Children ... There Is Hope In Children

A teacher in England, who just happens to be gay, was speaking to his class as a part of the school’s anti-bullying week, and asked his students if any of them had ever heard the word ‘gay’ used as an insult.

Nearly every student raised their hand.

Then he asked who thought that people who were gay or lesbian were bad or wrong in some way.

Again almost every hand went up.

He spoke to the head of the school, and they both agreed that he could, and should, tell his class that he was gay so that they all knew at least one gay person and then begin to stop using that word, and ask others to stop, because when they did they were talking about their teacher.

His students’ reaction was as expected: some gasps, some shocked looks, some questions — Do you have a boyfriend — and then it was over and back to business as usual.

Then he got “the” letter from one of his students, a nine-year old girl:

Dear Mr R

Even though you’re gay, I will always treat you the same way as I do now. I still think about you the same way as I used to. You’re a great teacher and these are just some of the word’s that I would describe you as: great, amazing, fantastic, brilliant, awesome and brave.

The reason why I say brave is because you shared a personal secret which was very brave.

You don’t have to feel scared because I know that everyone in the class feels the same way as I do.

From A x x

He read it, and then wiped the tears from his eyes and thanked her for it. She said something that one of the boys in class had said during the anti-bullying lesson before going back to her seat:

‘It’s just your life.’

Children. There is hope in the children.

via Pink News