10/09/2006
Minneapolis Teacher Protested for Outing Himself to Class
A 17-year-old student came to the defense of teacher Peter Sage at Minneapolis' InterDistrict Downtown School when a group of parents staged a protest in reaction to Sage's acknowledgement to his second-grade class that he is gay.
"Sage said he read a prescribed book about a two-mom family, and then explained to the 23 students that he too is gay. Sage said he went on to tell students that some people have different views of people not like them, describing how he disagreed with his own grandfather's negative view of black people."
A group of upset parents held a protest at the school on Friday after deeming Sage's discussion "inappropriate". Their protest was interrupted by 17-year-old student Walter Kaplan who reportedly called the parents "hatemongers" and defended the school's curriculum. According to the Associated Press, when confronted by Kaplan, "the parents replied that the young man didn't have children of his own in the classroom."
Several parents have asked for their children to be transferred from Sage's classroom, but so far the school has stood by Sage, citing "overwhelming" parental support of its curriculum.
Gay Teacher 'Outs' Himself, And Parents Are Upset [ap]
Sphere: Related ContentPosted 11:45 AM EST by Andy in Education, Minneapolis, Minnesota, News | Permalink
Comments
Totally inappropriate. Second grade??!!! What was this guy thinking? That is not the place to be discussing your sexuality.
Posted by: Timothy | Oct 9, 2006 11:48:48 AM
Depends on how it was worded. The curriculum was about family structure, not sex. Mr. Garrison jokes anyone?
Posted by: Anon | Oct 9, 2006 12:13:49 PM
Timothy... you definitely need to read what he said to the kids before you pass judgment. Contrary to popular belief, one can address differences and relationships without bringing up sex.
Side Note: Walter was one of my students last year, and Im damn proud of him. Truly a pain in the ass. We need more of them in the world.
Posted by: Christian | Oct 9, 2006 12:23:00 PM
I remember my 2nd grade teacher discussing being married. Isn't that the same?
I hate when parents excuse homophobia with the word "inappropriate." Like, "that's what parents should teach their kids," they say, while knowing fully well they never really intended to ever discuss gays openly with their children.
Not that homosexuality needs to be "discussed" anyways. It's not like when you sit your kid down and say "don't do drugs."
Posted by: Derrick | Oct 9, 2006 12:46:46 PM
Of course, they don't have the sense to realize it, but what such parents, and most of those growing numbers pushing "home schooling," is "intellectual incest." They want their children's minds to only have contact with the parent's ideas and values, both terms used VERY loosely.
And, I say, let 'em walk! Tell them THEY have no right to dictate what OTHER parent's children learn, but they're free to take their little mentally inbred clones out of the school system, as long as they understand that the state will still ultimately determine whether their children have learned enough to qualify for a diploma or some other form of documentation that they are minimally competent to apply for whatever college/job they might want.
Also, let the homo-hating Episcopals/Anglicans leave the denomination, start their own, etc., etc.
In short, let the troglidytes fuck off and die.
Posted by: Leland | Oct 9, 2006 12:55:39 PM
I stand corrected, sounds like a reasonable situation to me. Sometimes I forget to read the linked article........ Are parents worried that the kids will know someone who contradicts all the shit they teach them about gay folks?
Posted by: Timothy | Oct 9, 2006 12:57:05 PM
Yea, I think it all depends on the context and definitely the level of revelation that are given, right? If you want to influence future generations the most then you really should influence them from the start. Like even now, I suspect that due to some level of influence I received as a child that I formed "instinctual" reactions to different ideas/beliefs and those... those are really hard to change even if you consciously realize them, I think.
Posted by: Scott A | Oct 9, 2006 12:59:56 PM
I'm having problems w/ the story. Is the 17 yr old a student there? I live in Minneapolis and walk by the school on a regular basis. So, I am wondering why this is a big deal. It's only a few parents upset and their panties are in a bunch.
Posted by: Al | Oct 9, 2006 1:05:03 PM
Leland, you nailed it!
it's not like the kids weren't confronted with the heterosexual lifestyle all day long, from scoolbooks, kids shows to their families.
and then it's enough for a teatcher to only mention the word "gay" for those "concerned" bigoted hatmongers to run amok. fuck them.
Posted by: ubik | Oct 9, 2006 4:33:38 PM
The reason why many straights equate coming out with sex is because straights cant think about gays without getting "that" image stuck in their heads. You know, the one that depicts the sexual act itself.
It's lost on them that being gay isn't about a sexual position. It's about who you spend your life with. Who your mate is. And all second graders need to know is that their teacher's life partner (whether he has one or will in the future) is male. Sex never has to enter into it.
And when you remove sex, children see gay as a matter of love and that is what is so threatening to these parents.
Posted by: mark m | Oct 9, 2006 8:50:32 PM
i am the student in the story. This site was sent to me by a friend when it was posted. yes, i am a student at IDDS. Mr sage is a good man who is in now way threatening these children, nor is he pushing his "agenda" on them. he read a story about a family with 2 moms, then told them he was gay. it was not innapropriate in any way. I began the counter-protest because i feel that there should always be a voice of dissent present when these people begin to voice their hateful views. As a Jew, i see it as my job to prevent the kind of discrimination which lead to the holocaust, in which millions of jews, homosexuals, handicapped and many other kinds of people were massacred for something that is inherit to who they are as a person. Thank you for your support, and i would urge all of you to write your local papers in support of hate-crime legislation and gay rights.
Posted by: walter | Oct 10, 2006 4:24:57 PM
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