School Board Member Julie Williams Needs An Education

Julie Williams is a member of the Jefferson County school board out there in Colorado, but clearly this child needs a little educating herself.

Last week, Julie Williams posted to her Facebook wall a link to an article from Save California that, ahem, encouraged families to keep their students home from school last Friday — the National Day of Silence which supports LGBT students in schools — and “away from perverse indoctrination” of the “homosexual-bisexual-transsexual agenda.”

Lovely for a school board member to post, but what is remarkably idiotic about Julie Williams is her reasoning for the post link, which she subsequently took down; she says she was unfamiliar with the group and was “rattled” after learning it was recognized as a hate group:

“To be honest with you, I didn’t read the article. I just saw it and thought I was sharing information with parents.”

A school board member who doesn’t bother to read a piece of information before she shares it? How is that possible that she has anything to do with education?  Julie? Hon? Maybe next time you should read what you post before you post it or share it; better yet, why don’t you stay off social media until you learn to read period, m’kay?

Still, we learn more about Julie Williams the more she talks about what she didn’t read, didn’t know, but shared on Facebook anyway: when contacted by Chalkbeat she says she does not support the statements in the Save California newsletter but:

“I believe in choice — who you are and want to be and what you want to do.”

Um, Julie? Might I suggest further reading before you speak, because homosexuality, like heterosexuality, is not a choice.

Luckily, the Superintendent of Jeffco Public Schools, Dan McMinimee clarified the district’s position on Save California and the National Day of Silence:

“As Jeffco Schools always strives to foster an environment that encourages students to feel safe, to learn, and to thrive, we respect students’ rights to participate in Day of Silence, a student-led effort, and to express themselves as they prefer. We celebrate freedom from bullying.”

Maybe they could teach that to Julie Williams?

photo credit: Nicholas Garcia

story via: Chalkbeat

McGuffey High School Students Turn Day of Silence Into Day Of Bullying

For those who don’t know, the National Day of Silence is a national day of action in which students across the country vow to take a form of silence to call attention to the silencing effect of anti-LGBT bullying and harassment in schools. Sounds like a good thing, right? I mean, ending bullying in schools, the bullying of any student for any reason, has got to be good, right?

Well, some folks call this ‘special treatment’ for The Gays because straight folks don’t get a national day; perhaps they should be thankful that most straight kids don’t suffer bullying and harassment and physical abuse for being straight, but I digress …

Up in Claysville, Pennsylvania, a group of students at McGuffey High School apparently spread the news that they were “anti-gay;” they were to wear flannel shirt — which, and, be queer, I’m joking a little, sound kinda Lesbian to me — and write the words  “Anti-Gay” on their hands. And they took to social media to spread the word, and post photos of themselves — like that one over there — in their anti-gay plaid.

So, a day to call attention to the bullying of LGBTQ students turns out to be a day for bullying LGBTQ students because certain students, the ones who are openly LGBTQ or at least perceived to be LGBTQ, were pushed and shoved in the hallways, and the lockers of those students were decorated with anti-gay posters.

One student, Zoe Johnson was not amused:

“It hurts me to see how rude and cruel, and some of these people were my friends before this started. “Yesterday, there was pushing, posters hung on homosexual students’ lockers. Teachers were having to run out and take them down.”

Johnson took her disgust to Facebook:

“This is why so many students hate going to school.”

And she also took her disgust at a school board meeting, demanding administrators do something:

“They made an announcement this morning, saying the only colors [students could wear] are blue and gold, but I feel like that is not getting the point across. Just to ignore it isn't going to work.”

In response, Dr. Erica Kolat, the superintendent of McGuffey School District, released a statement:

“Yesterday afternoon, April 16, 2015, allegations of harassment were brought to the attention of our administration. McGuffey School District, along with school police officers, continue to investigate all allegations. We will follow our Student Code of Conduct, and file legal citations, as warranted. We resolve to ensure that all children can grow and learn in a safe, supportive environment free from discrimination.”

It’s not clear how they well the district did their investigating when you consider that some of the students involved in the anti-gay bullying posted their pictures online, proudly wearing their flannel.

Oh, and the day after the National Day of Silence, those same students allegedly wore orange as their anti-gay color of choice, and vowed to have another five days’ worth of “anti-gay” attire planned for the following week.

