Pride School Atlanta opens
Submitted by Robyn on Mon, 08/15/2016 - 2:24pm
Christian Zsilavetz is a trans man living in Atlanta. He and his wife, Heather Hastings have opened an LGBTQ-affirming school in that city: Pride School Atlanta. Classes started last week.
Some people are concerned about the inherent segregation implicit in opening a special school for LGBTQ kids.
What I say: Such a school wouldn't be necessary if public schools were doing their job in accepting and affirming LGBTQ kids and protecting them attacks, both physical and verbal. If trans kids aren't going to be allowed to be themselves in schools for normals, they still need to learn how to learn someplace.
Christian Zsilavetz shows that, if necessary, we will step forward to help our own.
Comments
Mission statement
Wonderful idea!
And yes, it really shouldn't be needed. But it is.
Life is strong. I'm weak, but Life is strong.
If my kids were younger I'd want them to attend
One turned out straight... the other gay. I'd have wanted both to be in a school like that (if the education standards can be demonstrated) so that they'd be exposed to the actual breadth of humanity from an early age.
Then again, partly through their generation, partly I'm sure through parenting, and partly due to the wide view they got on the internet, I doubt that either of them has ever thought someone else's LGB/whatever status was particularly interesting.
A lot of wanderers in the U.S. political desert recognize that all the duopoly has to offer is a choice of mirages. Come, let us trudge towards empty expanse of sand #1, littered with the bleached bones of Deaniacs and Hope and Changers.
-- lotlizard
Jeebus. Seriously?
I would be one of those concerned about the further dividing of subsets. Where is the School For Kids of White Parents That Hate The Gay? Becuz you just know that school is coming. Eventually we all be living in neighborhoods that look and act Exactly like us. Dear Lord, I'm glad I'm not long for the next world, glad I don't have to grow up in this one!
the little things you can do are more valuable than the giant things you can't! - @thanatokephaloides. On Twitter @wink1radio. (-2.1) All about building progressive media.
Those schools are already operating.
How about Liberty University. I'm sure many others here can think of many more of these places that already exist. As Robyn said, if the public schools were doing their job, this wouldn't be necessary. If you are concerned about further dividing the subsets, you might want to become more active in preventing such discrimination and promoting inclusivity (made that word up but you know what I mean) in America. Just sayin'.
"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11
We'd like transgender children to be able to grow up...
...in a world that celebrates them for who they are, who they may become and for the talents they may develop. That is currently not happening. Over 50% of trans kids in a non-supportive environment attempt suicide. With a supportive environment, that drops to 4%.
Pretty sure that exists already.
Private religious schools.
Pretty much every school out there.
There is a sublime undercurrent of bias against anything not white protestant hetero in every school I've been in. Growing up in a couple different towns and sub teaching in Wichita school district a few years, I've seen a lot of schools. The three colleges/university I attended were somewhat better, but still there just below the surface.
There is no such thing as TMI. It can always be held in reserve for extortion.
Undercurrent can't really be helped
as I assume it's a side effect of the people in charge not being able to empathize in the better cases, or personal "disdain" in others.
Glad this school exists
Hope that more crop up, so long as they stay away from segregation style teaching.
Thanks, Robyn.
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --