Minnesota School District Reaches Agreement on Preventing Gay Bullying

Name: Daniel F
Posting: 2
Topic: Civil Rights
Title: Minnesota School District Reaches Agreement on Preventing Gay Bullying
Author: Erik Eckholm
Publication: New York Times
Date of Publication: 3/6
Article Length: 675 words

After years of accusations that it had failed to stop antigay bullying and a slew of student suicides, Minnesota’s largest school district has agreed to changes designed to prevent harassment based on sexual orientation. The Anoka-Hennepin district, just north of Minneapolis, approved a legal agreement after six students had sued the district on charges that they had experienced unpunished harassment. Conservative Christian groups, while condemning bullying, argued that specifically setting up protection for sexual orientation amounts to endorsing sinful practices. As a result, the district had implemented a strange policy, directing teachers to remain neutral on issues involving sexual orientation. Teachers complain that this hampered their ability to support gay students. Last month, the district left that neutrality policy in favor of a policy to “affirm the dignity and self-worth of students” regardless of race, sexual orientation, or disabilities. In addition, the district will strengthen measures to prevent, detect and punish bullying based on gender or sexual orientation. It will hire a full-time “harassment-prevention” official, and increase mental health counseling. The six students who sued will receive a total payment of $270,000. The school board approved the agreement in a 5-to-1 vote. However, some conservative Christian parents in the district, who had formed the Parent’s Action League to preserve the neutrality policy, called the agreement a “travesty.”

In conclusion, significant changes in school policies set a good model for schools nationwide to become more gay-friendly. It will allow teachers to support gays without violating school policy. However, there is still much to be done. Setting official school policies is only one small step in the right direction. On the other hand, conservative groups object to these policies as an attack on conservative values concerning homosexuality.