve of his return to class, behaving nothing like Noel, his bold online personality as a gay pornography model. He knows that returning to Cocoa High School will be anything but ordinary given his unusual job, taken to help out his mom because his dad doesn’t work. “It’s just her trying to feed me and the dogs and pay bills,” Noel said, rubbing his hand across his face.

A number of porn stars have faced disputes within school systems whether they were active in the adult film industry or not. In 2010, Shawn Loftis — who directed and acted in a series of gay porn films under the name Collin O’Neal — was dismissed from a substitute teaching gig in the Miami area after a principal discovered his films on a website. The following year, however, the Florida Education Practices Commission ruled that Loftis would not only be permitted to teach, but was also eligible to apply for a permanent position as an educator.

Meanwhile, Kevin Hogan, who allegedly starred in at least three X-rated gay films under the name “Hytch Cawke” before being hired at a Massachusetts charter school, was placed on administrative leave in 2011 when his previous gig was revealed.

Frankly, it sounds to me as if the principal was advised that she had made a bad decision and one that she would be unable to back up legally. I think she made a rash decision based on her own morality, while ignoring what school procedures were. Instead of helping Noel, she hoped the kid would go away quietly and the whole matter would be swept under the rug. When this did not happen, she ended up eating a bit of crow. I do wonder if their will be further consequences for her behavior or if the matter will be forgotten soon because she allowed Noel back in school.

I also believe that Sean Cody should be a little more hesitant to accept high school students. Sean Cody has the responsibility [at least morally] to absolutely make sure these 18 year olds fully understand the possible ramifications of doing porn. Teens are not usually mature enough to think past the next month let alone their entire future. Noel did this for his family and according to his mother with her knowledge. Though I realize that pornography and prostitution are not the same and here is a fine line between the two, isn’t this at least a little akin to a parent telling their eighteen year old daughter that it is okay to go sell herself on the street in order to bring in more money for the family? I do realize that in the case of prostitution, it is illegal in most places in the United States, whereas pornography is not.

Sean Cody has been known for some unscrupulous practices in the past. They often have models sign exclusive contract that have at least a year long clause which prevents the model from working elsewhere and they refuse to allow the model out of the contract even when they decide they don’t want to use the model anymore. Furthermore, Sean Cody has become an almost exclusively bareback (condom free) studio (Noel did five videos with Sean Cody, all bareback, though one was a solo video), which presents health risks to the models, no matter how much testing they go through. In all honesty, I will admit that I did once have a subscription to SeanCody.com, but as they increasingly began producing more and more bareback videos, I became uncomfortable with supporting their enterprise, and cancelled my membership. I am not judging those who enjoy bareback porn, in fact I too find it rather hot, but it’s a conundrum to me because I don’t like it, yet I do. Bareback porn makes me feel guilty for watching it because I know the models are being put at risk and that it sends the wrong message, and I don’t like feeling guilty for watching pornography.

What do you think about the school administrators’ decision? How do you feel about a porn studio recruiting a high school student, even though he was over eighteen? I have attempted to present this story as fully as I can, so I’d love to hear what you guys really think about any or all of the issues I discuss in this and the previous post.

2 Comments | posted in Discussion, Education, Miscellaneous

January 20, 2014

In Loco Parentis

By Joe

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I’ve heard of people losing their day jobs when it’s discovered they’ve done porn, but it looks like a high-school student has been kicked out of school for doing so. Queerty and several other gay news sources are reporting Cocoa High School (CHS) senior and Sean Cody model “Noel,” has allegedly been suspended and will not be allowed to graduate from his Florida high school, after several of his gay porn videos made their way to his principal’s desk. A Reddit poster claiming to be the cousin of one of “Noel’s” classmates also claims that “Noel” was allegedly “severely bullied” by classmates and suspended for 10 days when his extra-curricular activity became known. According to the Cocoa High School Student Handbook: “When a student’s actions are disruptive to himself/herself or to the school as to violate law, Board Policies, or school rules, the student may be suspended by the Principal or designated representative. Suspension dictates that the student shall not be allowed to attend his or her regular classes or school-sponsored activities for a prescribed number of days not to exceed ten (10).”

The suspension also means he will not be able to graduate in June. According to the student handbook, ten unexcused absences (which a ten day suspension counts as) mean that the student will automatically receive a failure from absences/failure to attend in all of his classes for the semester. “Noel” got severely bullied and, instead of helping him, the school will not let him graduate due to him causing a “campus disturbance.” While some students are defending Noel and promising to protest his treatment, the principal is threatening “to automatically expel any student who joins in.”

