how can I deal with intolerance in my new school?

Question

ive just moved to the south from new york city. i started high school a few weeks ago. the first difference i noticed about my rural high school was the amount of racism and homophobia and just plain descrimination. students throw around "******* queer" and "f a g g o t". the few black kids get made fun of constantly. the mexican students have it the worst. even some of the teachers are in on it. my spanish teacher is constantly preaching about jesus and christianity and nonbelievers going to hell, and how the mexicans and jews are taking over. coming from a school whose most active club was the gay-straight alliance, i cant even imagine how hard it would be for a gay student to come out in this environment. i can't stand it. i suppose there's not MUCH i can do. i dont know how to deal with the situation without being a hippocrate. is it okay to be intolerant of intolerance?

im not saying all schools in the south are like this
and how would anyone know what my spanish teacher's doing in class
if i haven't reported it to anyone what makes you think anyone else would.
and the people in my school are using the word f aggo t and queer in a derogative manner

and im not intolerant of her religious belief, im intolerant of her preaching about it in class.

Answer 1

I agree with open4one, your story sounds like complete fiction. I'm a born and raised North Carolinian, and I can tell you firsthand the few racists I know don't go around picking on minorities...they simply exclude them. You Yankees REALLY need to work on your stereotyping a little better. Things have changed in the South in the last 40 years.

Answer 2

Yea, that's the south for you, I had the same experience moving to the south from California when I was younger.

I think that with regards to the preaching in school by the Bible-thumping teacher, unless you're in a private school, you should definitely talk to your parents about that, and report it to the principal and the school board. In addition to being intolerant and having nothing to do with her job, that teacher is breaking the law and violating students' rights.

As far as the other issues, I feel your pain. See if there is a local National Conference for Community and Justice chapter in your town or state -- it is the organization that funds and organizes Camp Anytown and other events that encourage diversity and understanding among all races, classes, genders, sexual orientations, etc., and they also have a program that you can participate in that will help you to bring those human relations skills to the other, less-evolved people in your school. I've done it, and it was amazing to me what an effect it had on the racism and homophobia at my school.

Good luck!

Answer 3

Sorry for having to be in this new environment. Being tolerant of intolerance is not true tolerance when it is occurring at this level. This sounds like it is affecting the learning environment for the students (mainly because proselytizing for Christianity doesn't come close to teaching Spanish). It sounds like a harmful place to be, one where the focus is not on learning at all.

The bit about saying f aggo t is not true. Using that term as derogatory is homophobic, when gays use it it is acceptable because they are not actually putting down gay people. Just like blacks use the N word. It is a form of reclaiming language that has been used as hate speech in the past.


I would try to contact someone sympathetic in the administration. Possibly even seek help outside the school, let your parents know what's going on. Maybe create a inter race student group with aims at easing racial tension? Google "tolerance at school" and stuff like that.


Be aware though that whatever actions you take may be met with great hostility and some repercussions. Be careful.

Answer 4

Isn't it being intolerant of the teacher's personal religious belief by complaining about it?

Calling someone a queer is not homophobia. It's just calling someone a queer. That's like saying the show "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" is homophobic because it uses the word queer too.

Seems you have a lot to learn in your new school.

Answer 5

Yes, you can be intolerant of intolerance.

I'm not sure where you should start, other than to try to find like minded people and lead by example. You should also talk to your parents before taking on the old boys network that is in place. Maybe you could find a new, idealistic teacher to sponsor a club to encourage the whole love one another philosophy.

Oh, and get me that teacher's email address. I used to teach, and tend to be biased against teachers that preach intolerance. Also, as a Christian, I don't like people making me look bad.

Answer 6

Given my experience of having been raised in the south and later moving to the NYC area, I was a little bit suspicious from the start, since there's clearly more racism in NYC than anywhere I've been down south.

You really jumped the shark though when you said your spanish teacher is preaching religion.

If there was a SHRED of truth to your story, the ACLU would have been all over it years ago.

In case you're as dumb as I take you for, I just called you a liar.

Answer 7

It is a conservative school, the gays will have to be in the closet.