Blogs Oct 13, 2010 at 8:24 am

Comments

1
So, according to their policy, the gays are at the bottom of the social structure. Even the fat kids get protection.
3
Here's their email addresses

http://www.salineschools.com/index.php/c…
4
@1 Obviously, you've not been to Saline.
5
ooo... if harassing these board members becomes a project, can we call it the "Saline Solution" ?
6
Man! Those are some serious cracker lookin' dudes. Scary.
7
@5:
Who said anything about harassing???
8
@6 Scary? What were you looking at?
I saw three white people. Do white people scare you?

Please get therapy.
9
@5 - If you're not part of the Saline Solution, you're part of the Saline Problem.
10
but why the reference that they "run the schools in the Ann Arbor area' - no, they run the schools in Saline, a tiny podunk ville outside A2 - they don't run anything else - and you can bet A2 has a strong anti-discrimination policy, in its schools, its government - its the most liberal and PC city in Michigan - knock on Saline all you like, or Milan, or Chelsea all you like but don't imply these Neanderthals have any part of what goes on in A2
11

So...if they added that they can't discriminate on "gender expression", and you happen to be a heterosexual super stud, does that mean you can drive through the parking lot in your 'stang and hoot and holler at all the coeds with impunity?
12
As a Ann Arbor native I would also like to clarify that Ann Arbor is definitely not run or associated with the Saline School Board. They are our neighbors to the south, but should not be confused with the progressive and open-minded citizens of Ann Arbor. It's very disappointing that a place so close to Ann Arbor could be so lacking in human decency and compassion.
13
Amy Cattell: (313) 663-6712 cattella@saline.k12.mi.us

Craig Hoeft: (734) 429-4220 hoeftcra@saline.k12.mi.us

Paul Hynek: (734) 748-9717 hynekp@saline.k12.mi.us

Chuck Lesch:(734) 429-5182 leschc@saline.k12.mi.us
14
I graduated from high school 30 miles from Saline. None of this surprises me in the slightest.
15
Hey Amy, Chuck, Paul and Craig,

INCOMING

You've got no idea what a shitstorm you just started. Once a bigot always a bigot.
16
Okay, I wrote 'em. But for my sanity's sake, this having been my umteenth angry letter in a matter of weeks, I gotta write to some of the organizations that are doing right by their students.

Anybody know of any school districts who recently voted the right way on these issues? If they did, I bet they're catching some flack. I'd love to lend my support.
17
What is the deal with school boards so frequently being chock full of stupid? Creationists, bigots, etc.
18
@17 -- I know at least in some areas the low level stuff (school boards, city council, etc) have been specifically targeted by christian taliban types precisely because they want to "bring back values". Lefties have been asleep at the wheel here and then distracted by umpteen million issues and the general FUD created by these folks. At least that's the pattern I've seen down here in southern California.
19
@18 is correct. There was a concerted effort, beginning in the early '80's as part of Jerry Falwell's Moral Majority movement to concentrate on putting conservative candidates into low-level political positions as a training ground for runs for higher offices. the idea being that if you could corner local government you could influence regional races and move upward from there. It worked. There are very often only single candidates for school boards, utility districts and etc.
20
@16 - You could always e-mail the three that voted for the addition, like I am choosing to do.
21
I love how savage thinks he has more rights and power to dictate what should be taught in a school that has nothing to with him than do the actual parents of the kids who do attend that school. The arrogance just keeps on gushing from 'his' postings poorly masqueraded as concern.
22
@21. Not sure if you heard, but a bunch of children have killed themselves after being bullied so badly they felt there was no reason to live. Kids. Dying. No support from school systems to stop it. Dying. Can you not see what a horror show that is? Can you not see that this is not a Dan Savage issue, it's an issue for everyone who wants to protect the safety of children?
23
begone, loveschild, before somebody drops a house on YOU.
24
@22 Well aware of what happened to a young man who committed suicide, I remind you after his experimenting was exposed by two other youngsters who did not seem aware of or did not care how humiliating such a thing could be. That tragedy however has nothing to do with legitimizing on a school level adult behavior on par with physical traits like race. That legitimisation I guarantee you has more to do with grown people like savage and those like him that with the kids at school.
25
Including being fat in a protected status, but not being gay? Stay classy, Saline.

@21 and 24: You too, Loveschild. You stay classy.
26

Having grown up (and still living in) Ann Arbor I'm not at all surprised by this. I was surprised that it even got a vote. Here's why:

1) Saline has a strong Mormon population. Self explanatory.

2) Saline exists as kind of a rural, more-GOP friendly tumor on the back of Ann Arbor. People who think Ann Arbor is too liberal gravitate towards Saline (or Milan, or some of the other nearby rural towns.)

People in Saline would vote against it just on the principle that someone from Ann Arbor would vote for it. They have a serious inferiority complex.

Obviously there are exceptions, and the fact that it came up to vote and got 3 in favor speaks to there being some enlightened people in Saline. But, like I said, it has a strong Mormon, GOP, dickhead streak.
27
Hey Loveschild is back. Pass the popcorn.
28
@24 Loveschild, I'm glad to see you're as heartless when it comes to teen suicides as you are when it comes to people with AIDS. Well, at least you're not here trying to garner sympathy by pretending you knew someone who lost their life to suicide, although you may make one up eventually.

