Are the statistics in this study higher or lower than you would have expected? What have you noticed about teasing, harassment, or use of gay slurs in the schools you have been working in or in the schools you attended?
It's sad to say, but many of these statistics did not surprise me. The one stat that did come as somewhat of shock to me was that 20% of the students had heard staff members make sexist, homophobic, or racist comments. This in inexcusable. No matter what your personal agenda may be, a teacher should never make a negative comment along these lines.
In high school it was a very common practice for people, myself included, to make comments to friends such as "that so gay" or "you're so gay". I know that, in most cases, it's probably innocent but it can be very hurtful. You may not know that the person standing right next to you is homosexual, and while you may not have meant to, it can still be very painful for them to hear.
The last stat that interested me was that only 9% of of schools is Georgia had a GSA or other type of LGBT club. I think that this goes beyond the politics of the school and further into the politics of the region that we live in. I would like to compare Georgia's statistics to other states in southeast and see if there is a similar pattern.
I was not surpirsed at all by the statistics that were in the article. It is very common to hear people use the expressions "that's so gay" or "you're so gay." It's sad that these phrases or so commonly used and accepted in our society. However, I think the majority of people who say these comments are not using them in a malicious manner, but they should realize that they could be offending someone around them by saying it.
I'm interested in CJ's comment about having, or lack of having, the GSA or LGBT clubs in Georgia schools. Perhaps the statistics for bullying do to sexual orientation would decrease if more of these clubs were around. Being homosexual is not a bad thing and by not having these clubs in our schools we are sending a message that they don't really exist...unless they are beind ridiculed or harassed.
Kids lead by example and if their teachers aren't doing anything to stop bias language in the classroom then they might as well join in. I think it's complete crap not only as a teacher but also as an adult to not interevene when students are being harassed for any reason.
The statistics to me were not surprising at all. I do agree with CJ the most shocking and unexpected was that 20% of students said that students had heard staff members make sexist, homophobic, or racist comments. I personally thought that this was a very high percentage.
Even at Eagle Ridge Elementary I heard students calling one another "gay" in a derogatory way. They would make fun of one another and it mostly was based on the physical appearance of the students. I did intervene when I heard someone call another student "gay". I simply told them that was not a word that you can say to insult someone because there are people they are gay and it is not a bad thing. This seemed to be the simplest way to put it for the elementary students. I am not sure is this was the correct way to handle it, but if anyone has any ideas post them.
One last thing that did not surprise me was the lack of associations in schools that stood up against student harassment.
I thought that the statistics were pretty accurate. There were some that I thought were a little bit low, but I was glad that they were lower than I thought. Like the ones about 50% of kids felt made fun of about their appearance. I feel like that is constantly what high school and middle school kids are being mean to each other about, at least that's what I noticed when I was younger.
In my student teaching I haven't noticed any kids making fun of people for their sexual orientation or using gay slurs. I am sure that it happens. The only cruelty I have noticed is in my first period class that are these group of girls that are really mean to this girl who is special needs for behavior disorder and some other stuff. I try to stop it when I am around to hear it.
I wasn't shocked by the statistics, but actually seeing those numbers made me angry. I've also heard kids calling each other "gay" or saying something is "so gay", but I haven't heard those things at the school where I am placed because the teacher I'm working with is very vigilant about treating people with respect and fairness. However, in the past, when I heard a comment like that, and I was in close proximity to the adult/child, I asked them what it means for something to be "so gay". Often, they said something like "lame" or "stupid". I've had several conversations with kids about how unfair it is to use the word "gay" in a derogatory way.
I think that a lot of people still feel very uncomfortable talking about homosexuality and just ignore the issue, especially in schools. I've found that there is a lot of implicit religious doctrine that exsists in public schools, and these religious ideas come into conflict with the mere idea of homosexuality, so homosexual students are just ignored or mercilessly teased.
I also wasn't surprised by the statistics and I think Christy brings up a good point about religious doctrine. It seems that the main argument about homosexuality is whether it's right or wrong. In my opinion, it's not whether what you believe is right or wrong, it's what you do with what you believe. In the Bible, where most of the religious doctrine comes from in the schools, it does address homosexuality but it also addresses that judgment and condemnation on lifestyle and belief's is no one's responsibility but God's. What the students who are harassing others don't realize is that their actions have consequences too.