It doesn’t sound to me like the school district is investigating as diligently as they should. I mean, students in flannel one day and orange the next are pretty easy to spot; students taping anti-gay posters to the lockers of others should be a cinch to find.

But hey, it’s just gay kids … it’s just bullying … it’s just Freedom of Expression ... and it’s all well and good until someone kills themselves over it.

Here’s the queer; if you don’t like gay people, good for you. Have a happy life; enjoy yourself. But when you take your dislike, and your homophobia, and, possibly, your own inner self-loathing at the fact that maybe you’re gay, too, and use it to bash, intimidation, bully, harm or threaten another individuals, you are the lowest of the low.

And just because you pose on Instagram and Twitter and Facebook in your pretty little flannel shirts doesn’t change the fact that you are haters and vile disgusting people.

Yeah, have a happy life.

via:

LGBTQ Nation
WPIX
Day of Silence
The Advocate

The Young and the Asshatted

First off, pull the kiddies from the room because I’m in the mood for swearing ….

Last Friday was the National Day of Silence, an event that draws attention to the bullying of LGBTQ youth in our nation’s schools, but it also turned into a day at one Oregon school for four young idiots to show their ignorance and homophobia.

The four students in question wore shirts emblazoned with the messages that “Gay Is Not Ok" and "Gay Day Is Not OK," ironically two of the very reasons the National Day of Silence was created in the first place. But these little fuck-monkeys don’t get that, in fact, one of them — who won’t give his name because he’d rather hide behind anonymity, said:

"I don't believe that ["gay day"] is ok. I don't have a big problem with gay people. It's just when they start parading around the school about how we have a day of silence for gays, lesbians, transvestites -- it's like, we don't have a straight day!"

You stupid little piece of %$#&! First off it's lesbian, gay and transgender students, so if you wanna protest something at least know the facts. Secondly, isn't every day a straight day, you moron, and then, please, tell me when you last saw a straight person bullied to death for being straight?

Oh, don’t get me wrong, I know straight kids get bullied, but not for their sexual orientation; they get bullied for other ridiculous reasons, like their skin color, hair color, weight, freckles, height, but not ever because they are heterosexual.

So again, every day is a straight day.

Luckily, most of the 2,000 other students at the school, as well as administrators, didn’t feel the same way as these four morons. In fact, school officials told The Four Fuck-Monkeys that they could not wear the "Gay Day Is Not Ok" shirts on campus, and that the students would be required to turn the shirts inside out or take them off.

Here’s the deal: I get that some folks don’t think gay is ok, but to that I say, so what? Who does it hurt? Not one of these four idiots ever suffered any indignation or bullying or teasing or taunting, never thought about ending their lives, because of their sexual orientation, and the fact that they don’t get that their shirts are the very reason for the day, screams more about their ignorance and intolerance and stupidity than anything else.

The National Day of Silence doesn’t “celebrate” being gay — and even if it did, who the fuck cares? The day is meant to remind us that LGBTQ youth are being tortured daily in schools around this country and we need to make it stop. It reminds us that kids are killing themselves rather than face one more day of being teased and taunted and harassed and we need to make it stop.

A ‘Gay Is Not Ok’ shirt is exactly why we need the National Day of Silence and too bad these four little fuck-monkeys are too stupid to realize that. And the next time there's a day of silence ... shut the fuck up.

Day Of Silence

I'll be silent today, as well, in soldiarity for those who have been silenced.

________________________________________________ 

About the Day of Silence

The National Day of Silence is a day of action in which students across the country vow to take a form of silence to call attention to the silencing effect of anti-LGBT bullying and harassment in schools.

History

Founded in 1996, the Day of Silence has become the largest single student-led action towards creating safer schools for all, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. From the first-ever Day of Silence at the University of Virginia in 1996, to the organizing efforts in over 8,000 middle schools, high schools, colleges and universities across the country in 2008, its textured history reflects its diversity in both numbers and reach.

The Truth about the Day of Silence

Every year, more and more students participate in the Day of Silence, which began 13 years ago when University of Virginia students wanted to find a way to bring attention to anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying and harassment on campus. As the day’s popularity and exposure have increased, many misperceptions have spread about what the Day of Silence is, why the day exists and what participating in it means. Here are 4 truths that address common misinformation about the Day of Silence.