Regardless of how you feel about an 18 year old high school student in pornography, is it the responsibility of the school to punish him for activities outside of school? I think the question comes down to the legal responsibilities of school’s in relation to “in loco parentis.” The term in loco parentis, Latin for “in the place of a parent”” refers to the legal responsibility of a person or organization to take on some of the functions and responsibilities of a parent. It allows institutions such as colleges and schools to act in the best interests of the students as they see fit, although not allowing what would be considered violations of the students’ civil liberties.

As an eighteen year old, this young man has full access to his civil liberties and his school should not be able to punish him for something that happened outside of school. Schools have increasingly taken over the responsibilities of the parents of children. Instead of parents teaching their children responsibilities and morality, parents are leaving this up to the school. However, it is not the school’s responsibility to be the parent. Where was “Noel’s” parents when he was off filming pornography in San Diego where Sean Cody is based? If the parents did nothing to stop this, then why does the school get to take over where the parents failed.

To further explain “in loco parentis,” the first major limitation to “in loco parentis” came in the U.S. Supreme Court case West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette (1943), in which the court ruled that students cannot be forced to salute the American flag. More prominent change came in the 1960s and 1970s in such cases as Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District (1969), when the Supreme Court decided that “conduct by the student, in class or out of it, which for any reason – whether it stems from time, place, or type of behavior – materially disrupts classwork or involves substantial disorder or invasion of the rights of others is, of course, not immunized by the constitutional guarantee of freedom of speech.” Adult speech is also limited by “time, place and manner” restrictions and therefore such limits do not rely on schools acting in loco parentis.

Private institutions are given significantly more authority over their students than public ones, and are generally allowed to arbitrarily dictate rules. However, Cocoa High School, located in Cocoa, Florida, is part of the Brevard Public Schools District. Therefore, Cocoa High School is not protected as a private institution, and thus does not hold the same rights as a private institution does when it comes to legislating moral behavior.

The most significant legal test came from a 1969 Supreme Court case, Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District, in which a school suspended students for wearing black armbands to protest the Vietnam War (Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School). In Tinker, the United States Supreme Court defined the constitutional rights of students in public schools by overturning the students’ suspensions. They did say, however, that when a student’s speech interferes substantially with the school’s educational mission, a school may impose discipline. The problem with this decision lies with the interpretation of how “interferes substantially” is defined, since there is subjectivity in this criteria. Tinker is now being cited in off-campus cyber-bullying and YouTube cases when a disruption is caused in the school building due to the aftermath of these incidences. I assume, this will also be used if “Noel’s” suspension is challenged legally.

Justice Clarence Thomas has argued that Tinker’s ruling contradicted “the traditional understanding of the judiciary’s role in relation to public schooling,” and ignored the history of public education. He believed the judiciary’s role to determine whether students have freedom of expression was limited by in loco parentis. He cited Lander v. Seaver (1859) which held that in loco parentis allowed schools to punish student expression that the school or teacher believed contradicted the school’s interests and educational goals. This ruling declared that the only restriction the doctrine imposed were acts of legal malice or acts that caused permanent injury. Neither of these were the case with Tinker. Nor should they be the case with “Noel’s” punishment.

The main problem that I have with the whole situation is that the school is trying to be the parent, when it is the responsibility of the parent to handle the situation. Compound that with the fact that “Noel” is over eighteen years of age, then he has the ability to make his own decisions, at least legally, though his parents should be more active. I have no idea what “Noel’s” family situation is, but whatever it is, I do not believe that it is the school responsibility to be his parent. I deal with students day in and day out who have little parental guidance, and the parents expect us, i.e. teachers and school personnel, to act as the parent and guide their child. I am not saying that it is not the responsibility of teachers and school personnel to help in guiding a child, but the responsibility is ultimately with the parents. “Noel” is not the one who should be punished, but it is his parents who should have to be the ones held responsible, not an eighteen year old kid. No matter who mature an eighteen year old believes he is, he still needs guidance.

