MY NEW HERO
Ali Chaney
Students get sent home all the time for wearing inappropriate t-shirts but is there really anything offensive about a shirt that reads, “Some People Are Gay, Get Over It?” KCEN TV is reporting that 13-year-old Ali Chaney was sent home from her grade school in Copperas Cove, Texas, for wearing such a shirt because the school prohibits “clothing that is disruptive to the learning environment based on reactions by other students is prohibited.”…. Chaney was given another shirt to wear by the school but declined and was sent home. Chaney’s mother Cassie Watson tells KCEN TV that her daughter felt that she was being discriminated against for being gay…. “I would never, ever have expected it from the administration. I would think that the administration would be the first ones there to support her,” she said. Apparently the shirt was causing a disruption in class, however, which the school says is why it took action.
I understand that any school has policies intended to create a learning environment that’s calm and free of disruption…and that may well have been a consideration in this situation. That said, I can’t help but wonder what would have happened if Ms. Chaney had arrived at school wearing a t-shirt emblazoned with “JESUS SAVES!!” Call me cynical, but I have to believe (this is Texas we’re talking about) that nary a soul would have uttered a peep in protest. Wearing a t-shirt supportive of the LGBT community, though, and…OMG!!!! STOP HER!!! SHE’S DISRUPTING THE LEARNING PROCESS!!! SHE’S PUSHING THE HOMOSEXUAL AGENDA!!! SIN!! BLASPHEMY!!! CONTRAVENING GOD’S LAW!!! before you know it, Ms. Chaney is singled out for being “out of line.”
We don’t know whether or not Ms. Chaney had, in fact, been disruptive, but I suspect not, else that likely would have been mentioned in the story. While I suspect there’s more to this story, the takeaway for me is that adults- those charged with setting a good example- decided to allow their own prejudice, homophobia, and bigotry color their judgment and reaction. Quelle surprise, non?
I’m tempted to try to believe that “It gets better,” but this is Texas. The truth is that as long as adults are reacting based on their own prejudice and homophobia, kids who indentify as LGBT will continue to suffer from discrimination.
You’d think we’d be able to expect better from our public schools….