People are so bad to other people. This is especially true for those who are younger in school. The statistics were not surprising for me. Anyone who is different from anyone else will receive criticism from other students. The whole 'groupthink' mentality is so strong that anyone who thinks differently, looks differently, or has different beliefs from the vocal majority is shunned. Even if kids don't necessarily agree with the majority, they feign empathy in order to not stand out. Sometimes this shows up in teasing the weaker kids, sometimes the 'nerd,' and sometimes the gays and lesbians.
I think the only statistic that shocked me was not only half of our schools have a safe school policy but over a quarter weren't even sure either way. Other than that, I was not surprised at all. I have heard many of my students use derogatory language calling each other "gay" or "faggot". They have done so with me standing directly behind them. I of course have a discussion with them about their langauge when this happens. However, what I find interesting is that while my students use these as negative words against each other, they do not pick on my students who feel they are lesbian. My kids are in the 8th grade so I cannot say how strongly they feel about their sexual orientation, but they do claim to be lesbian. Both students are very popular, well liked, and participate in sports. No one bothers them.
Nothing really shocks me anymore. And it really doesn't surprise me that this teasing seems to be jumping like wild fire from grade to lower grades. When I was at Wesleyan there was a billboard advertising the first rate education. This billboard had a picture of a lady holding a frame in front of her face. The quote said, "Picture yourself a Wesleyanne". Not two days of being up on Forsyth it was tagged. We all believed it was some of kids from the private high school near by- but no one was ever charged. The vandals had given the lady a butch do, a mustache, missing teeth, and changed the quote to say picture yourself a lesbian. So, I guess the teasing really never stops. Many people were outraged and tried several times to contact the editors of the papers- no ones stories ever were published.
C.J. is absolutely correct. While students should not make derogatory remarks, it is almost unavoidable since most of them lack the maturity that comes with age. Teachers are professionals -and very visible ones at that. Just as you would not expect an athlete, movie star, or other role model (sad that those are the first role models that came to mind!) teachers should aspire to be respectful of all cultures and beliefs that different from their own.
I have a student in my Advanced Placement art class who was pick on and teased by a boy in the class before hers. She was new to school and didn't know anyone and for some reason, whenever this boy passed her in the hall, he would call her a lesbian and made fun of the way she looked. She has short hair, doesn't dress very "preppy" but with an eccentric style, and wears glasses. She is the sweetest girl in the class and is a huge people pleaser. I have no idea why this girl was victimized by this boy (who actually has the same name as her), but even after the counselor got involved he would still tease her. Now he's at an alternative school.
I think it's very interesting the people who are victimized in name calling because typically, the victim would never think to cause another person harm. I can't imagine this girl calling anyone a foul name. I was teased a lot in middle and high school and never bothered anyone else either. I guess it's different in many cases...it's just something that I've observed.
I agree with Lee in his statement that "even if kids don't necessarily agree with the majority, they feign empathy in order to not stand out." Kids can be so cruel growing up, but they lack that empathy because they don't want to become the one that is being teased. It's easier for them to turn their head the other way when it occurs, but as kids mature and begin to become more confident and comfortable with themselves the teasing will begin to slow down... right?
I think that all schools need to have a safe school policy and a no teasing policy. It can cause very adverse and damaging effects to the student being bullied and made fun of, for whatever reason.
I like the point that Lee makes, that we need to be the good examples for the kids to follow, and not let ourselves be one of the statistics. Though not every one of your students will see you as one of their role models, many will be affected by what you do and say.
When I was in high school, which was almost 10 years ago, a student tried to start a club for gay and lesbian students. The administration went ballistic and the community got all involved. Needless to say, he didn't get support for the club, and it was never founded. A few years later, another kid tried to for the same club and got the same results. As many people have mentioned, as teachers, we need to be role-models, but we can't do it all ourselves. We can create safe environments in our classrooms, but what happens when the kids go into the hall or other places?
I think it is important that our schools are places where students feel safe. I think schools should be very clear about the fact that everyone is welcome and has the right to feel safe.
I always thought it was interesting that when you learned about things in high school we never learned about the 'unmentionable' parts of things. For example, it wasn't until college that I ever talked about the sexual orientation of an individual in a real class conversation (like when discussing an artist or film maker). If we began these discussion in high school it might make our students more aware about these ideas that are all too often fuel to the teasing fire.
That is a great idea Lee, we really need to create a classroom where children are safe. Being a good role model is a very important step to creating that space. Also as Claire said, it wasn't until college that we spoke of sexual orientation of anyone ex artist. I think that students should be exposed to these environments and made comfortable with the idea and then they may not be so judgemental.