The Day of Silence’s purpose is to bring attention to anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying and harassment and effective responses. The goal of the Day of Silence is to make schools safer for all students, regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity/expression. In a Harris Interactive study on bullying, students said two of the top three reasons students are harassed in school are actual or perceived sexual orientation and gender expression. Additionally, nearly 9 out of 10 LGBT students experience harassment at school. Students across the country participate in the Day of Silence to bring attention to this problem, let students who experience such bullying know that they are not alone and ask schools to take action to address the problem.

Hundreds of thousands of students of all beliefs, backgrounds and sexual orientations participate in the Day of Silence. Anti-LGBT bullying and harassment affects all students. Slurs such as "faggot" and "dyke" are commonplace in school. The Day of Silence is an example of students, from middle school to college, working together proactively to bring attention to the anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying and harassment experienced by LGBT and straight students alike. GLSEN, the Day of Silence’s organizational sponsor, encourages participants to be counted by registering at www.dayofsilence.org. Students from nearly 8,000 middle and high schools registered for the 2008 Day of Silence. GLSEN protects the privacy of students and does not publish a list of students who have registered or their schools. Many students who participate also belong to Gay-Straight Alliance student clubs, of which nearly 4,000 are registered with GLSEN. The first GSA was created by a straight student over 20 years ago, in the fall of 1988.

Day of Silence participants encourage schools to implement proven solutions to address anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying and harassment. Adopt and implement a comprehensive anti-bullying policy that enumerates categories such as race, gender, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation and gender expression/identity. Provide staff trainings to enable school staff to identify and address anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying and harassment effectively and in a timely manner. Support student efforts to address anti-LGBT bullying and harassment on campus, such as the formation of a Gay-Straight Alliance. Institute age-appropriate, factually accurate and inclusive curricula to help students understand and respect difference within the school community and society as a whole.

The day is a positive educational experience. The Day of Silence is an opportunity for students to work toward improving school climate for all students. GLSEN advises students interested in participating to discuss their intentions with their administration and teachers long before the event. The day is most successful when schools and students work together to show their commitment to ensuring safe schools for all students. Many schools allow students’ participation throughout the day. Some schools ask students to speak as they normally would during class and remain silent during breaks and at lunch. There is no single way to participate, and students are encouraged to take part in the way that is the most positive and uplifting for their school.

Silence, Please

In observance of the GLSEN Day of Silence today, ISBL will be quiet today. And thinking, today, of those in the LGBT community, those in any community, who suffer in silence, are bullied into silence.

About the Day of Silence

The National Day of Silence is a day of action in which students across the country vow to take a form of silence to call attention to the silencing effect of anti-LGBT bullying and harassment in schools.

History

Founded in 1996, the Day of Silence has become the largest single student-led action towards creating safer schools for all, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. From the first-ever Day of Silence at the University of Virginia in 1996, to the organizing efforts in over 8,000 middle schools, high schools, colleges and universities across the country in 2008, its textured history reflects its diversity in both numbers and reach.

The Truth about the Day of Silence

Every year, more and more students participate in the Day of Silence, which began 13 years ago when University of Virginia students wanted to find a way to bring attention to anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying and harassment on campus. As the day’s popularity and exposure have increased, many misperceptions have spread about what the Day of Silence is, why the day exists and what participating in it means. Here are 4 truths that address common misinformation about the Day of Silence.

The Day of Silence’s purpose is to bring attention to anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying and harassment and effective responses. The goal of the Day of Silence is to make schools safer for all students, regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity/expression. In a Harris Interactive study on bullying, students said two of the top three reasons students are harassed in school are actual or perceived sexual orientation and gender expression. Additionally, nearly 9 out of 10 LGBT students experience harassment at school. Students across the country participate in the Day of Silence to bring attention to this problem, let students who experience such bullying know that they are not alone and ask schools to take action to address the problem.

Hundreds of thousands of students of all beliefs, backgrounds and sexual orientations participate in the Day of Silence. Anti-LGBT bullying and harassment affects all students. Slurs such as "faggot" and "dyke" are commonplace in school. The Day of Silence is an example of students, from middle school to college, working together proactively to bring attention to the anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying and harassment experienced by LGBT and straight students alike. GLSEN, the Day of Silence’s organizational sponsor, encourages participants to be counted by registering at www.dayofsilence.org. Students from nearly 8,000 middle and high schools registered for the 2008 Day of Silence. GLSEN protects the privacy of students and does not publish a list of students who have registered or their schools. Many students who participate also belong to Gay-Straight Alliance student clubs, of which nearly 4,000 are registered with GLSEN. The first GSA was created by a straight student over 20 years ago, in the fall of 1988.

