Gay/Lesbian/Transgender High School
In one of my classes, a teacher was talking about how she is going to be teaching at the Harvey Milk High School this year. My professor seemed highly interested in this, especially from the view of doing a graduate thesis with the research based there. I didn't understand why, until the woman explained that the school is for gay, lesbian and transgender students who have been harassesed or otherwise need a school with a supportibe environment.
As a little background, again, to go to ANY high school in New York City, a student must submit an application. Different schools have different requirements even though they are all public schools and publicly funded.
The Harvey Milk school, since it IS public, does state that heterosexual students may also attend the school. The only admission requirements are essentially just that they have graduated from the 8th grade and that they have the permission of their parents.
While the school has been around since 1985, the Board of Education in 2002 authorized a $3.2 million capitol expansion, allowing the school to increase enrollment to 170 students and to go from 2 classrooms to 8 classrooms., which will all be implemented this year.
I am interested to hear other people's thoughts on this subject. To start off, here are a few questions:
How do you think high schools with such a specialized student body affects students?
Should public schools be allowed to have non-academic focuses?
Do more cities need schools like Harvey Milk?
Regardless of a school's purpose, does a student population of only 170 students (increased from 60) seem like it would limit the academic and social opportunities available?
How big of a problem do you think homosexuality is for teenagers? (after thinking about this question, go to the LGBTQ Youth Statistics.
Also, feel free to add any questions. These were just off of the top of my head late at night.
For more information, go to www.hmi.org. Many questions are answered under FAQ's and Q & A's on HMHS.
As a little background, again, to go to ANY high school in New York City, a student must submit an application. Different schools have different requirements even though they are all public schools and publicly funded.
The Harvey Milk school, since it IS public, does state that heterosexual students may also attend the school. The only admission requirements are essentially just that they have graduated from the 8th grade and that they have the permission of their parents.
While the school has been around since 1985, the Board of Education in 2002 authorized a $3.2 million capitol expansion, allowing the school to increase enrollment to 170 students and to go from 2 classrooms to 8 classrooms., which will all be implemented this year.
I am interested to hear other people's thoughts on this subject. To start off, here are a few questions:
How do you think high schools with such a specialized student body affects students?
Should public schools be allowed to have non-academic focuses?
Do more cities need schools like Harvey Milk?
Regardless of a school's purpose, does a student population of only 170 students (increased from 60) seem like it would limit the academic and social opportunities available?
How big of a problem do you think homosexuality is for teenagers? (after thinking about this question, go to the LGBTQ Youth Statistics.
Also, feel free to add any questions. These were just off of the top of my head late at night.
For more information, go to www.hmi.org. Many questions are answered under FAQ's and Q & A's on HMHS.
posted by Jennifer Q @ 3:12 AM
2 Comments:
At 11:02 AM,
Anonymous said…
I discussed this topic with some friends of mine when Harvey Milk was in the news not so long ago. This is waht I told them.
While I agree that Homosexual and Transgendered Students are persecuted by their peers in the Mainstream schools. I disagree about having a seprate school specifically for them. The reason that they are persecuted is because of ignorance on the part of the people that harrass and sometimes physically assault these students. By removing the Gay students from their line of site does nothing to prevent this thinking. They need to be challenged and confronted by their beliefs that homosexuality is wrong and forced to admit to themselves that just because someone does not conform to what society says they have to be attracted to it doesn't make them any less of a person. I grew up surrounded by Homophobes. I probably know a few guys who took it one step too far and assaulted someone who was gay--Although I have no proof. But I had one thing going for me, I have an open mind and didn't let what I was told prevent me from seeing the person and not caring who they were attracted to. Big deal so they like men/Girls and they are one. Who cares.
By creating a school that segregates them we're only pointing out the differences. Not to mention giving potential Gay bashers a known target for their abuse. This idea is about as brilliant as it would be to stamp out racism by segregating students of color form White kids. It's stupid.
And yes by putting them in a shcool where they can learn away form the abuse is good. What happens when they leave HS and find themselves in the real world and their rose colored glasses are ripped from thier faces? HS sucks I admit that. No one enjoys HS. But it's where we learn who we are despite the taunts and jeers and where we learn just how much we can be pushed before we push back.
At 12:25 AM,
davegkugler said…
I would agree with Rafael, we've already learned in history that separate is not equal.
A high school with 170 students in New York indeed sounds small, but look at most small towns in Idaho...it's a common thing around there to have schools that small (I believe Garet went to one). I don't think that you're necessarily limiting academic opportunities by this, but because of the nature for this school being established I say you're absolutely limiting social opportunities.
It's not fair to those students, again as Rafael pointed out, for now it may be good...discrimination and harassment are terrible things but they will be exposed to other people soon enough and will [sadly] endure the same. What is needed is more education teaching everyone else that these are people unlike any other, there is no difference.
Post a Comment
<< Home