January 25, 2012 Blog
34 and counting
Today my cooperating teacher had a substitute since she was in meetings for most of the day. I did my flag lesson with the 7th grade students and its going well. Omar asked to take a magazine and piece of paper home and said that he was going to do something with it. He came back later and asked if he could take a thing of glue home and the teacher was back then and said he couldn't. Omar and I can't communicate 100% but we can enough to somewhat understand what each other is saying. I knew he wanted to make some type of collage at home and said he was going to bring it in to show me. I was very excited to see what he was going to create. It's like art is allowing us to say the things we can't with language. It's a beautiful thing.
In the 4th grade class that last week one boy told me two of his classmates called him gay, now this class he was the one on the other end of it. First it started with four boys at a table spinning glue around in circles. I separated them and took two of the boys to another table. One of the boys called the other boy gay (28) and then said he was grabbing his but (29) and then one of them called another a fruit loop (30) and then they continued to call each other gay two more times (32). I took both of them into the hallway and told them it was inappropriate to say that to one another and they said its disgusting to be gay (33). I told them I was gay and said that I wasn't going to tolerate hearing those types of remarks in the classroom. They said ewe that's gross. (34-35) One boy asked me to prove it. I showed him my ring on my finger and said I was married to a woman. One boy said two girls kissing is gross. (36). They continued to snicker. I told them it doesn't matter if they are gay. One boy said ewe that's disgusting. (36) Being gay is gross. (37) Once I went back into the class I moved the two boys away from each other and another boy near the first boy who got moved for beginning with calling the other student gay who was called gay last week had another person complain that he didn't feel comfortable being around him because he was "gay."(38) The boys snickered and I could tell they were telling other people I was gay. I really don't care and feel it is fine for them to know people in the world are. It's a fact of life.
The teacher had a talk with the 8th graders about all the language they've been using and what's appropriate. I have seminar Wednesday nights and Skype in on them and raised it as a concern and one of my classmates said she doesn't think it's appropriate for elementary aged kids to know I'm gay. That as a parent she'd want to know ahead of time if her child was going to be hearing about a sensitive topics and that I should have to get her permission to do so. It really left me with a bad feeling. I am not going to take a job where I have to ask permission to be out of the closet from my coworkers or boss. Does a straight woman have to make a special request to ask permission to be out about being straight no. I am gay, big deal. The fact that there has been all this behavior from others acting like it is such a bad thing is really starting to piss me off.
My niece is 9 and was in our wedding and loves my wife. I have twin nephews who are 3 who know my wife and ask where Sonya is if she's not around. My niece Chelsea has always known I'm gay and we have a very close relationship. Because of knowing me all my nieces and nephews wouldn't stand for anyone being anti-gay and are very open minded and have a positive view of gay people through me. The fact that faggot is said everyday in the school and my project Fagbug isn't allowed in this school to be used as an educational tool it makes me feel that the school wants to just allow people to hate gay people. If they want to make sure they don't know I'm gay obviously they are fine with the climate and feel there is something wrong with me versus the homophobia and are agreeing with it.
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