How many of you came out to a teacher or school worker before you came out ot your family or even anyone else? Was there a teacher that inspired you to be you before you knew who you were?
In my teaching career, I had many come out to me when trying to deal with all of their hormones and questions. Out of those, several went back to their heterosexuality and that is something they were working through. High school is a trying time and sometimes parents are not the ones teens reach out to for advice, assistance, counsel, or acceptance.
Teachers of course cannot step over the boundaries and when a student's life is in danger, action needs to happen. But it looks like a Texas lawmaker is desiring to make teachers snitch on students that are trying to figure out their lives.
AMARILLO, Texas—A Republican lawmaker has introduced a bill to force teachers and other school faculty to out LGBT students to their families, even if a student asks that their sexual orientation or gender identity remain secret.
Senate Bill 242, introduced this month by Tea Party legislator Konni Burton, would penalize teachers with suspension without pay or even termination if they refuse to tell parents about students’ requests regarding issues dealing with their gender or sexual identities.
It appears Burton was inspired to introduce S.B. 242 after the school district in her native Fort Worth adopted guidelines that many see as positive for the transgender community. Students dealing with gender identity issues are to have their requests for things such as restroom or locker-room use dealt with on a case-by-case basis that would not require teachers to divulge their gender identities without considering students’ wishes. The senator wrote an op-ed in May condemning the rules.
Now, S.B. 242 wants to take out the case-by-case foundation and make disclosure mandatory, even though Burton claimed in a response on her website that the bill only adds to existing Texas laws. – thedailybeast.com
For the exact law, here is a link to the pdf of the proposed law as well as some images. Click on images for a larger view.
One of the aspects that is bothering many individuals and LGBT groups is that if a student comes out to to a school staff member and not out to his or her parents, there's most likely a reason for that.
Who did you come out to before your parents?
What was the reasoning for that?
Do you think this proposed Texan law is wise?
h/t: thedailybeast.com