Homophobia in High School: An Intolerable Intolerance
The signs pictured about represent examples of the signage now banned in Waukesha schools. Photo from Change.org
Olivia George
“68.7% of LGBTQ students experienced verbal harassment (e.g. called names or threatened) at school based on sexual orientation, 56.9% based on gender expression, and 53.7% based on gender” (Kosciw, 2019). The presence of discrimination against members of the LGBTQ+ community within high schools is present today, as seen in the recent rulings of the Waukesha County School District. The explicit discrimination against the LGBTQ+ flags within the Waukesha County School District displays homophobia within high schools, which is unacceptable.
David Simmons, the priest who spoke up about the bullies that targeted his daughter after the superintendent’s passing, does not believe that the school was primarily discriminating against the LGBTQ+ community. He stated, “‘LGBTQ is collateral damage... The real intention is to get the Black Lives Matter signs down. And in order to do that, they had to make a much more expansive policy in order to cover that they are not racist about it’” (Falk, 2021). If this were the case, the signage of the gay-straight alliance would not have been singled out. Under the superintendent’s decision, all clubs were permitted to display posters in full color… except for the gay-straight alliance, as I discussed in my previous article. The fact that the gay-straight alliance was the only club not allowed to print posters in color shows the blatant discrimination against the gay community. Had the district implemented a policy in which all clubs could only print black and white posters, it would be a different story. However, that was not the case, and the Waukesha County School District’s decision emphasizes the prevalence of homophobia still rooted within society.
Some parents argued that the presence of signs the district deemed controversial forced teacher’s beliefs toward the LGBTQ+ community on children. However, not all of the signs banned were decked out in rainbow flags; some of them helped to show appreciation for all students-- regardless of sexual orientation. For instance, one sign teachers were forced to remove from classrooms stated “You belong here. You matter. You are worth it. You are important. You are loved. You have a voice. You are valued. You are respected” and “This classroom is anti-racist. We see color & value all. We do not tolerate hate. When we make mistakes we say...I’m sorry. I’m listening. I’m learning” (change.org, 2021). The purpose behind hanging these signs was to instill self esteem and validate students who may not receive that type of support outside of the classroom and eliminate closed-minded racist behavior within students. The district removing signs with very little to do with the LGBTQ+ community and everything to do with creating good people leads one to question both the motivations behind the ruling and what the district is really trying to accomplish.
The entire purpose of public schools is to create a safe environment for all students. For many, the eight hour day is designed to both educate students and serve as an escape from severe household conflicts. It is absolutely infuriating that the Waukesha County School District was able to pass a ruling that allowed them to act against their primary social responsibility of creating a welcoming environment for all people. The fact that this direct discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community is present in a local high school is reflection of a extremely pressing issue within society. Homophobia is an issue that has fallen into the background of media coverage. Few people are writing about it because most people feel that there is a mutual awareness and acceptance of the gay community in all aspects of society. This is simply not true. The stigma around the LGTBQ+ community is present and affecting teenagers daily. There are teenagers in this school right now that fear coming out due to how peoples’ perspectives of them will change. Unraveling homophobia within society is going to take more than hanging a couple of rainbow posters. Sign this petition to help take action against the unjust acts of the Waukesha County School District.