Day of Silence participants encourage schools to implement proven solutions to address anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying and harassment. Adopt and implement a comprehensive anti-bullying policy that enumerates categories such as race, gender, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation and gender expression/identity. Provide staff trainings to enable school staff to identify and address anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying and harassment effectively and in a timely manner. Support student efforts to address anti-LGBT bullying and harassment on campus, such as the formation of a Gay-Straight Alliance. Institute age-appropriate, factually accurate and inclusive curricula to help students understand and respect difference within the school community and society as a whole.

The day is a positive educational experience. The Day of Silence is an opportunity for students to work toward improving school climate for all students. GLSEN advises students interested in participating to discuss their intentions with their administration and teachers long before the event. The day is most successful when schools and students work together to show their commitment to ensuring safe schools for all students. Many schools allow students’ participation throughout the day. Some schools ask students to speak as they normally would during class and remain silent during breaks and at lunch. There is no single way to participate, and students are encouraged to take part in the way that is the most positive and uplifting for their school.

source

ISBL Asshat of the Week: Miss Jerry Newcombe

This week it goes Jerry Newcombe, of the ironically named Abiding "Truth" Ministries, formerly known as Coral Ridge Ministries, a megachurch of megahate.

See, this Friday is the National Day of Silence in which students across the country vow to take a form of silence to call attention to the silencing effect of anti-LGBT bullying and harassment in schools. And Jerry Newcombe has gotten his lady-panties in a twist about it.

"It’s sad to see groups like GLSEN be accepted by the teacher's establishment and then allow the platform to go into the public schools and try and indoctrinate children. For example, they have something called the Day of Silence. Now they chose April 20 of all days to be the Day of Silence, I looked that up, I was like, 'Isn’t that Adolf Hitler’s birthday?' I looked it up and sure enough it is Adolf Hitler’s birthday. I don’t think there’s a link there but how ironic. But they are using this day as a means by which to promote their lifestyle as if it is a positive thing."

See, he doesn't come out and actually say that because the two days fall on April 20th that there is a link between Hitler and GLSEN, but he wants you to make that jump. He's assuming that people are like Jerry Newcombe, so utterly stupid and homophobic as to believe the two things have anything to do with one another.

And, for the record, Jerry, you delusional fucxkmonkey, goosestepping, probably closeted gay self-loathing homophobe, the Day of Silence does not promote being gay, it promotes awareness that gay kids are being bullied, sometime to death, for being gay, and asks people to use silence as a weapon  against bullying.

I guess the 'god' you pray to doesn't mind kids being bullied, so, for that, little Miss Jerry Newcombe wins this week's ISBL Asshat of the Week Award.

Frame it.

Post it on a wall.

Make a t-shirt out of it.

Or, just shove it.

National Day of Silence

I Should Be Laughing will become I Should Be Silent tomorrow, April 15th, in support for the National Day of Silence.
Each year, this national event event brings attention to the suffering in silence that LGBTQ youth have to endure each and every day. LGBTQ youth are most commonly the targets of systematic mental and physical bullying and abuse from peers and our communities at large.
The bullying has to stop.
The hatred and fear being spread by those without empathy or acceptance has to stop.
So, maybe you could all be silent today, too?
After all, silence is golden.

Quiet Please: April 16, 2010

Tomorrow is the National Day Of Silence, and I'm going quiet for the day because bullying, of any one, for any reason, is wrong, but bullying of children by children, by adults, is especially disgusting.
Stay silent and think of:

Phoebe Prince, bullied to death.
J Anoai, bullied because of his long hair.
Jayron Martin, bullied and beaten with a metal pipe by one of his classmates.
Jonathan Escobar, driven out of school because he's gay.
Carl Joseph Walker Hoover, bullied to death.
Steven Harmon, beaten by fellow students because he is gay.
A thirteen-year-old boy in Florida raped with a hockey stick by four classmates.
Jaheem Herrera, bullied to death.
Jeremiah Lasater shot himself in the head rather than face another day of being bullied.
Eric Mohat took his own life rather than face the bullies.

Stay silent and think of these names, and the hundreds of others, who can no longer speak.
This is a repost from last year's National Day Of Silence.



