Comments on: “What’s so wrong about it? Why is it wrong? Tell me”

By: mischiefmanager

mischiefmanager — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 17:07:56 +0000

If the students have to provide their own clothes at their own cost, the school board has no right to tell them what to wear. And yeah, it’s not like a surprise to her classmates that she’s gay. Maybe, school board, you should spend more time on your academic standards and less thinking about what the students wear.

By: Ms. M

Ms. M — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 04:16:29 +0000

Exactly my thoughts ceejeemcbeegee! The whole argument by the school is SO illogical I can’t wrap my head around it.

I’ve been so enraged on this young woman’s behalf I haven’t been able to comment coherently.

By: ceejeemcbeegee

ceejeemcbeegee — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 00:03:29 +0000

Wait.. she’s openly gay, right? So that means pretty much everyone in school knows she’s a lesbian, right? She’s been wearing only “guy” clothes at school for 4 years, right? So… it would be weird if she showed up for picture day in a dress, right? RIGHT?

By: Rachel from Moody Springs

Rachel from Moody Springs — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 00:18:00 +0000

“Has anyone ever done a study to determine whether it’s true that school boards contain more cranks and crazies than the general population or whether it just seems that way?”

I think they just happen to be in positions of more power when they’re on the school board…and thus more vocal and obvious.

By: mischiefmanager

mischiefmanager — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 00:15:30 +0000

@BeckyS: you are so right, this is going to be the easiest payday ever for some lucky attorney down Mississippi way.

Maybe they can compromise and she can wear pearl studs in her shirt.

Has anyone ever done a study to determine whether it’s true that school boards contain more cranks and crazies than the general population or whether it just seems that way?

By: BeckySharper

BeckySharper — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 20:50:12 +0000

@llevinso:

You’re totally right. I wrote about that high school case here: http://www.harpyness.com/2009/06/04/excuse-me-is-it-still-1950/

This is similar in that it simply doesn’t pass the bullshit sniff test. The school’s decision is so completely illogical and indefensible that the school board winds up circling the wagons and making fools of themselves trying to defend it by saying “Oh, it wasn’t because of THAT. It was…uh…because of that..uh…OTHER STUFF. But we can’t tell you what the OTHER STUFF is.”

The ACLU will slam-dunk them if it comes to trial. That school district needs to start backpedalling PDQ.

By: SarahMC

SarahMC — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 20:21:05 +0000

I wish there were some way we could let Ceara know we support her. She’s a brave kid.

By: llevinso

llevinso — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 20:20:11 +0000

Does this remind anyone of some high school I think it was a while ago that refused to let a girl attend her graduation ceremony because she didn’t want to wear a skirt. She wanted to wear slacks. The same thing the boys were required to wear for graduation…but the school said no.

I don’t get it. If you make it through school, pass your classes, are able to receive a diploma, how are you not allowed to walk across the stage because you’re wearing pants?

Same goes for this. If you attend the school, pay for your photos, pay for your yearbook, how are you not allowed to be in it?

This bullshit is…just bullshit…I can’t come up with a better word at the moment.

By: bellacoker

bellacoker — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 19:37:06 +0000

Yup. You can only gender bend if you don’t actually mean it. In the same way only straight actors can play gay characters on the television, otherwise we might be reminded that gay people are real.

By: Rachel from Moody Springs

Rachel from Moody Springs — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 19:19:36 +0000

Let’s get real about what we would be seeing her portrait: her face and shoulders, with some black material around them. the same DAMN THING we’d be seeing if she had worn the “girl clothes.” which makes this shit even more nonsensical.

But I think Jenny K pretty much sums it up; queerness is for shits and giggles…if we start legitimately listening to the concerns of *those* people…well, they might get the idea that they are just as good as everyone else, and what can we teach kids if we don’t teach them who has privilege and who doesn’t? Not to mention it would ruin the homophobic humor for the normal folks…