I agree, I think what Claire is saying goes along with what we talked about when discussing race and culture. We need to bring these issues to the front where our students can see them. If they become more aware of them and educated about them, then they will become more accepting of people.
I think many of the statistics in this study are right on. The ones that surprised me were even not that surprising. The one about males acting too feminine in schools even happens at the private school where I'm student-teaching, and I heard that from a teacher. I thought the statistic about students nationally (36%) thought harassment in schools was actually lower than expected. I was surprised to read that only 9% of GA students had an organization for LBGT or GSA. My high school had a Gay-Straight Alliance, so I just assumed that was the norm.
I agree with Katey about the fact that the statistic about bullying students based on appearance was low. I thought it was interesting that Amanda pointed out that where she's teaching the students do not bother the girls that are lesbians. I think at that age there is a much more negative connotation to a male being gay and becoming a social outcast because of it.
The pet peeves I have in this world are as rare as an elusive pink diamond,but this is one of them: Gay is not a synonym for stupid.
"That's so gay," is overheard so often both in side the classroom and out, and while I always let my voice be heard by correcting them, the behavior is often not corrected in the longterm. Thing is, I don't even know where the term originated from. However, I am the only person I know in my circle of friends that is willing to correct such behavior, which indicates just how big of an acceptable epidemic it has become.
Essentially, homosexuality is the new racism. I don't think you'd even hear a student say, "That's so n*gger," if they thought a situation played to a black stereotype. And, if a child or student did say that, I feel the reprimand would be immediate and a big deal. "That's so gay," is almost as if it's widely accepted by adults, too, because homosexuality is the new taboo.
These statistics do not shock me in the least. While the methodology claims that the oversample came from other states, the primary statistics shown were from Georgia. And while I would think that we're in the "new south," we truly are not until we can move past prejudices for homosexuality. Like Claire has commented above, the school system and the community often don't support such a subject. Homosexuality does not infringe on the rights with others. I'd like to see the same questions answered from more naturally diverse states, such as New York, and compare the statistics with Georgia.
It's sad to say, but many of these statistics did not surprise me. The one stat that did come as somewhat of shock to me was that 20% of the students had heard staff members make sexist, homophobic, or racist comments. This in inexcusable. No matter what your personal agenda may be, a teacher should never make a negative comment along these lines.
ReplyDeleteIn high school it was a very common practice for people, myself included, to make comments to friends such as "that so gay" or "you're so gay". I know that, in most cases, it's probably innocent but it can be very hurtful. You may not know that the person standing right next to you is homosexual, and while you may not have meant to, it can still be very painful for them to hear.
The last stat that interested me was that only 9% of of schools is Georgia had a GSA or other type of LGBT club. I think that this goes beyond the politics of the school and further into the politics of the region that we live in. I would like to compare Georgia's statistics to other states in southeast and see if there is a similar pattern.
I was not surpirsed at all by the statistics that were in the article. It is very common to hear people use the expressions "that's so gay" or "you're so gay." It's sad that these phrases or so commonly used and accepted in our society. However, I think the majority of people who say these comments are not using them in a malicious manner, but they should realize that they could be offending someone around them by saying it.
ReplyDeleteI'm interested in CJ's comment about having, or lack of having, the GSA or LGBT clubs in Georgia schools. Perhaps the statistics for bullying do to sexual orientation would decrease if more of these clubs were around. Being homosexual is not a bad thing and by not having these clubs in our schools we are sending a message that they don't really exist...unless they are beind ridiculed or harassed.
Kids lead by example and if their teachers aren't doing anything to stop bias language in the classroom then they might as well join in. I think it's complete crap not only as a teacher but also as an adult to not interevene when students are being harassed for any reason.
The statistics to me were not surprising at all. I do agree with CJ the most shocking and unexpected was that 20% of students said that students had heard staff members make sexist, homophobic, or racist comments. I personally thought that this was a very high percentage.
ReplyDeleteEven at Eagle Ridge Elementary I heard students calling one another "gay" in a derogatory way. They would make fun of one another and it mostly was based on the physical appearance of the students. I did intervene when I heard someone call another student "gay". I simply told them that was not a word that you can say to insult someone because there are people they are gay and it is not a bad thing. This seemed to be the simplest way to put it for the elementary students. I am not sure is this was the correct way to handle it, but if anyone has any ideas post them.