How to observe the Day of Silence:

Be silent
Talk
Wear red
Wear rainbow
Wear any color
Tweet the Silence
Silence your tweets
Blog the silence
Silence your blog

Whatever you do, be respectful, especially of others who are observing the Day of Silence, but bring attention to the issues of anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying and harassment in schools.
What is bullying? Bullying is when someone keeps doing or saying things to have power over another person. Some of the ways they bully other people are by: calling them names, saying or writing nasty things about them, leaving them out of activities, not talking to them, threatening them, making them feel uncomfortable or scared, taking or damaging their things, hitting or kicking them, making them do things they don't want to do.

Why do some people bully? There are a lot of reasons why some people bully. They may see it as a way of being popular, or making themselves look tough and in charge. Some bullies do it to get attention or things, or to make other people afraid of them. Others might be jealous of the person they are bullying. They may be being bullied themselves. Some bullies may not even understand how wrong their behaviour is and how it makes the person being bullied feel.

Why are some young people bullied? Some young people are bullied for no particular reason, but sometimes it's because they are different in some way--perhaps it's the colour of their skin, the way they talk, their size or their name. Sometimes young people are bullied because they look like they won't stand up for themselves.

Why is bullying harmful? Some people think bullying is just part of growing up and a way for young people to learn to stick up for themselves. But bullying can make young people feel lonely, unhappy and frightened. It makes them feel unsafe and think there must be something wrong with them. They lose confidence and may not want to go to school any more. It may make them sick. It may lead to them killing themselves.

What can you do if you are being bullied? Coping with bullying can be difficult, but remember, you are not the problem, the bully is. You have a right to feel safe and secure. And if you're different in some way, be proud of it! Spend time with your friends--bullies hardly ever pick on people if they're with others in a group. Ignore the bully. Tell them to stop. Walk away. Tell an adult you can trust.

What can you do if you see someone else being bullied? If you see someone else being bullied you should always try to stop it. If you do nothing, you're saying that bullying is okay with you. It's always best to treat others the way you would like to be treated. You should show the bully that you think what they're doing is stupid and mean. Help the person being bullied to tell an adult they can trust.

Quiet Please

How to observe the Day of Silence:
Be silent
Talk
Wear red
Wear rainbow
Wear any color
Tweet the Silence
Silence your tweets
Blog the silence
Silence your blog

Whatever you do, be respectful, especially of others who are observing the Day of Silence, but bring attention to the issues of anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying and harassment in schools.

What is bullying?
Bullying is when someone keeps doing or saying things to have power over another person. Some of the ways they bully other people are by:
calling them names,
saying or writing nasty things about them,
leaving them out of activities,
not talking to them, threatening them,
making them feel uncomfortable or scared,
taking or damaging their things,
hitting or kicking them,
making them do things they don't want to do.

Why do some people bully?
There are a lot of reasons why some people bully.
They may see it as a way of being popular, or making themselves look tough and in charge.
Some bullies do it to get attention or things, or to make other people afraid of them.
Others might be jealous of the person they are bullying.
They may be being bullied themselves.
Some bullies may not even understand how wrong their behaviour is and how it makes the person being bullied feel.

Why are some young people bullied?
Some young people are bullied for no particular reason, but sometimes it's because they are different in some way--perhaps it's the colour of their skin, the way they talk, their size or their name. Sometimes young people are bullied because they look like they won't stand up for themselves.

Why is bullying harmful?
Some people think bullying is just part of growing up and a way for young people to learn to stick up for themselves.
But bullying can make young people feel lonely, unhappy and frightened.
It makes them feel unsafe and think there must be something wrong with them.
They lose confidence and may not want to go to school any more.
It may make them sick.
It may lead to them killing themselves.

What can you do if you are being bullied?
Coping with bullying can be difficult, but remember, you are not the problem, the bully is.
You have a right to feel safe and secure.
And if you're different in some way, be proud of it!
Spend time with your friends--bullies hardly ever pick on people if they're with others in a group.
Ignore the bully.
Tell them to stop.
Walk away.
Tell an adult you can trust.

What can you do if you see someone else being bullied?
If you see someone else being bullied you should always try to stop it.
If you do nothing, you're saying that bullying is okay with you.
It's always best to treat others the way you would like to be treated.
You should show the bully that you think what they're doing is stupid and mean.
Help the person being bullied to tell an adult they can trust.