Date: Thu, 12 May 2005 09:34:32 -0500 Subject: Re: Spectator coverage of a current issue From: Kate Hale <halecl@uwec.edu> Message-ID: <BEA8D3A8.44E7%halecl@uwec.edu>
Jean and all---
I actually typed ³scary² at first . . . I¹m trying NOT to be scared, but in
truth I am at least part of the time.
Jean, your point is absolutely correct: I think we have some educating to d
o
here so that people understand that the status quo IS already political.
But how to proceed?
Kate
On 5/12/05 9:30 AM, "Wilcox, Jean A." <wilcoxja@uwec.edu> wrote:
> Kate and Others,
>
> I find this more than disheartening; I find it downright scary. I
> particularly find the "unsigned" letter from parents scary. Is not allow
ing
> the discussion of political issues in the classroom in fact allowing a
> political statement to be made in the classroom?
>
> Jean Wilcox
>
>
> From: sfpj-request@listserve.uwec.edu [mailto: [mailto:sfpj-request@listserve.uwec
.edu]
> On Behalf Of Alea, Mary Ellen
> Sent: Thursday, May 12, 2005 9:14 AM
> To: Wesenberg, Nancy Christine; Hale, C. Kate; sfpj@listserve.uwec.edu
> Subject: Re: Spectator coverage of a current issue
>
> Question: where is the principal in all of this. It seems to me his voi
ce
> 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> wrot
e:
>
>> Just for your information, The board of directors of the LGBT Center of
the
>> 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: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 attend
ed
>> and the energy there was good. But this response, these additional com
ments
>> 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
>>
>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----
>> ---
>>
>>
>> Discussion, photo of student angers parents
>> By Karline Koehler
>>
>> Eau Claire community members are divided after a local high school teac
her
>> showed photographs of transgendered UW-Eau Claire senior Jessica Janiuk
's
>> face as part of a discussion about lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgend
ered
>> people.
>>
>> On April 14, Memorial High School English teacher Beth Franklin showed
>> classes photos of Janiuk's face before and after (see photo) her sex ch
ange.
>> 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 fat
her,
>> 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," Be
nnett
>> said. "It doesn't matter what that agenda is - if it's a controversial
>> issue, that's wrong."
>>
>> Franklin is the adviser for GLASS, Memorial's LGBT student group. She
>> declined to comment for this article.
>>
>> "This whole incident is the very reason that the Day of Silence even
>> exists," Janiuk said. "This is an attempt of a large community to silen
ce
>> minority groups. I won't stand by and let that happen."
>>
>> That's why Janiuk organized a rally in support of Franklin Wednesday at
the
>> corner of Keith Street and Clairemont Avenue.
>>
>> "Her lesson was in line with all the policies of the school," Janiuk sa
id.
>> "The problem here is ignorance. It's not bigotry; it's not hate speech.
The
>> 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. "T
hey
>> have a lot of stuff that they're trying to figure out."
>>
>> Janiuk said the parents' criticism of Franklin's teaching was also pers
onal.
>>
>> "Even though he may not have directed it at me, it attacked me," she sa
id.
>> "It's not an easy thing to deal with, knowing a sizeable part of the to
wn 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 need
s to
>> stay away from the students. It becomes offensive to people," Bennett s
aid.
>> "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 n
o
>> 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
>> panel and forum at Memorial in response to the debate. She also plans t
o
>> meet with the school's principal.
>>
>> "I've had a lot of people say, 'Jess, just tell me where to be,' " Jani
uk
>> said. "I'm not concerned (for myself). It's for everyone who is now bei
ng
>> 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
the
>> group is asking for the school's administration and staff to be retrain
ed on
>> rules, for the school to enforce a dress code for teachers banning
>> "offensive" clothing such as "rainbow-colored necklaces," for the schoo
l
>> board to hold a forum with parents twice a year and for the educational
>> system to "return to American heritage and tradition in the classroom."
>>
>>
>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----
>> ---
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> ------ End of Forwarded Message
>>
>
>