Sadly, “Noel” has learned the hard way the consequences of doing porn, but obviously, he is not shy. I would have never had the gumption to pose for porn when I was in high school, and I expect he will find a way to deal with this. Many young porn models perform in order to make money for college. If reports are correct that Sean Cody models usually make $4,000 per scene and “Noel’ has filmed at least five scenes which amounts to at least $20,000 toward his college fund. However, if he isn’t allowed to graduate, will he even be able to attend college? Ultimately, I think the school overreacted in their decision.

P.S. If you are not a fan of gay porn or SeanCody.com but “Noel” looks familiar to you, it is because I used his picture for my “Snow Day” post about two weeks ago.

UPDATE FROM CBS Tampa Bay: School officials have reversed their decision and “Noel” has been allowed back to school.

Local 6 quoted school officials who say the decision to expel was wrong and that they’ve finished their investigation.

“No child would ever be suspended for a job that they have outside of the school environment,” said Michelle Irwin, a spokesperson for the district.

“In this particular case, we had an investigation, which is now complete, and the student is welcomed to come back to talk to Dr. Sullivan about his educational options,” said Irwin.

I will have more on this tomorrow. I want to do a bit more reading and see how much of the story I can get put together for Wednesday’s post.

11 Comments | posted in Discussion, Education

January 16, 2014

Back to School

By Joe

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I wasn’t supposed to return to school until Tuesday, since the cruise was supposed to be until Sunday and Monday was a holiday. I was supposed to be in Belize touring ancient Maya ruins today. However, since I did not go on the cruise and my aunt’s funeral was held yesterday, I decided to go back to school today and tomorrow. It’s not particularly what I had planned to do, but why waste the vacation time. I know that my students have been in good hands; I’ve had a retired teacher subbing for me this week. My only reason for taking the rest of the week off would be to keep an eye on HRH and her continued recovery. HRH, though, is progressing well and has retaken her throne as the ruler of the house, so I’m not too worried about her.

I dread dealing with my students though. Kids today have no boundaries. They always ask questions that I would never have dared to ask my teachers. They will question why I didn’t go on the cruise anyway, because they have no sense of duty and family. They will question why I came back and didn’t take the rest of the week back, because they have no sense of responsibility. They will question the work I left for them to do in my absence, because they have no sense of their own education. Maybe I can use those questions as a lesson on duty, family, responsibility, and education. I think all of those lessons are lessons that should be taught to them at home by their parents, but sadly, none of it is taught at home anymore as parents continually expect teachers to do more and more of their responsibilities. Therefore, I try to teach these lessons to my students, but I try to do it in a way they will understand and not in a way that seems like I’m teaching them a life lesson. It’s a delicate balance, but that’s part of being a teacher and molding young minds.

2 Comments | posted in Education

January 6, 2014

Snow Day

By Joe

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Technically, we aren’t getting a snow day here in Alabama because if there was snow, it came in the middle of the night in the form of flurries and none of it accumulated. However, we are getting the day out of school because of extremely cold (at least for Alabama) temperatures and icy roads. Since we rarely have these conditions, it is advisable that people only get on the roads if it is absolutely necessary. I will not be getting on the roads today. The school is closed and since we are expecting even colder temperatures tomorrow, with a possible windchill of below 0 degrees, we may not have school tomorrow either (I’m keeping my fingers crossed).

Instead of going out, I actually have a lot I need to get done today. I need to do some laundry, especially some of my summer clothes. Summer clothes? You ask. Yes, summer clothes. I will be needing them next week. I’m going on a seven day cruise to Honduras, Belize, and Mexico. Because I’m a poor teacher, I would not normally be going on a cruise; however, a close friend of mine and her family are going and they invited me. Since there was an odd number of them and my friend’s sister would have a room to herself and it was a mere $100 to add another person, they asked if I wanted to go. I hesitated at first because of finances, because I really didn’t have even $100 to spare. They said that if I would go, they’d take care of the $100 and the cruise would be free. Honestly, how could I pass it up? So I didn’t. I’ve saved up some money and receive some at Christmas to help pay for the incidentals (HRH’s healthcare costs have cut into that), but all in all, I think I will be okay. From what I have been told, there are three main extra costs to going on a cruise: 1) the excursions at the various ports, 2) alcoholic beverages, which I expect to consume copious amounts, and 3) souvenirs. I hope I have enough to cover these.

