Who does Tennesse's proposed "Classroom Protection Act" actually protect?

Forums > Community > Politics

~ChakatBlackstar Feb 1, 2013

Tennessee's "Don't say gay" bill is back, but this time it's the “Classroom Protection Act" and now it would force teachers and guidance counselors to tell parents if they suspect students of being gay. What this "protection act" is actually protecting is a total mystery.

This proposal will discourage LGBT youth from actually seeking help if they know their counselors and teachers won't keep it confidential. There's a reason gay youth keep their orientation a secret. Family rejection is a serious risk for LGBT youth. Kids who are LGBT often face alienation, if not outright abandonment, because they come out. Forty percent of homeless youth are LGBT, and many of them report that the reason they left home was to escape an environment hostile to their sexual orientation. LGBT youth who experience family rejection are at high risk for depression and suicide.

So, who does this act protect? How does it help anyone by outing LGBT youth who may have conservative parents who will disown them? And how can the GOP keep calling itself the party of small government when it keeps proposing laws that interfere with people's lives?

You can no longer comment on this thread as it was closed due to no activity for a month.

Devious Comments

~macker33 Feb 4, 2013 Student Traditional Artist

Anything that discourages gays must be a good thing.

~angelxxuan Feb 3, 2013 Professional Writer

well Tennessee is in the bible belt, which sees so many things they are against to be sort of, well, "bad", "evil" and so forth. I'm not the least surprised by such an act, a state which brings about the act for children to pull up their pants and wear pants, other odd/awkward bills are going to come about as well.

but there are other therapists out there, have to pay for them, so just because one comes out and people can't accept it, it's best to keep it in the closet and come out to those who you trust. school is the bad place, especially in the younger years, bullies are everywhere and are worse in these years, well, bullies will be with us for the rest of our lives, but one should trust who they are coming out to first and take it slowly, it's still a touchy subject and new, it's the new civil rights thing, so the news has mentioned.

~Cenaris Feb 2, 2013 Hobbyist General Artist

The reputation and votes of its creators.

*Juliabohemian Feb 1, 2013 Professional Photographer

Republicans think you can catch the gay from talking about it.

~macker33 Feb 4, 2013 Student Traditional Artist

You be suprised at just how right they are.

*Juliabohemian Feb 4, 2013 Professional Photographer

~theGman0 Feb 4, 2013 Hobbyist

~Temporal-Lizardo Feb 1, 2013

It protects good God-fearing students from the evilness of homosexuality. It protects their beautiful little flower of ignorance. We need this bill for the safety of this land as a whole. WE NEED THIS FOR THE CHILDREN.
MURRICA.

</sarcasm>

~IncandescentInsanity Feb 1, 2013 Student General Artist

Right wing politicians are getting scared and panicky because equal rights for all people is being more accepted

so they propose bullshit as a defense mechanism

~Thornbrier Feb 1, 2013

The wording of the actual bill seems innocent enough: [link]

All it states TO happen is that sexual things not directly related to reproduction will be removed from the classroom (I disagree with that, but that's another discussion).

It then goes on to say what the bill DOES NOT lot them do, implying that these are things they can already do.

But I do wonder how some of the wording will be interpreted by the legal system and the schools. I can definitely see how some school administrator could interpret this just as BlackStar has stated it and start getting students outed, viewing this bill as evidence that they not only can, but should do such.

Details

Statistics

Who does Tennesse's proposed "Classroom Protection Act" actually protect?

Devious Comments

The Journal Portal

Polls

What is your preferred drawing software?

deviantART [dee·vee·un'nt·ART]

Keep in Touch!

Deviousness

Add Media

Style