One last thing that did not surprise me was the lack of associations in schools that stood up against student harassment.
I thought that the statistics were pretty accurate. There were some that I thought were a little bit low, but I was glad that they were lower than I thought. Like the ones about 50% of kids felt made fun of about their appearance. I feel like that is constantly what high school and middle school kids are being mean to each other about, at least that's what I noticed when I was younger.
ReplyDeleteIn my student teaching I haven't noticed any kids making fun of people for their sexual orientation or using gay slurs. I am sure that it happens. The only cruelty I have noticed is in my first period class that are these group of girls that are really mean to this girl who is special needs for behavior disorder and some other stuff. I try to stop it when I am around to hear it.
I wasn't shocked by the statistics, but actually seeing those numbers made me angry. I've also heard kids calling each other "gay" or saying something is "so gay", but I haven't heard those things at the school where I am placed because the teacher I'm working with is very vigilant about treating people with respect and fairness. However, in the past, when I heard a comment like that, and I was in close proximity to the adult/child, I asked them what it means for something to be "so gay". Often, they said something like "lame" or "stupid". I've had several conversations with kids about how unfair it is to use the word "gay" in a derogatory way.
ReplyDeleteI think that a lot of people still feel very uncomfortable talking about homosexuality and just ignore the issue, especially in schools. I've found that there is a lot of implicit religious doctrine that exsists in public schools, and these religious ideas come into conflict with the mere idea of homosexuality, so homosexual students are just ignored or mercilessly teased.
I also wasn't surprised by the statistics and I think Christy brings up a good point about religious doctrine. It seems that the main argument about homosexuality is whether it's right or wrong. In my opinion, it's not whether what you believe is right or wrong, it's what you do with what you believe. In the Bible, where most of the religious doctrine comes from in the schools, it does address homosexuality but it also addresses that judgment and condemnation on lifestyle and belief's is no one's responsibility but God's. What the students who are harassing others don't realize is that their actions have consequences too.
ReplyDeletePeople are so bad to other people. This is especially true for those who are younger in school. The statistics were not surprising for me. Anyone who is different from anyone else will receive criticism from other students. The whole 'groupthink' mentality is so strong that anyone who thinks differently, looks differently, or has different beliefs from the vocal majority is shunned. Even if kids don't necessarily agree with the majority, they feign empathy in order to not stand out. Sometimes this shows up in teasing the weaker kids, sometimes the 'nerd,' and sometimes the gays and lesbians.
ReplyDeleteI think the only statistic that shocked me was not only half of our schools have a safe school policy but over a quarter weren't even sure either way. Other than that, I was not surprised at all. I have heard many of my students use derogatory language calling each other "gay" or "faggot". They have done so with me standing directly behind them. I of course have a discussion with them about their langauge when this happens. However, what I find interesting is that while my students use these as negative words against each other, they do not pick on my students who feel they are lesbian. My kids are in the 8th grade so I cannot say how strongly they feel about their sexual orientation, but they do claim to be lesbian. Both students are very popular, well liked, and participate in sports. No one bothers them.
ReplyDeleteNothing really shocks me anymore. And it really doesn't surprise me that this teasing seems to be jumping like wild fire from grade to lower grades. When I was at Wesleyan there was a billboard advertising the first rate education. This billboard had a picture of a lady holding a frame in front of her face. The quote said, "Picture yourself a Wesleyanne". Not two days of being up on Forsyth it was tagged. We all believed it was some of kids from the private high school near by- but no one was ever charged. The vandals had given the lady a butch do, a mustache, missing teeth, and changed the quote to say picture yourself a lesbian. So, I guess the teasing really never stops. Many people were outraged and tried several times to contact the editors of the papers- no ones stories ever were published.
ReplyDeleteC.J. is absolutely correct. While students should not make derogatory remarks, it is almost unavoidable since most of them lack the maturity that comes with age. Teachers are professionals -and very visible ones at that. Just as you would not expect an athlete, movie star, or other role model (sad that those are the first role models that came to mind!) teachers should aspire to be respectful of all cultures and beliefs that different from their own.
ReplyDeleteI have a student in my Advanced Placement art class who was pick on and teased by a boy in the class before hers. She was new to school and didn't know anyone and for some reason, whenever this boy passed her in the hall, he would call her a lesbian and made fun of the way she looked. She has short hair, doesn't dress very "preppy" but with an eccentric style, and wears glasses. She is the sweetest girl in the class and is a huge people pleaser. I have no idea why this girl was victimized by this boy (who actually has the same name as her), but even after the counselor got involved he would still tease her. Now he's at an alternative school.
