Gay student speaks up to defend a teacher

With all of the news surrounding the bullying of gay people in schools, I found this story to be interesting:

Jay McDowell, a high school teacher in Howell, Michigan, was suspended last month for disciplining an anti-gay student. At a recent school board meeting, openly gay 14-year-old Graeme Taylor came to McDowell's defense with an incredibly articulate/inspiring speech.



Perhaps there's hope for gay youth out there? Hopefully more of them realize that they have very right to speak up on matters as well.

Seriously... fuck it all.

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WOW! Very brave and confident kid. I wish I was half that brave at his age or even now at 21. The gay bullying that is going on these days is really an abomination. Why is it so hard to accept people for who they really are? We all need to look at people as equals. Form relationships with people because of what we have in common, not separate and segregate because of how we differ. He hit the nail on the head. Who we love is our business. And if we are fortunate enough to find someone to love who loves us back, who can honestly turn their back on that? Who can honestly look at love and say it isn't right?

I truly feel there is hope for the future. Every generation is less screwed up about the issue than the last. Eventually, the haters will become the minority, and most people just won't care one way or the other, unless an issue directly affects their lives. Some old, bad ideas persist, but the worse eventually die out with the originators. I doubt I will live to see that day, but I truly see it coming. I wish I could convince todays gay youth how far we have come, in just my lifetime. I have seen it go from the most reviled not to be talked about evil disease, to pretty close to mainstream acceptance, in just 40 years. Those that are the strongest haters are my age or older, and those in my and the previous generation will eventually leave this earth, and take their vitriol with them. I just hope those kids on the edge can realize that, and hang on.

I think I may have broken an TOS without even thinking about it. Yikes!

Seriously... fuck it all.

I believe you will be OK.
The idea of this thread is fantastic.
But shit happens.

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I'm confused.....

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I have a lump in my throat. That young man is amazingly articulate and intelligent.

I removed the link, if you have a story without video or images please feel free to add it.

If you want to catch the wave that is going to change your life you have to swim outside of your comfort zone.

Please Read The Rules!

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That was incredibly moving. It brought tears to my eyes. What an amazing young man!

I can't find any links that don't have a photo or a video. Can we post text from articles?

Worthwhile:
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Adorable Proposal Video

Fun stuff:
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I like big butts and I cannot lie but is there some evolutionary reason as to why?

Interesting stuff:
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Sure thing.
There's not a lot of stories online I can readily link to since a lot of them have the video that features the 14 year old kid. But this is some of the additional text I could come up with:

From Yahoo News: Graeme Taylor told the Howell, Mich., school board last week that he attempted suicide at age 9 because he was bullied for being gay. He was speaking on behalf of Howell High teacher Jay McDowell, who had been suspended for two days for asking a student to remove her Confederate flag belt buckle and for ejecting two students from class after a heated exchange about gay rights.

From The Advocate: Graeme Taylor opened his speech last Monday by telling school board members that their town, Howell, Mich., is known for Ku Klux Klan activity — something the board members deny. He made the case that the town will become known for being hateful as opposed to fostering dialogue and tolerance. Taylor, who lives in neighboring Ann Arbor, urged the school board to reverse the suspension of teacher Jay McDowell and grant him his pay.

According to the Livingston County Daily Press & Argus, McDowell became involved in the controversy when explaining why he was wearing a purple shirt October 20 — an act of solidarity with gay teens who had been bullied, sometimes to the point that they committed suicide — and arguing with a student who was wearing a Confederate flag belt buckle. The exchange led to the ejection of two students.

"This teacher, whom I fully support, finally stood up and said something," Taylor said. "I've been in rooms — in classrooms — where children have said the worst things. The kinds of things that helped drive me to a suicide attempt at only 9 years old."


No words can really put into perspective what the video does. And practically any story online has the video attached to it. A simple Google search on this subject will bring it up. Hope this helps!

Seriously... fuck it all.

The decision to suspend her was the right one imo, how dare she reprimand a student for expressing a political preference. It's a blatant abuse of her powers and shouldn't be tolerated in a learning environment, one where all ideas should be taken into consideration and evaluated based on their realative strengths and weaknesses.

Before you guys jump down my throat consider whether you think it's ok to discipline a student for expressing another viewpoint, lets say support for the removal of troops from Iraq.

I'm not expecting any consistency from you lot on this one btw, I know that you'll happily support classroom chastisement when individuals express views that you disagree with but perform a 180 when students echo your own biggoted opinions.

Just stop. You're embarrassing yourself.
Have you been to a school in recent memory? If you haven't figured it out, teachers are a form of authority within those walls. They have every right to protect the well being of other students... in fact, IT'S THEIR JOB.

First you thought that the AIDS Crisis was a scam. Then you "proudly" beat your chest in a different thread and said the n-word (while ignorantly trying to walk the shoes of a minority and dictate how they should feel). Now this. I'm tired of folks like you worrying more about the rights of bigots to speak their mind, than the rights of their victims to equal protection and a safe environment. Your blinded loyalty to supposed "freedom of speech" without any supposition to everyday common sense is so warped that it's laughable.

Seriously... fuck it all.

Could you please stop throwing around wild accuations like this, I havn't mentioned anything about aids since joining this board, I'm not the least bit interested in the matter.

I'll be waiting for my apology.

Btw it's ironic that you throw the idea of free speech in my face at every opportunity but then go on to break the very prinicples you claim to abide by. But I'm sure this point is totally lost on you.

I got you "confused" with another ideological thinker who mysteriously joined this board recently and somehow has the same exact viewpoints as you. And the word "confused" is in quotes for a reason, but I digress. So if you want an apology about that, you got it. However, that doesn't excuse you from your newest bout of ideological insensitivity. Nobody's freedom of speech is being infringed on by any sense of the word here. Everyone got to say their part, and actions were taken based on what was said.

Freedom of speech does not come with a freedom of reprimand. If you want to offend people, then be prepared to pay the consequences. Period.

Seriously... fuck it all.

Just as I suspected. You support freedom of speech when you're lashing out at those you disagree with (in your mind it's ok to openly accuse me of things I havn't done, I'm only a righty afterall), but when you're on the receiving end all of a sudden you go off the idea: free speech must be sacrificed to protect the vulnerable.


If the teacher in question had been suspended for disciplining a kid that supported gay rights we wouldn't hear a peep out of you, in fact you'd probably rally behind the suspension!

It's total, unequivocal hypocrisy.