Talking Points 3

"Gayness, Multicultural Education, and Community" By: Dennis Carlson


1.) “Some young people, particularly in big cities, are beginning to bring their "out" identities to high school, affirming who they are and asserting their rights. For example, in the study by Fine that I referred to earlier of a Manhattan alternative high school. she points to the existence of a Gay and Lesbian Alliance (GALA) in the school started by a small group of very sophisticated and very 'out' gay males and lesbian females. These students quite publicly raised questions. doing the complex intellectual and political work with and for their teachers and their peers."
(Pg. 246)
~ I think it is a good thing that students are not afraid to be themselves. In my high school I remember in my high school I think they had the GALA. I remember hearing some people talking about it. I think that is a good thing for students to have their peers to talk to.

2.) “The official policy in most school districts is in fact identical to that of the U.S. military…”
~I was surprised to hear that most school are like the U.S. military with the rule don’t ask don’t tell, I never knew that. I think its not right because everyone should have the right to express themselves.(Pg.238)

3.) “These abuses get tolerated because gay teachers and students operate in an environment where they feel afraid to stand up for themselves, and because any discussion of gay people continues to be absent in the curriculum so that homophobia is not interrogated. “ (Pg.239)
~ I feel bad that there are some people in the world that torment innocent people that are just trying to be themselves. I also think it’s a good idea to have some kind of lesson to openly discuss these problems so gay people can have a voice and not be afraid to stand up for themselves.

"Gayness, Multicultural Education, and Community" By: Dennis Carlson was a good article and I liked reading it. It had some points in it that I didn’t realize like how some schools have the don’t ask don’t tell policy for the teachers. I know that some of these points might be out dated, but they are still important to notice. I remember when I was in high school there were a lot of kids I knew of who were “out” and some that were not. Now a days I always see LGBT people on TV and in movies and in the media, also there are now more celebrities that are LGBT.