It's Public Hand-Holding As Punishment In Arizona

This is not bad

So, this morning I posted about Susan Johnson, a teacher who was suspended without pay because she played a song about tolerance and acceptance and understanding in class, and now we have another story, of another school, and another official in hot water.

It seems that two boys--their names aren't being released--at Westwood High School in Mesa Arizona, were caught fighting on school grounds recently. The school decided to offer the boys a choice of suspension from school or sitting in the middle of the school courtyard during lunch hour and holding hands. The boys chose the latter.

This is bullying

So, that first lunch two chairs were set outside and the boys sat down and began holding hands. Crowds gathered and other students began laughing and taunting the boys, asking if they were gay and stuff like that. It's basically organized, school-sanctioned bullying, as punishment.

And, as happens, since everybody and their mother has a cell phone, pictures were taken and posted online at Twitter and Facebook, of the boys, heads down, holding hands. Some folks felt the punishment was above and beyond, as it creates an atmosphere ripe for bullying and taunting, while others were offended that the idea of two boys holding hands--implying the boys are gay--is punishment because, you know, gay is bad.

According to Helen Hollands, director of communication and marketing for Mesa Public Schools--and, apparently, as asshat--it was school principal, Tim Richard, who is in his first year at Westwood, who had the idea: “He’s done some great things there. He’s focused highly on maintaining a standard where [ideally] no students are failing a class.”

This is the moron who thinks
being perceived to be  gay
is a punishment

Richard, naturally, isn't talking. But apparently his idea of punishing to boys who can't stop fighting is to make them appear to be gay in the eyes of the school.

However, once district officials heard about Richard's sentencing of the boys to hand-holding, it issued a statement saying it doesn’t condone what the school did: “Mesa Public Schools is dedicated to maintaining a safe and supportive learning environment. The district has guidelines for appropriate student discipline and our site administrators have the authority to impose consequences within our policies and regulations....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.”

How is this punishment for fighting? Is the idea that two boys might be gay so utterly horrific that it is a fitting punishment? And doesn't it just create an atmosphere, yet again, where being gay is bad, and something to taunt and tease? Howsabout just telling those two boys that, since they can't settle a difference with words rather than fists that they'll be out of school for a week? Howsabout, if you want to make an example of those boys, make them wear a sign that says they're not smart enough to settle their differences like human beings?

No, make them seem gay.

That's got to be punishment enough.

source