Principal punishes two boys with ‘gay hand-holding’ What do you think about this - The Gay Christian Network

[Deleted-User]

Principal punishes two boys with ‘gay hand-holding’

Gay Star News Arizona school district slams the principal for the public punishment, saying it encouraged homophobic behavior
01 December 2012 | By Joe Morgan

http://www.gaystarnews.com/article/principal-punishes-two-boys-%E2%80%98gay-hand-holding%E2%80%99011212?utm_source=New+email+sign-ups&utm_campaign=4e06c20277-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email
A principal is being condemned for forcing two boys to hold hands in front of their classmates as a punishment for fighting.

Two students in Mesa, Arizona, were told by Tim Richards they had two choices; be suspended from school, or sit in chairs in the high school’s courtyard and hold hands for 15 minutes during a lunch period.

As they held hands other students took photographs, filmed the scene, and teased them for being gay, while the boys hid their faces from the camera.

Speaking to ABC affiliate KNXV, Brittney Smyers said: ‘Kids were laughing at them and calling them names, asking “Are you gay?”’.

As a short video of the two emerged, users were outraged at the public punishment; with some saying it positioned the teens as targets for taunting, name-calling and encouraging homophobic behavior.

Others suggested the punishment was anti-gay in itself, as it implied the idea of two males holding hands is embarrassing. However some students have said they believe the punishment worked, and the controversy has blown it out of proportion.

Calls placed to Richards were not returned, but the school district issued a statement addressing the controversy. It stated: ‘The district does not condone the choice of in-school discipline given these students, regardless of their acceptance or willingness to participate.

‘District leadership will address this matter with the school principal and review district protocol regarding student discipline with all administrators.’

[Timothy_Brown]

This school principal is a bully

[Deleted-User]

I agree and a complete idiot. But that I mean that it could have been so shaming to these young men, that it's a wonder that they didn't go home and hurt themselves. Or have deep physiological scars from this. It is a wonder (from my personal experience) That they didn't kill each other after the punishment to prove that they weren't gay. To a young person many of them count on their peers for acceptance and self worth. Be it in sports, academics, or many of the other things, groups that young people aspire to.

If they are perceived in a negative way their self esteem falls to such a degree that they believe, they no longer have a reason to live, for the world as the see it has changed and in that change they no longer see themselves living.

I pray that both these young men, will live through this and be able to not only adapt, but forgive the man who did this to them.

The picture if you go to the link, is one of utter shame and disgrace.

That shame and disgrace should be on the man who made them do this in front of all of their peers.

[Deleted-User]

Here is a TV news Video about the story above.

http://youtu.be/ruQdkDUnMK0

[Debbie_Dibble]

I find it appalling. And yet those young men stayed the course, they could have run off campus but they didn't. I agree with the long term consequences. This man should be made to apologize in a public forum since these two boys are now possible targets and he should loose his job and not be allowed to work with anyone under 21 again. If either of these boys comes to any harm from this public disgrace, he should be charged with instigating a hate crime.

[Deleted-User]

We can only hope and pray as mean as kids can be, that maybe OurLord will moved their hearts to understand that there shouldn't be a shameful thing for a man or boy to hold someone else's hand. And that they can see the hate that maybe all those who made fun of them, isn't funny at all. I would (I hope no one does this of course and I pray that they don't!) If someone ended up hurting that man who did this to them. Here on a good note is something that I can share with you.

I was actually criticized for putting this in the anti gay bullyingly group here not by the owner but by a member who asked me and others not to post links.

I hope you like (I may actually send this to the school on line).

Stand Up! - Don't Stand for Homophobic Bullying



Uploaded by BeLonGToYouthService on Apr 1, 2011

http://youtu.be/lrJxqvalFxM

Irish anti homophobic bullying advertisement, created as part of BeLonG To Youth Services annual Stand Up! LGBT Awareness Weeks. Help us continue our important work click the link to donate. https://www.standup.ie/donate/
The campaign promotes friendship amongst young people as a way to combat homophobic bullying.
For more information on the campaign please see: http://www.belongto.org/campaign.aspx

Shared with love!