Texans can marry their same-sex partners nowadays, but they can’t ask each other to prom in Keller –– at least without school board members getting their hetero panties in a wad.
From the reaction of two Keller school district trustees at a June 25 board meeting, you’d think the controversy was over a proposed marijuana appreciation class. A committee of district staffers, parents, and students is recommending something far less nefarious: to extend anti-discrimination protections to LGBT students.
The issue came to a head last April when a student at Timber Creek High School was told by school officials that she was not allowed to ask her girlfriend to prom in a public forum that her school calls a “promposal.” The rebuff led Casey Akers to begin working to change the district’s policy toward LGBT students.
At the June 25 meeting, the proposal was announced by Amanda Bigbee, legal counsel for the Keller school district.
Board member Brad Schoefield wanted to know why Keller wanted to be the first to implement the changes. “We’re rushing to this just because we’re going to look good in the media,” he growled.
When trustee Cindy Lotton told Schoefield he was “beating up” on Bigbee, Schoefield fired back.
“I’m not just talking to Amanda,” he shouted. “I can talk to you. This administration wants to go down this liberal road. I don’t know how much longer I can stay on the bus is what I’m telling you.”
Keller superintendent Randy Reid reminded his colleague that Keller school district “doesn’t believe in discrimination of any variety.”
Not finished with his temper tantrum, Schofield replied that the community doesn’t want the policy change. He knows this, of course, because he watches Fox News (probably).
For her part, Keller trustee Jo Lynn Haussmann closed the debate by accusing the committee of using peer pressure to get the LGBT issue on the agenda, adding that she is considering resigning over the issue. (Oh, please!)
Haussmann then went to her Facebook page, Keller ISD Board Trustee News from Jo Lynn Haussmann, and blasted the idea of giving “rights” to transgenders and homosexuals.
What do we do “with transgenders and homosexuals once they get their choice of restroom or locker room?” she asked.
The post ends with a call to arms.
“Brad and I need the community to show up and speak out,” she said.
Haussmann, who could not be reached for comment, later pulled the post.
In Fort Worth, school district policy has included protective language for LGBT students since June 2011, said school district spokesperson Clint Bond.
Interim superintendent Patricia Linares said in an e-mail that “students have a right to learn in an environment that is free from discrimination, harassment, and retaliation. [Anti-LGBT discrimination] directed at students or conducted by students is not acceptable in the Fort Worth ISD.”
A final vote by Keller’s school board on the proposed LGBT policy change is set for 5:50 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 13.
Static has its own policy suggestion for Keller: Don’t allow bigots to represent your students.
Peckerwoods are going to be Peckerwoods, Repugs are going to be Repugs, hammer-heads will be hammer-Heads, half-wits will be half-wits, Baggers are Baggers…nothing new to see here. How did that many Tea-Bagging, black-hearted, losers get elected to the School Board? What century is this anyhow? The problem is familiar to me, I was raised up in Lone Mountain, Upshur County, Texas. Household variety mommy bigots, foot-stomping Southern Baptist that insisted Black people were inhuman, other half-wit,snuff-spitting preachers that howled at the moon while calling people to Jesus were more plentiful than fire-ants. Cops kicked Black folks and Gay people around like chickens. Now then, this is the year 2015, it’s way past time to put a stop to this cheap crap. I suggest we each commit to spitting on the bastards, anyone who hears it or sees it, in unison or singly if alone. Lets do whats right and back the rats up and shut them down.The reason the butt-holes continue to persecute Gay people is because decent people put up with it. Lets fix that. At the very least, look the rats in the eye and make them aware that they are not worth a bucket of urine. Even the Pope can do that. Whose with me?
Boo to hateful Benny
The reporter completely skewed this story! The district policy is that no “promposals” are to be made on school campuses – and these girls felt they were above the rule, did it anyway and then cried foul when they got in trouble. I’m a 44yo gay man, I’ve been very involved in the glbt community for years. The sense of entitlement and using sexuality to pressure change by the younger generation really bothers me.
You totally nailed this Ken. It isnt an LGBT issue, but a younger generation ENTITLEMENT issue. And the goverment and/or parents are doing nothing to prevent it. Thank you good sir.
