Gay pride sticker in school...?

Question

There was a question posed with the earlier group and I would like to ask a connecting question to it. Basically a mom was at her kids school and saw visibly displayed, a gay pride sticker in the school office. Her question was, you cant display religious things, why could you post a gay pride sticker. Obviously this is not a church/state issue. But it got me thinking about where do we as a society draw the line as to what is acceptable in our public schools. What about some ethnic pride sticker ie: Latino pride, White pride, Black pride, etc This of course doesnt violate any seperation of Church/state laws;as well these dont: "I support the NRA" sticker, or a sticker of NOW (National organization for women) and Planned Parenthood. All these other things just support an ideal and are not in of themselves degrading others, right? Who decides what is acceptable to show support for in the office of a public school? I look forward to hearing everyones thoughts on this.

Answer 1

Personally - I believe that nothing that is not school related should be posted . So if your school team is the Coyotes, you could have Coyote Pride, but nuttin' else

Answer 2

Those who promote the anti-gay agenda are always trying to read religious discrimination into everything. By claiming that their religious beliefs are somehow not represented or allowed, they deflect attention from the real issue which is their efforts to take away the civil rights of gay and lesbian Americans.

Why was the sticker in the office? Did this mother ask? Perhaps it was a day of silence or perhaps there was a reason and the sticker was not just stuck up there on a whim.

Anything that promotes intolerance, bigotry or exclusion should not be posted in a school. Anything that promotes drug use, sex, crime, etc. should not be posted.

I have a suggestion. Why not have a day of pride in whatever you are? Whether it's Filipino, Catholic, Latin, gay, straight, bisexual, Christian, German, White, Asian, male, female, etc. On this day, people could show their pride as long as they did not do it in a way which defamed or insulted others. Otherwise, post one sticker throughout every school which reads: Treat others as you want to be treated.

Answer 3

It depends on what is meant by a "gay pride" sticker.

If it was a simple rainbow sticker, it is not necessarily a "pride" sticker, but a designation that the institution is a "safe" zone that guarantees gays will not be bullied or discriminated against.

Endorsing equal treatment and protection for gay people is not the same as promoting homosexuality, although many with an anti-gay agenda would like you to believe so.

Answer 4

First off workben003... what do you mean our beliefs? I am not a christian and this country had a few atheist founding fathers as well. Do not lump all of us in your small minded group.
now, while I have no problem with gays, to promote one thing and not the other is wrong. it may prove confusing to the students. So, the sticker should not have been at the school, other than on someone's car, because, you cannot control what is placed on people's personal property. If they could find another way to teach tolerance, i am all for it. Unfortunately, I do believe the government decides what is all right in the schools, unless it by a school by school basis.

Answer 5

If that school celebrates Black history month, or has an African-American History class, then it can display a gay pride sticker too. It's about diversity, not religion. You can choose your religion, but you're born black or latino or female or gay. As far as NRA and other groups, those are special politically oriented groups with a specific agenda regarding politics. Gay pride is a movement promoting equality and tolerance. The NRA is about protecting our second amendment rights. But there's a certain difference.

Answer 6

1. It was a sad day when the ACLU lost the cases that established school kids have no rights to free expression period. A lot of schools end up banning everything, because having a rational policy just results in them being sued, while an extremist no tolerance policy proves they were equitable. Schools get sued for every problem little Johnny has these days.

2. Another example of how Christians have bought into the victim culture. Ever since they made them stop having Bible lessons at school, these people have been bleating how they're oppressed when they can't shout about Jesus and roll about on the floor of math class. All of sudden teaching science, history, or that gay people exist infringes on their religious rights.

Answer 7

I think it is okay if a student has it, but in an office is pushing it. In an office implies the school itself endorses homosexuality, which I do not think is the duty of the schools. The schools should educate, not indoctrinate. If a student has such a sticker, fine. But in an office I would want it taken out. In the same way I think its fine if a student has a sticker saying, "Got Jesus?" but in an office its not appropriate.

Answer 8

I agree. I think the government should be an unbiased way for ideas to be organized, and not a way to spread the ideas themselves. I think it's unfair to put up a sticker like that.

Answer 9

Well of course the religion stickers would be a church/state issue.

The basic problem here is that a lot of parents, including Christians, want "values education" -- they want their kids not just taught to read and write, but also taught how to be good citizens. Part of good citizenship is tolerance toward homosexuals.

It really is the case where one group is morally wrong (homophobes) and the other (gay-rights activists) is morally right. It's very much like her being offended if black people are given equal treatment.

So I think, as a society, we have to decide what level of "values education" schools have. But if they have it, one of those values unequivocally must be tolerance and the condemnation of homophobia.

Answer 10

I am offended by Esperanto. But my colleague has Esperanto stickers all over his car and office door. I feel so victimized.