Exodus International spokesman Randy Thomas accuses homosexuals of exploiting children.
Specifically, he says Rosie O’Donnell is exploiting children by helping the bullied gay youths at New York City’s predominantly (but not exclusively) gay Harvey Milk High School. Press reports like this one have not explained the purpose of the room, so Thomas assumes the worst. He also asserts that the school, which hosts a small fraction of the city’s gay-youth population, is “segregated.”
In the case of the Lafayette, La., child who was reprimanded by his school because his mother is lesbian, Thomas criticizes the reprimand but then says the public must “try to preserve (children’s) innocence as much as possible.” Does this mean that the boy and his mother should still be discouraged from telling his peers about his family — in other words, that the young boy should be condemned by Exodus to live in the closet along with his parents? Thomas avoids addressing this obvious question.
Who is really exploiting children to score a shallow political point?
You know, when I think of the Louisiana kid reprimanded for saying his mother is a lesbian, I’m reminded of that scene in A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, where Francie’s writing about her recently deceased father offends her teacher, who tells her to burn it and say “I am burning ugliness.” And she goes and takes all the pretty writing about nature that her teacher had liked, and burns it, saying, “I am burning ugliness.”
From the statement:
“Of course, it is Ms. O’Donnell’s money and she can do what she wants but while it buys her favor, the children will learn about what wine to drink and start quoting “Mommy Dearest” type statements to their friends. ”
You know I really don’t think that a “Gay” high school was a good idea. I really don’t think that most people have worked out if they were gay or straight at that point in life and I don’t believe in schools that cater to one group or another in such a way. I don’t mind honoring a gay person by naming a high school after them. I just oppose the lets go out our way to encourage homosexuals to attend part. However I do think that Exodus needs to attend that high school or to somehow seek out a broader range of people who are homosexual. Quoting “Mommy Dearest” is a sign that you a movie buff. Enjoying wine is a sign that you a wine lover. Neither of them makes you a homosexual. People are more complex than stereotypes.
But of course, you do know that the RR is all about stereotypes….1950’s era, more exactly.
Remember too that many of these type of schools came about because kids were being tormented and bullied and had their lives a living hell. In many cases, this is the only way kids will even have a chance to finish school. I don’t think in most cases they “recruit” kids – but I think that it’s a needed alternative if it means kids are getting an education instead of getting beaten up day after day. We’re talking about at-risk gay kids in many cases.
It’s worth noting that the Hetrick-Martin Institute (HMI), which founded the high school, is focused on meeting the needs of at-risk youth. From its website’s FAQ page:
Here’s a little more on the room. The FAQ page mentions that the NYC school board authorized a $3.2M capitol expansion of the school in 2002, allowing it to grow “from a two-room program to an eight-classroom High School”.
Rosie’s $25K gift was a response to a fundraising campaign:
Apparently, the $25K goes to general support of the school, not directly to remodeling a room to suit Rosie’s or the Fab Five’s tastes. The room is somewhat new to the school, but its function was determined by the school long before Rosie got involved. And, given the opportunity to put her own moniker on it, Rosie asked that the room be named for the Fab Five instead.
Both Thomas and Times-Picayune writer James Gill seem to suggest that Marcus was given, and gave out, too much information.
Gill notes about Sharon Huff:
Thomas adds:
But neither identifies a preferable alternative to what Marcus was told. A 7-year-old with a paraplegic parent generally won’t be aware that his parents’ intimate life differs from that of his peers’ parents, but to be healthy he needs to understand that his parent is both different and normal.
I agree with Thomas on this point: Critical thinking, not conformity to authority, is necessary yet all too rare. Maybe he will put his critical thinking cap on and specify what innocence means for a kid with gay parents.