ReplyDeleteI think it's very interesting the people who are victimized in name calling because typically, the victim would never think to cause another person harm. I can't imagine this girl calling anyone a foul name. I was teased a lot in middle and high school and never bothered anyone else either. I guess it's different in many cases...it's just something that I've observed.
I agree with Lee in his statement that "even if kids don't necessarily agree with the majority, they feign empathy in order to not stand out." Kids can be so cruel growing up, but they lack that empathy because they don't want to become the one that is being teased. It's easier for them to turn their head the other way when it occurs, but as kids mature and begin to become more confident and comfortable with themselves the teasing will begin to slow down... right?
ReplyDeleteI think that all schools need to have a safe school policy and a no teasing policy. It can cause very adverse and damaging effects to the student being bullied and made fun of, for whatever reason.
ReplyDeleteI like the point that Lee makes, that we need to be the good examples for the kids to follow, and not let ourselves be one of the statistics. Though not every one of your students will see you as one of their role models, many will be affected by what you do and say.
When I was in high school, which was almost 10 years ago, a student tried to start a club for gay and lesbian students. The administration went ballistic and the community got all involved. Needless to say, he didn't get support for the club, and it was never founded. A few years later, another kid tried to for the same club and got the same results. As many people have mentioned, as teachers, we need to be role-models, but we can't do it all ourselves. We can create safe environments in our classrooms, but what happens when the kids go into the hall or other places?
ReplyDeleteI think it is important that our schools are places where students feel safe. I think schools should be very clear about the fact that everyone is welcome and has the right to feel safe.
I always thought it was interesting that when you learned about things in high school we never learned about the 'unmentionable' parts of things. For example, it wasn't until college that I ever talked about the sexual orientation of an individual in a real class conversation (like when discussing an artist or film maker). If we began these discussion in high school it might make our students more aware about these ideas that are all too often fuel to the teasing fire.
ReplyDeleteThat is a great idea Lee, we really need to create a classroom where children are safe. Being a good role model is a very important step to creating that space. Also as Claire said, it wasn't until college that we spoke of sexual orientation of anyone ex artist. I think that students should be exposed to these environments and made comfortable with the idea and then they may not be so judgemental.
ReplyDeleteI agree, I think what Claire is saying goes along with what we talked about when discussing race and culture. We need to bring these issues to the front where our students can see them. If they become more aware of them and educated about them, then they will become more accepting of people.
ReplyDeleteI think many of the statistics in this study are right on. The ones that surprised me were even not that surprising. The one about males acting too feminine in schools even happens at the private school where I'm student-teaching, and I heard that from a teacher. I thought the statistic about students nationally (36%) thought harassment in schools was actually lower than expected. I was surprised to read that only 9% of GA students had an organization for LBGT or GSA. My high school had a Gay-Straight Alliance, so I just assumed that was the norm.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Katey about the fact that the statistic about bullying students based on appearance was low. I thought it was interesting that Amanda pointed out that where she's teaching the students do not bother the girls that are lesbians. I think at that age there is a much more negative connotation to a male being gay and becoming a social outcast because of it.
ReplyDeleteThe pet peeves I have in this world are as rare as an elusive pink diamond,but this is one of them:
ReplyDeleteGay is not a synonym for stupid.
"That's so gay," is overheard so often both in side the classroom and out, and while I always let my voice be heard by correcting them, the behavior is often not corrected in the longterm. Thing is, I don't even know where the term originated from. However, I am the only person I know in my circle of friends that is willing to correct such behavior, which indicates just how big of an acceptable epidemic it has become.
Essentially, homosexuality is the new racism. I don't think you'd even hear a student say, "That's so n*gger," if they thought a situation played to a black stereotype. And, if a child or student did say that, I feel the reprimand would be immediate and a big deal. "That's so gay," is almost as if it's widely accepted by adults, too, because homosexuality is the new taboo.
These statistics do not shock me in the least. While the methodology claims that the oversample came from other states, the primary statistics shown were from Georgia. And while I would think that we're in the "new south," we truly are not until we can move past prejudices for homosexuality. Like Claire has commented above, the school system and the community often don't support such a subject. Homosexuality does not infringe on the rights with others. I'd like to see the same questions answered from more naturally diverse states, such as New York, and compare the statistics with Georgia.
ReplyDelete