GOP wants schools to out gay kids to thier parents.

[Mela99]

Unconstitutional. Will not stand.

/lawschool

[Rosa]

i'm waiting for one of these assholes to out a kid (for being gay, or a straight girl for having het sex) and then the kid gets beaten by the parents, and the kid finds someone to help them sue the SHIT out of the reporting adult.

Fortunately, most school counselors and medical practitioners aren't assholes. The law is trying to force them to go against their own ethical rules (so i wonder if these same politicians support conscience laws for pharmacists and anti-abortion doctors?)

[NotALoserLikeYou]

Sometimes I find it really hard to believe that the different states are all part of the same country.

Living in liberal CA, I feel the same way! Some of these things really baffle me.

[urban teacher]

I had a situation at my school that still makes me furious. A male student told friends his girlfriend was pregnant and when a teacher found out called his parents. She didn't talk to him, didn't talk to me who had him in class, but called his parents. It ended with him dropping out of school.

If there was a law that I had to out kids, I'm afraid I wouldn't see or hear anything but heterosexually.

[NjoyingNsanity]

I wonder if they even have a clue about all the ways this could go wrong? What if a teacher were to misread a situation? What if the teacher heard a rumour, are they required to take it as evidence? What exactly would be considered sufficient evidence? I can see a dozen ways this could go wrong, and if it were to pass it would be a lawsuit waiting to happen. Just wait until some kid gets outed and their parents flip out and do something drastic. Worse yet they mistakenly identify someone as being gay when their not and they're parents flip out and do something stupid.

[2xx1xy1JD]

My old neighbor worked as a counsellor at a college. When students would say things like, "my parents would kill me if they found out X", she said that she couldn't just dismiss their fears and advise them to confide in their parents, because she had no way of knowing that the parents wouldn't actually be abusive nutcases or that this case wouldn't end up as an honor killing.

As for health care: I'm in Ontario, Canada, and when my oldest was turning 12, the doctor sweetly kicked me out of the exam room and explained that my daughter could discuss things with her and request that they be confidential. I wouldn't have it any other way. I want my kids to know that they have a safe professional to take to, without having to worry about confidentiality.

[cindyluvs24]

Well, its probably a better use of school time and resources than, say, improving reading and math performance. :x But I have a feeling most parents already know or suspect, whether the school or the kid has told them yet. They may not be thrilled with the news, but its not unexpected. And what the hell is the school hoping to accomplish? Parents making the kid change? Big Dummies.

[Jana814]

I had a situation at my school that still makes me furious. A male student told friends his girlfriend was pregnant and when a teacher found out called his parents. She didn't talk to him, didn't talk to me who had him in class, but called his parents. It ended with him dropping out of school.

If there was a law that I had to out kids, I'm afraid I wouldn't see or hear anything but heterosexually.

That is so wrong that this woman did that!! I have a question though, what this kid a student of hers?

[duplessis3]

Confirmation is what gets kids kicked out of the home.

It dismays me to hear that "people don't believe this" and they can't be blamed for their legislators because they don't vote - if you don't vote, your silence is an affirmation of the status quo. Why do we have school districts that don't teach evolution? Because the religious right intentionally started running for school board, to get these things changed. If people voted, perhaps this wouldn't have happened. Just throwing up your hands and saying "Those people..." never solved anything. There may be a level of culpability with people that don't vote, and also don't try to change things.

[RachelB]

What is a sure safety danger to these kids is outing them to their parents.

Seriously. If they're not out to their parents, there may be a good reason why.

[BravaAmica]

Confirmation is what gets kids kicked out of the home.

It dismays me to hear that "people don't believe this" and they can't be blamed for their legislators because they don't vote - if you don't vote, your silence is an affirmation of the status quo. Why do we have school districts that don't teach evolution? Because the religious right intentionally started running for school board, to get these things changed. If people voted, perhaps this wouldn't have happened. Just throwing up your hands and saying "Those people..." never solved anything. There may be a level of culpability with people that don't vote, and also don't try to change things.

I not only liked this post, I'm QUOTING IT FOR TRUTH

[Three and Done]

I will NEVER understand HOW parents can turn away from a child for their innate sexuality. I have three daughters, and a granddaughter, and I could give a flying who they are attracted to! They are mine, and I will support them to the end.