Date: Thu, 12 May 2005 09:13:53 -0500 Subject: Re: Spectator coverage of a current issue From: Mary Ellen Alea <aleame@uwec.edu> Message-ID: <BEA8CED1.2692%aleame@uwec.edu>
Question: where is the principal in all of this. It seems to me his voice
has been quiet. I thought he was a stand-up kind of guy. --ME Alea
On 5/12/05 9:00 AM, "Wesenberg, Nancy Christine" <WESENBNC@uwec.edu> wrote:
> Just for your information, The board of directors of the LGBT Center of t
he
> Chippewa has crafted a letter in support of Beth Franklin which will be
> delivered to the School Board and the L-T today. N. Wesenberg
>
>
> From: sfpj-request@listserve.uwec.edu [mailto: [mailto:sfpj-request@listserve.uwec
.edu]
> On Behalf Of Hale, C. Kate
> Sent: Thursday, May 12, 2005 8:19 AM
> To: SFPJ
> Subject: FW: Spectator coverage of a current issue
>
> Colleagues,
>
> This is disheartening‹the rally at Clairemont yesterday was well attended
and
> the energy there was good. But this response, these additional comments
from
> Mr. Bennett, really troubles me.
>
> We need to stay alert and to be prepared to act as necessary.
>
> Kate Hale
> English
> ------ Forwarded Message
> From: "Phillips, William H." <philliwh@uwec.edu>
> Date: Thu, 12 May 2005 06:42:16 -0500
> To: "ENGL.STAFF" <ENGL.STAFF@uwec.edu>
> Subject: Spectator coverage of a current issue
>
>
> The Spectator - Campus News
> Issue: 5/12/05
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------
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> --
>
>
> Discussion, photo of student angers parents
> By Karline Koehler
>
> Eau Claire community members are divided after a local high school teache
r
> showed photographs of transgendered UW-Eau Claire senior Jessica Janiuk's
face
> as part of a discussion about lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered pe
ople.
>
> On April 14, Memorial High School English teacher Beth Franklin showed cl
asses
> photos of Janiuk's face before and after (see photo) her sex change. The
> lesson took place during the Day of Silence, an event "to recognize and
> protest the discrimination and harassment" against LGBT people.
>
> During the discussion, one student walked out of the classroom. His fathe
r,
> Neal Bennett, filed a complaint against the school board, stating the
> situation constituted harassment.
>
> "She's taking her own agenda and she is forcing it on the students," Benn
ett
> said. "It doesn't matter what that agenda is - if it's a controversial is
sue,
> that's wrong."
>
> Franklin is the adviser for GLASS, Memorial's LGBT student group. She dec
lined
> to comment for this article.
>
> "This whole incident is the very reason that the Day of Silence even exis
ts,"
> Janiuk said. "This is an attempt of a large community to silence minority
> groups. I won't stand by and let that happen."
>
> That's why Janiuk organized a rally in support of Franklin Wednesday at t
he
> corner of Keith Street and Clairemont Avenue.
>
> "Her lesson was in line with all the policies of the school," Janiuk said
.
> "The problem here is ignorance. It's not bigotry; it's not hate speech. T
he
> only way to fight ignorance is through education."
>
> However, Bennett said he believes such discussions can be harmful to
> still-maturing high school students.
>
> "They may look like they're adults, but they're teenagers," he said. "The
y
> have a lot of stuff that they're trying to figure out."
>
> Janiuk said the parents' criticism of Franklin's teaching was also person
al.
>
> "Even though he may not have directed it at me, it attacked me," she said
.
> "It's not an easy thing to deal with, knowing a sizeable part of the town
is
> upset that you exist."
>
> Bennett said parents should have been notified ahead of time about the
> discussion and given the option to remove their children.
>
> "You can talk about gays, but there are times when that discussion needs
to
> stay away from the students. It becomes offensive to people," Bennett sai
d.
> "If someone decides to do that to their own body, that's a very private
> issue."
>
> Janiuk disagreed.
>
> "They're not private issues, they're life issues," she said. "They're no
more
> private than your ethnicity or your family. That's who you are and there'
s
> nothing wrong with expressing it. It doesn't have to be kept secret."
>
> In addition to the rally, Janiuk said, she is organizing an educational p
anel
> and forum at Memorial in response to the debate. She also plans to meet w
ith
> the school's principal.
>
> "I've had a lot of people say, 'Jess, just tell me where to be,' " Janiuk
> said. "I'm not concerned (for myself). It's for everyone who is now being
told
> they're not welcome here."
>
> In early May, the school board received an unsigned letter from parents
> objecting to sexual and political issues in the classroom. Bennett said t
he
> group is asking for the school's administration and staff to be retrained
on
> rules, for the school to enforce a dress code for teachers banning "offen
sive"
> clothing such as "rainbow-colored necklaces," for the school board to hol
d a
> forum with parents twice a year and for the educational system to "return
to
> American heritage and tradition in the classroom."
>
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------
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> --
>
>
>
>
> ------ End of Forwarded Message
>