Ed –
Thank you for your response. I owned the largest GLBT nightclub in Colorado Springs for 11 years and I saw it time and time again. I would fire a GLBT employee for performance issues from a GLBT night club owned by a gay man and inevitably the individual would do everything they could to claim discrimination. Seriously! I’ve even had parents show up demanding I rehire their child or they would sue for discrimination, contact the labor board and media. I took a hard stand, had detailed documentation – always with written warnings signed by the ex-employee and told the parents that this is none of their business, it’s be tween me and the employee and if an attorney was necessary – BRING IT ON. I wasn’t raised with any entitlements, my parents let me fail and make mistakes and learn – without rescuing. . . perhaps instead of pushing these kinds of issues, the school district should be offering FREE parenting workshops to teach them how to let their kids fail. . . . and the kids – they need life skills 101 to learn how to deal with life and not running to mommy and daddy every time something doesn’t go their way. And a disclosure here – I’ve been in a 23 1/2 relationship with the same guy since I was 20 and adopted two amazing kids (biological brother and sister) 9 years ago. I’m speaking from in-depth experience, a lot of trial and error and some hard gained wisdom. Just because I am gay doesn’t make what is going on right. We ALL have to live under the same laws. What do you think would happen if I was pulled over for speeding and got a ticket, then went to the judge and threw a fit that it wasn’t fair that I got a ticket because I am gay. Then I get the media involved who twist the story to make me look like a victim and gather symapathy. Do you really think the laws would change so that gay men can no longer be given speeding tickets? It’s the same concept. Laws are laws, rules are rules and we ALL have to abide them regardless of race, gender and sexual orientation.
So what about the overthrown Texas law that men can’t marry men? Are laws sacred just because they are laws?
Ken- they never broke any rule. She simply asked if She could do a small promposal during lunch and was denied. Unfortunately I think you have been given incorrect information. I found no documentation showing she was ever in trouble. What she did do is go through the chain of command and take it to the school board to try to make a difference. The school district then looked at their neighboring ISD and noticed they had a policy protecting LGBT students against bullying. The district then formed a committee and decided to write similar language into their policies and presented it to the school board. This girl should be commended for trying to make a difference in the LGBT community and for standing up for herself. She has moved past the promposal. This kid should be commended for trying to make a difference in the LGBT community. These kids have learned a lesson on how to make a positive change in their community an I commend them. I hope love wins.
Ken- they never broke any rule. She simply asked if She could do a small promposal during lunch and was denied. Unfortunately I think you have been given incorrect information. I found no documentation showing she was ever in trouble. What she did do is go through the chain of command and take it to the school board to try to make a difference. The school district then looked at their neighboring ISD and noticed they had a policy protecting LGBT students against bullying. The district then formed a committee and decided to write similar language into their policies and presented it to the school board. This girl should be commended for trying to make a difference in the LGBT community and for standing up for herself. She has moved past the promposal. This kid is learning a lesson on how to make a positive change in her community and I commend her. I hope love wins. I pray that the trustees against it open their hearts and minds.
Sad to say it, but hammer-heads, half-wits, cowards, spit-wads, and a few other varieties of spineless losers are not confined to household variety, Tea-Bagging, piss-ants. Clearly, that is the way to bet, but even a blind hog finds an acorn from time to time. Ain’t Repug Peckerwoods precious??? Bless their hearts. Gay folks are not saints, they are guilty of being attracted to their own sex. Nothing wrong with that unless you’re a pure, piss-ant, loser Repug, and in Texas odds are high you’re a Southern Baptist Repug….that’s sure the way to bet. Nothing new to see here.
Ken, I am not sure you where you get your information but this is not a case of a girl breaking rules and throwing a fit when punished. If you have read any articles you would know she broke ZERO rules. What did she do that was so terrible? Ask permission to do a lunch promposal. When she was denied she went thru the chain of command and to the school board. She was denied and now she seems to accept the fact and like an adult, she has moved on. But she did question the ISD’s policies and noticed that they mention protecting kids regardless of race, religion, sex and age BUT did not mention orientation She should be commended for taking action and asking questions and calling it to the boards attention. The district then looked into the policy and noticed too she was correct that it did not have language protecting LGBT kids. Keller ISD then looked into neighboring ISDs and noticed that Ft. Worth ISD HAD a policy protecting these kids who are at risk. The school board and sup. listened and a committee was formed and it was decided that they would use similar language as their neighbor Ft. Worth ISD (2011) . This girl went thru the chain of command and made a positive stand against bullies. All kids need a safe environment and I don’t think the trustees opposing it understand that they are encouraging bulling of LGBT kids. I hope love wins.
Totally with you!
(That was for Benny)
Yay to Ken!!
Did your Mama have any Gay brats that were worth a dime, Kennie? Are you a Gay Southern Baptist Bagger half-wit? What do you eat? What caused you to turn out to be such a rat flake? I thought the stinking Tea-Baggers didn’t allow Gays. What’s the deal on that? Come on man, tell us about it.
Hi Ken, I am with you on the whole think. I am trying to find a whistleblower willing to talk about what happened. Please feel free to email me at joymach@outlook.com