Re: Gay California teachers 'come out' in classroom

[DonaldH675@aol.com]

Dear  Phil Cooper,

That was about as offensive a "joke" as I've seen on Vision 2020.  Many of us 
who are subscribers have lost friends and family members to HIV, and we don't 
need your homophobic, hateful comments at their expense.  I suggest you get 
your mind out of other people's "rear ends."

As to teachers coming out, there are gay teachers and gay students in every 
school in the U.S.--yes, even right here in Moscow.  Why shouldn't they come 
out?  The abuse of gay students in U.S. schools is so pervasive and so severe 
that the international human rights organization Human Rights Watch compares 
it to the epidemic of rape in South African high schools.  The Washington 
Safe Schools Coalition website is an excellent source of information on 
homophobia and its prevention in schools, and GLSEN (The Gay, Lesbian, 
Straight Educators' Network) offers curricula, teacher training materials, 
and other information for teachers who want to make their schools safe for 
every student.

Melynda Huskey