It's nice of you to occasionally show up just to spit on peoples' graves.
29
@24: There's a word for you, and it starts with "C" and ends with "untwhorebitch".
30
The school division where I teach also adds "Pregnancy" to the non-discrimination list, but not sexual orientation or gender identity.
31
Wow, haven't heard from Loveschild in a while. Don't know if you actually read what you're commenting on but just to clarify, this ruling has nothing at all to do with what's taught in school. If this had passed it would not have made anybody teach anything remotely differently. The only thing that would change if it were passed is that sexual orientation (or assumed sexual orientation) can't be "used to deny students the benefits of educational activities." There's a huge difference.
32
@30 Where has a student been denied benefits or access to a school because of a perceived sexual orientation ? Nowhere, it is quite puzzling of a premise to start with, since to arrive at such point one must assume that there is such a thing for a kindergartners (for example) and that such trait is so visible that a kid may be denied what others aren't due to their race or other physical traits, which have been denied in this nation's history.
33
@28 Sorry, sadly I wish your assumption was true but I have lived with my reality for many years now tho it only seems like yesterday to me, I can still feel it, my truth remains what it is.

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk…
34
Loveschild doesn't lose people "she" knows to suicide. She loses them to black on black crime. Nice to see you've made parole Fuckschildren.
35
Loveschild, do yourself and your faith the honor of being the BIGOT you're too shy to be openly.

Only a coward is moderate & equivocal on issues of discrimination, hate and the inferiority of other human beings.
36
A little more information in this story from the local NPR station: http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/michig….

Saline high school junior Katie Slawson now worries what the board's vote will mean.

"We're going to go to school and we're going to realize our elected officials, the leaders of our community, don't believe we should be treated as equally as the people who are discriminated against because of their height or their weight or their marital status," says Slawson.

But board of education members who voted against the proposal say it missed the point. Board member Amy Cattell says the problem is bullying.

"The anti-bullying is not working," says Cattell, "Its not working for them, and its not working for a lot of silent students that are also being bullied."
37
Wow, what a shock. LC is defending bigotry.
38
@32: "Where has a student been denied benefits or access to a school because of a perceived sexual orientation ?" [sic]
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/05…
http://www.examiner.com/statehouse-in-sa…
http://www.campusprogress.org/articles/h…
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12394904/
http://articles.latimes.com/2009/jan/28/…
http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/story?id=13167…
That's a list of stories about students who have been EXPELLED in recent years for being gay or for having gay parents. And before you say that those are private schools, ask yourself: should private schools be allowed to expel students who are black?
39
@38 Oh venomlash, surely you know by now that there's a huge difference between discriminating based on race and discriminating based on sexual orientation. People like CWB didn't choose to be born black, but all those kids who've committed suicide surely choose to be gay and suffer years of torment.....right??????

Okay, my Wednesday resolution is to not acknowledge CWB again. It is pointless, makes my blood boil, and makes me want to hurt kittens. CWB is dead to me.
40
Why, yes. In fact, Amy Cattell DOES have a facebook.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1…

OOPS. Did I just drop that? I guess I'll just leave it there.
41
Why, yes. In fact, Amy Cattell DOES have a facebook.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1…

OOPS. Did I just drop that? I guess I'll just leave it there.
42
So, if someone at school calls someone faggot, that's not breaking any rules. BUT, if they say FAT faggot, they better look out for the principal, cause they're in a heap of trouble.

If it wasn't so serious, it'd be funny.

And finally, Loveschild (hateschild? Hatespawn?), when you are hurting would like someone to come by and twist the knife in YOUR back? You're mean, and there's nothing christian anout that!

Oh, and Hobbs #38 just ripped you a new one! Do you want a bandaid, or should he just give the blade a twist?
43
What a bunch of morons. Where is the ACLU in all this?
44
Dan- you are my hero! Thanks for giving small town a voice as we struggle to help advocate & protect kids within our oppressive school environments! Johanna
45
@33 Loveschild, you don't know the meaning of the world "reality", any more than you know the meaning of the word "truth". See @38 for just a few examples of how you wallow in ignorance.

If you had really been through what you claimed you wouldn't mock others with your sanctimonious hypocrisy.
46
@16 a2 just passed an anti discrimination thing for the gays a little while back, mostly because of a short presentation given by a group called Riot Youth that is part of the Neutral Zone (a teen center in a2). Feel free to write both Riot Youth and the a2 school board.
47
Not so sure about that 'gender expression' one. Little too vague - little too much in the realm of personal stuff that shouldn't necessarily be protected. Sexual orientation is just a no brainer though. In what circumstances exactly are they saying that it would lead to other discrimination?
48
My little note to them...

I have been reading today, across various websites, that your town and School board supports homophobia.
I have to say a big "well done!" to your school board. They are clearly uneducated in both the attitudes of citizens AND the nature of Public Relations. They clearly don't understand that making such a public statement while the rest of the educational system is trying to actively combat homophobia will certainly gain a lot of negative attention and embarrassment.
You should thank the school board for single-handedly embarrassing your school, your town, and your citizens.
A remarkable achievement from supposedly educated individuals.

It's not a great leap forward to support equality for all. Entire nations manage it. And yet a pathetic little group of individuals in a little American town still cling to such idealism with zealous aplomb.

In this day and age, such an attitude is unacceptable and incomprehensible. I hope you have a battle on your hands from INTELLIGENT parents and teachers. I really hope that the embarrassment and shame poured on your school board nationally becomes overwhelming.

In my opinion this is what Americans call a no-brainer. You will be forced to change your policy eventually, we all know it. So why stamp your feet like right-wing neanderthals and increase the embarrassment?

What would I do? I'd remove those on the school board who are not able to meet the requirements of providing the very basic human rights your students and staff need (isn't this their job?), and I'd implement the correct policy.

Reagrds

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