A lesson in tolerance
THE POST
Editor, 
I would like to applaud The Post for "Open Schools to Gay Topics," (The Post, Sept. 27). As a gay person aspiring to become a teacher, this article hit home. It seems that the only time issues about homosexuality come up in the classroom anymore is during HIV or AIDS education. I went through high school believing that I was a plague on society, and it has taken many tears and a lot of support from friends to convince me otherwise. Now I realize that the fault lies within the public schools.
I was never taught about queer writers or given any queer heroes to look up to. I was never given any information except the catcalls I heard in the halls. The first time I was able to identify exactly who I was occurred when I first heard someone call another person a fag.
I recently transferred into the College of Education because I hope to someday make a difference in the life of someone. I hope that someone is one of my students, however, my future job is threatened by the fact that I am in love with a man. Parents are afraid I may recruit or proposition their child, and the child becomes afraid of me for the same reasons. Why is that still accepted? I believe one of the first steps in the process of getting queer issues into the school is to hire teachers sensitive to these issues, be they queer or queer-friendly.
Harassment due to sexual orientation is very much ignored in high schools. It is very disturbing to know that suicide is the number one cause of death for queer youth. What are we (teachers, administrators... parents?) going to do about the overwhelmingly large percentage of queer teens committing suicide? Passing anti-harassment laws can help, but it doesn't reach out to students like an after-school program or a class relating to these issues.
In closing, I would encourage everyone to examine their views on this issue and perhaps re-think any negative stereotypes of queer teachers or queer youth. In addition, we need to question ourselves as to why these stereotypes are there and who placed them there. More importantly, how would you make the world different if your son or daughter came home and confessed that they were queer?
Scot Gerding
sg698198
A surplus of thanks
THE POST
Editor,
The Athens Chapter of the American Red Cross, Ohio University College of Osteopathic medicine Community service programs, the American medical Student Association and the Ohio Athletics Department would like to thank those who volunteered to work or donate blood at the blood drive held in the Convo Sept. 21. I would also like to thank the Post for promoting the drive in the Sept. 21 editorial.
Although we did not meet our goal, 79 units of useable blood were collected. There is always a need for blood and at this time Ohio is experiencing a shortage of Type O. There will be other campus and community drives in the near future, and to find our more information, contact the local Red Cross at 593-5273. Donating blood or organizing a drive are great community service activities, so please get involved.
Nancy Schnell
OUCOM Community Service
nschnell@ohiou.edu
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