Anyway, there’s a lot to do to get ready before I leave. First of all, I need to get packed and make sure I don’t forget anything. Second, having a substitute for a week at school is more work than being there. Luckily, I have it worked out that I have reached a particular part in my curriculum for each of my classes to be able to show a movie in nearly all of them, and if I can be creative then I will be able to find a movie for all of them. However, in my class, watching a movie is never enough. Assignments have to be made for follow ups. I will have worksheets and essays for students to work on when the movies have finished. Third, I need to schedule blog posts for each day I will be at sea. Next week will probably be a few itinerary items, mixed in with some of my usual posts, but I’m sure most of it will be cruise or travel related. I have some ideas, so I hope that even though I will be gone and will not be able to respond to comments, you will tune in each day to see what I have in store for you. I promise I will do my best to make it fun. If nothing else, I know you will enjoy the pictures.

So it’s actually a good thing that it’s too cold to do anything today, I have a lot to get started on this week, and all of it will have to be finished by Friday.

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , , , , , , , | posted in Education, Miscellaneous, Travel

November 4, 2013

Times Have Changed

By Joe

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Actually, it’s just the time that has changed, and it drives me crazy. I enjoyed having the extra hour of sleep yesterday, but I still woke up at the normal time to get ready for church. Last night my body was not used to the time change and it felt like it was so late, but it was only 9pm. I’m hoping I will get used to going to bed a bit early and thus get a better night’s sleep, but I know once I get used to the time change, then I will be back to my old schedule again. I just hope that for a few mornings that my body will think I’m sleeping late.

Maybe I will be in a better mood this week. I really wasn’t in a bad mood last week, but my students thought I was. I was a raving bitch to my students, but most of that had to do with me not wanting to deal with their attitudes anymore. This year I have more students who talk back or just refuse to stop talking and interrupting class, so I’m taking care of it once and for all. They can either learn to act like students with manners who know how to behave like a proper student, or they can spend more and more time with our headmaster. Hopefully, my students have learned their lesson, and it won’t have to be a bitch this weeks too.

Here’s hoping that we all have a wonderful week, and that the time change doesn’t mess us up too much.

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , , , , | posted in Education, Miscellaneous

October 17, 2013

In their own words: Why students, educators support LGBT youth and #SpiritDay

By Joe

Spirit Day, this October 17th, is about uniting in solidarity with LGBT youth everywhere by standing against bullying. A few of the students and educators participating this year are making their voices heard, explaining why it’s important to support the youngest members of the LGBT community through grassroots initiatives.

GLSEN has found that of the many students who reported not having supportive staff members at their school, more than three-fourths of them feel unsafe in their school. GLSEN further reported that in the past year, 81.9% of LGBT students were verbally harassed because of their sexual orientation and 63.9% were verbally harassed because of their gender expression. GLAAD recently brought you the stories of the tragic results of bullying for teen girls in Florida and Nevada.

High schools, colleges, and graduate schools throughout the country have signed on as Spirit Day partners. A few of them have spoken with GLAAD about their interests in going purple and raising awareness about anti-LGBT bullying.

DOLMSU_0.pngJennifer Carruth, a student at Mississippi State University, is a member of her school’s Safe Zone Advisory Board and president of the LGBTQ and Ally Service Sorority Delta Omega Lambda. Speaking to the importance of ending anti-LGBT bullying, she told GLAAD, “There are so many tragic endings that can be prevented if allies would raise their voices and protest bullying, educate others on LGBTQ issues, and advocate for LGBTQ youth… No one should have to live a life of fear and isolation because they are afraid to be who they are. Everyone deserves the right to shine, enjoy life, and be their true self.”

Spirit Day is an opportunity for a diverse range of communities to come together in their support for LGBT youth. Stonehill College, a Massachusetts school rooted in Catholicism, is one such example.

stonehill%20edited_0.pngMary Charlotte Buck, Student Government Associations’ Executive Board Vice President and an ally to the LGBT community, played an integral role in partnering Stonehill with GLAAD for Spirit Day. Mary Charlotte, who has an extensive background in working with teenagers, sees an important link between her school’s traditions and allying with the LGBT community. She said, “I think respecting, honoring, and loving the inherent dignity of all people is one of the most important aspects of our Catholic Identity, and I’m psyched we’ve chosen to recognize such a great day and cause! I’m proud to say we’ll be joining the schools supporting this day.” Faith based organizations from a variety of religions and denominations are going purple this year.

i%20am%20an%20educator%20edited.pngFaculty and students at Connecticut College, which recently ranked as one of the top 25 LGBT-friendly schools in the country, are going purple this year, too. Carol Akai is an Assistant Professor with the school’s Human Development department who specializes in children’s developmental psychology. She provided GLAAD with her professional opinion on supporting LGBT youth.

