BlogPost5

Rofes (2005) makes clear distinctions between liberal and radical conceptualizations of addressing homophobia and heterosexism in k-12 schools. Discuss these distinctions with examples from schools you attended. How does Rofes (2005) discuss childhood? What do the liberal and radical distinctions of addressing homophobia and heterosexism have to do with contemporary understandings of childhood? What do you believe and what is your vision for the school where you hope to be teaching in the next four years?

At my public high school the idea of bullying was one of the worst crimes you could commit. As students we were required to attend several anti-bullying assemblies and were advised to report any signs of bullying we saw. Even though it was looked down upon, doesn't  mean it never happened. Everyone had their group of friends, if you stuck with them it was less likely you would end up in a situation where you could be bullied. There were not many openly gay students at my school, but off the top of my head I can think of three openly gay boys and possibly three lesbian girls. The boys were all in choir in an environment where they felt welcome and safe. They stayed with their niche because they knew that it was a safe place. I do have a friend who came out this summer after he graduated. He confided in me that he’d known he was gay for a while, his family had known, but he hadn't wanted to share it with his peers for fear of being shunned. He felt that even though Fox Chapel was a friendly environment he still had that nagging fear of rejection in the back of his mind. Fox Chapel had a room dedicated to LGBT students. It was right near the offices and everyone knew where it was, the teaching faculty always emphasized being there if anyone needed someone to talk to but I feel that that was one of those things that for the students kind of ‘went in one ear and out the other’ and that was the extent of the school showing LGBT pride. I believe if the administration faculty had been more outspoken about supporting the LGBT students those who were to afraid to come out until after they had graduated might have felt safe and more willing to be open in their school community. 

Rofes states, “Suppose that we were to guarantee all children over the age of, say, ten years not only shelter, schooling, and proper nutrition but the right to determine where and with whom they lived, the freedom of self-expression and self-determination, and the right to full participation in the institutions of our democracy. If we were to do so, we might find that we had created the circumstances that would deliver to our culture an adult populace more capable of managing their day-to-day lives, less likely to engage in abusive power relations with others, and ultimately more capable of participating responsibly in the processes of democratic citizenship”(Rofes 5). I think he brings up a great point. Children are taught that they have no voice. They have to listen to their parents and other adults because these people are older and therefore wiser than them but is that really true? I often find myself in awe of some of the stuff I hear children say. They have no filter so they say whatever comes to their minds. It’s refreshing. Too many people are concerned with what everyone around them is doing so they follow the status quo instead of being themselves. I’m not saying that we don’t need authority, in order for something to function properly their has to be someone in position as the authority. I would only like to point out that maybe children may begin to feel more open and willing to achieve their full potential if they are in an environment where everything about them as an individual is celebrated.