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| Gay suit settled for name calling | ||
| 2004-01-07 | ||
| Six homosexual students won a $1.1 million settlement yesterday against a California school district accused of failing to provide protection from physical and verbal abuse. Name calling in school? Wow I have some suits to file! The American Civil Liberties Union, which represented the students, said the settlement includes "a comprehensive training program for administrators, staff and students to combat anti-gay harassment," reported the Morgan Hill Times in the San Jose, Calif., suburb of Morgan Hill. The ACLU said the sensitivity training program – required for all district administrators, teachers, campus monitors, custodians, school safety officers and bus drivers – should become a national model for "schools everywhere that care about protecting their students from harassment." The program will emphasize issues surrounding "sexual orientation and gender identity." Students will participate in an age-appropriate program on the same issues. Basically it’s a ‘be nice to turd burglars/carpet munchers or else’ seminar. The settlement came after the federal 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco, regarded as the nation’s most liberal, ruled the Morgan Hill School District and others must give equal protection to all students. The case, which began in 1998, was appealed several times by the school district but never went to trial, and the two sides finally decided to pursue a settlement. "The bravery of these students in speaking out about the horrific abuse they faced on a daily basis at school will reach far beyond Morgan Hill," said Kate Kendell, executive director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights, according to the Morgan Hill paper. "Because these six kids came forward, schools now know they can’t just ignore abuse of gay students when it’s happening in their hallways," Kendell said. "This training program isn’t just the right thing to do – it’s what schools have to do if they want to keep their students safe." And then she picked up her $200k check from the district. "This is not an admission of guilt," Thomas said, according to the Times. In a statement, school officials said: "Although the district believes it has no liability in the matter, it has agreed to this settlement agreement to avoid the costs and uncertainties of trial in order that the district can remain focused on its primary goal of educating students."
But she will cash her $200k Check just the same. "All of them wanted to file to get protection on campus; they wanted the policy to change," Ritchie said then, according to the paper. And get some money to buy some really nice gay clothes. Three plaintiffs who agreed to reveal their names publicly were former students Alana Flores, Freddie Fuentes and Jeanette Dousharm. Flores will receive $150,000; Fuentes and Dousharm, $100,000 each; two unnamed plaintiffs $80,000 each and the final student, $50,000, the Morgan Hill paper said. About $600,000 will go to the lawyers. That sounds fair. "I am so happy that the district has finally recognized the seriousness of this problem and is ready to do something to stop it," said Flores about the settlement in a press release. "The kind of abuse I had to deal with every day when I went to school was horrible. No student should have to face that. Making schools safe for all students through this kind of training is something every school should do." Along with the ACLU of Northern California, the students were represented by the National Center for Lesbian Rights, the ACLU’s national Lesbian and Gay Rights Project, and a number of Bay Area attorneys. Show of hands of anybody who was teased or taunted in school? Everybody! The ACLU has a lot of work to do. I had red hair, a weight problem, and I was harassed CONSTANTLY. I don’t see any red haired fat boys alliance to defend me! Also my school never held red hair fat boy sensitivity training for the faculty to protect my rights. Is there time limit on the charges? Is there a lawyers out there that wouldn’t mind working pro-bono?
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| Posted by:Cyber Sarge (VRWC CA Chapter) |
| #13 I knew I'd find ya Ron. Welcome to Hell. :) |
| Posted by: Shipman 2004-1-7 6:18:42 PM |
| #12 It's taken me a long time to actually admit that I was that bully. Soooooooo!!!! sensitivity training program Just another word for mind kontrol. First they tell you what not to think or say, then they fill that space with the things you're only supposed to say and think according to them |
| Posted by: Ron in Colorado 2004-1-7 5:47:20 PM |
| #11 I got picked on because I was so much smarter and better looking than everyone else, and I got all the girls. Where do I pick up my check ? |
| Posted by: Anonymous 2004-1-7 2:55:19 PM |
| #10 We need to cut out this kind of crap in order to concentrate on the WoT. I put forth the motion that we declare war on the ACLU and 80% of our nation's overpaid, underworked trial lawyers. All in favor pick up your weapon of choice at your local Sears, Penneys, WalMart, or Costco store. |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2004-1-7 2:19:26 PM |
| #9 Verbal abuse? Maybe the "non-breeders" should remember the old sticks & stones nursery rhyme. As far as physical abuse goes; I'm pretty sure everyone of us on R-burg has had to stick up to a bully(s) at one time or another. I had my share of 'punch-ups' as a chunky pre-teen on the playground. I didn't win all of them but I made it not worth their while to mess w/me. Bottomline; I got tougher as a result, the bullies left me alone, and I found the will to lose the weight. Suck it up pansies. This is typical 9th circus. Maybe these kids need to learn the art of "black eye from the straight guy". |
| Posted by: Jarhead 2004-1-7 1:37:06 PM |
| #8 Sorry for not including the unbiased ACLU press release: http://www.aclunc.org/pressrel/980421-students.html Yes it’s pretty much about name calling. On to my earlier point. At least they could have hidden their sexual preference and avoid the taunting. I could not color my hair or lose enough weight to ever make a difference in the name calling. SUCK IT UP! That’s Life. |
| Posted by: Cyber Sarge (VRWC CA Chapter) 2004-1-7 12:54:18 PM |
| #7 CS, wasn't there a report the other day from your area about a kid who wrote an article in the school paper regarding the illegal aliens problem in CA? For voicing his views, this kid was the target of school thugs, but the school abolutely refused to protect him. This was more than just name calling. So it seems conservative kids can't be victims. |
| Posted by: Gasse Katze 2004-1-7 12:52:52 PM |
| #6 You sued your school because someone called you names and hurt your feelings? That's a pretty gay thing to do. |
| Posted by: BH 2004-1-7 12:07:31 PM |
| #5 I have big ears. How much do I have coming? Do you think they will notice me in eighth grade? I can dye the gray out and continue to use poor grammar and ridiculous spelling. |
| Posted by: Super Hose 2004-1-7 12:02:47 PM |
| #4 Sarge, sorry that you were born to early. The obese (weight challenged) will soon be another victim group looking for their spoils. However, on a side note, the article tells nothing about the kind of abuse these students received and what actions/inactions the teachers and administrators took. More info would be better for our peanut gallery to comment further. |
| Posted by: Daniel King 2004-1-7 11:56:50 AM |
| #3 The ACLU said the sensitivity training program – required for all district administrators, teachers, campus monitors, custodians, school safety officers and bus drivers – should become a national model for "schools everywhere that care about protecting their students from harassment." Nothing like forced sensitivity training to remedy a perceived "problem". |
| Posted by: Bomb-a-rama 2004-1-7 11:49:20 AM |
| #2 Is it OK to call the school Board members a buncha faggots? |
| Posted by: Anonymous 2004-1-7 11:49:11 AM |
| #1 Can I call them queer? They call themselves that, even on primetime TV. Eh. They can take the pain of a penis in the ass but they can't take the "horrifying abuse" of being called a fruit. Certainly a skinny Pollack like me who got beat up more than once should have a reciprocal case against my grade school and junior high school. Oh the horror. |
| Posted by: Unmutual 2004-1-7 11:38:48 AM |