“One of the most compelling aspects of human development is our enormous capacity for change,” said Professor Akai. “As a society, we are at the beginning of what I hope is a paradigm shift toward the insistence of just treatment for individuals with LGBTQ identities under every circumstance.”

Spirit Day is about creating a safe and supportive environment in which all kids, teens, and young adults are given the opportunity to flourish. Educating people on the daily struggles of our community’s vulnerable members is the key to ultimately strengthening our at-risk members as well as the cause at large.

Spirit Day initially launched four years ago when Brittany McMillan, then a high school student in Canada, took to Tumblr to promote remembrance of the young lives lost as a result of bullying. Now, Spirit Day has grown into an international movement and is a testament to young people’s transformative powers as agents of change.

Professor Akai added, “As today’s college students become scholars, I hope they will combine their academic knowledge with their generational influence to affect widespread change that replaces intolerance and ignorance with kindness and complex understanding.”

There’s still time for you and your school to get into the spirit by:

  • Turning your Facebook, Twitter and other profile photos purple atwww.glaad.org/spiritday and spreading the word by using hashtag #SpiritDay
  • Wearing purple on October 17th and encouraging classmates or coworkers to do the same
  • Uploading photos of you wearing purple to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Tumblr using hashtag #SpiritDay and Spirit Day graphics
  • Downloading the Spirit Day App
  • Educating your friends and family about bullying and the LGBT community
  • Getting your school, GSA, organization, etc. to become a Spirit Day partner

Time is running out to go purple on Spirit Day as a participant and partner, and to join the Facebook event! Sign up today and spread the word.

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , , , , , | posted in Education, Inspiration, Pride

October 16, 2013

Spirit Day: Go Purple on October 17, 2013 for #SpiritDay

By Joe

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I could not decide if I should post this tomorrow or today, but then I decided that if you are like me, you might plan your wardrobe at least a day in advance, so I decided to give you a head start.

Millions wear purple on Spirit Day as a sign of support for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) youth and to speak out against bullying. Spirit Day was started in 2010 by high school student Brittany McMillan as a response to the young people who had taken their own lives. Observed annually, individuals, schools, organizations, corporations, media professionals and celebrities wear purple, which symbolizes spirit on the rainbow flag. Getting involved is easy — participants are asked to simply “go purple” on October 17th as we work to create a world in which LGBT teens are celebrated and accepted for who they are. Learn more & go purple at www.glaad.org/spiritday.

Since I began teaching, whether as a professor’s teaching assistant, a substitute teacher, college instructor, or currently, as a high school teacher, I have always had LGBT students who feel more comfortable around me than their peers or other teachers. Most of those students have never known whether I am gay or not, but there is an intuition that allows us to find each other (most call it gaydar). Some have come to me and confided in me; others are just more relaxed around me. I always do my best to make sure that I have a welcoming atmosphere for all of my students, and I fight bullying at every turn.

When I was a student in high school, I had no one with whom to discuss issues such as sexuality or feelings of same sex attraction. Though by college, I was pretty sure I understood those feelings and in my early grad school years I came out, I wish I had been able to go to someone with whom I could discuss these issues. Being alone with my internal struggles, I began in my teenage years battling depression, which I still battle today. As I have said before on this blog, my depression got to the point that at 16 I took a handful of prescription medicine to end the suffering. I thank God each day that my stomach rejected those pills and over several hours I vomited them out of my system. I was incredibly lucky and stupid. Too many LGBT youth are not as lucky as I was, and we lose them to suicide each year.

By wearing purple tomorrow, you will be showing your support for the LGBT youth in your area. Most people won’t even realize why you are wearing purple, but as tech savvy as youth are today, the LGBT youth you come in contact with will most likely be aware of Spirit Day, so the subtlety of wearing purple will not go unnoticed by them. Sometimes that little bit of encouragement is all it takes for a kid to know that everything is going to be okay and that it does get better. Because of the politics of my school, I can’t be out, but I can be supportive in more subtle ways and make their school experience, at least in my classroom, a little better.

Getting involved is easy: Wear purple or go purple online on October 17th and help create a world in which LGBT youth are celebrated and accepted for who they are.

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