Many middle schools are observing a time-out from name-calling this week:
Middle schools across the United States will observe "No Name-Calling Week" starting Monday. The program, now in its second year, takes aim at insults of all kinds, whether they are based on a child's appearance, background or behavior.
It has the backing of the Girl Scouts of America and Amnesty International, but a handful of conservative critics have zeroed in on references to harassment based on sexual orientation. "No Name-Calling Week" was developed by the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, which is seeking to ensure that schools safely accommodate students of all sexual orientations.
The group said it's unsure how many schools will participate in this week's event, but says 5,100 educators from 36 states have registered, up from 4,000 last year.
My first thoughts:
(1) Why just middle schools?
(2) Does this mean names are just dandy next week?
(3) What business does Amnesty International have getting involved in a domestic education issue?
(4) What conservative critics?
Well, this conservative critic, for one, who notes that the national spokesperson for the event has no problem with using nasty names for those who disagree with him (Dr. Throckmorton has more to say about hypocrisy, here.) And much of the ire seems to be coming from the fact that the movement has been centered around a book entitled The Misfits (when I first read that title, I thought it was the Arthur Miller play; yes, I'm old), in which there are four "much-taunted" middle-school students, one of whom is gay. Hence the involvement of groups such as GLSEN in the movement.
I've disagreed with GLSEN before (without calling them names), but I can't honestly disagree with an no-names policy. Lord knows we had one in my household growing up. My caveats: it has to be an across-the-board and round-the-clock policy on school grounds, that is, with the list of "bad names" well-defined - and that goes for teachers too. This means no nasty names against straights, whites, Republicans, or anyone else perceived to be the majority.
Of course, defining that list is apt to be tricky.
Posted by kswygert at January 24, 2005 02:25 PM