For many, the beginning of this story will sound all too familiar. A student confided to a few close friends that he is gay and somehow word of his sexual orientation reached the ears of a teacher or administrator who then proceeded to act homophobically and inappropriately. We've seen it happen before, and I have little doubt we will see it again. However, teachers and administrators at Jacksonville Junior High School in Pulaski County, Arkansas have apparently taken homophobia and inappropriateness to a new level entirely.
In a systematic series of events, officials at the school have harrassed, intimidated, and attempted to silence 14 year old Thomas McLaughlin about his sexual orientation according to a press release and open letter to the district superintendent that the ACLU released on behalf of Thomas and his parents on Thursday.
According to the ACLU, when school officials heard that Thomas was gay, they "outed" him to his parents against his wishes, violating his privacy (remember Marcus Wayman?). When Thomas proceeded to be more open about his sexuality, his parents were called in for a conference where a teacher and the principal said they were opposed to Thomas talking about his orientation at school.
On another occasion a different teacher told Thomas he was not to speak about his sexuality at the school, told him that she found it "sickening," and proceeded to call his home to complain about his homosexuality. Another teacher called Thomas "abnormal" and "unnatural". When Thomas disagreed, he was disciplined by having to read aloud from the Bible and made to sit through lectures where school officials preached their religious views on homosexuality to him (Thomas himself is Christian). Another time, Thomas was overheard talking between classes with a female friend about a boy they both thought was "cute". Thomas was again disciplined, the female of course was not. He was not allowed to discuss or apparently even mention his orientation at school.
That a group of supposedly educated, mature adults in positions of great responsibility could think these actions were acceptable is nearly incomprehensible. Even if these homophobic morons thought in a typically fundamentalist manner that only they and those with like beliefs should be the sole moral arbiters of the community, I don't believe for a minute that they did not know that what they were doing was unconstitutional and therefore illegal. Quite simply I believe they thought they could get away with it. I think they knew they were way outside the bounds of what is permissible and out of hate for something they didn't understand went ahead and did it anyway. Their alleged actions bear marked similarities to a gang of street thugs surrounding a lone gay man and getting ready for a little "queer stomping." They aren't accused of physically assaulting Thomas, but they used and misused their numbers and positions of power over him as a student to harass, ridicule, proselytize, and silence him.
I truly feel they knew they were outside the law and just thought they wouldn't be caught or were untouchable.
"What about the Bible reading?" some might ask. After all, surely the school officials had to know that was an act that might get them in some trouble. There isn't a school teacher or administrator anywhere in the country that would risk that if they had the slightest iota of intelligence at all. Everyone has heard about the "under God" pledge case, school prayer cases, and the like. Even if the officials at Jacksonville Junior High disagreed with that whole "separation of church and state" line of thought, if they knew what they were doing was wrong, they wouldn't have risked making a kid read Bible passages aloud as punishment for being openly gay.
"They're just morons, they were incapable of understanding what they did was wrong. All Thomas would have to do is report being forced to read scripture, and they would be caught, right?"
It appears the administration thought of that too. According to the ACLU, when Thomas told other students that he had been made to read Bible passages aloud, he was suspended for two days. Both the principal and the vice principal then told Thomas that if he told any of friends why he had been suspended, they would recommend his expulsion. This wasn't just a group of typical morons being ignorant, this was a "fundamentalist mafia". Hell, why not just threaten to break his legs if he squeals or perhaps hint that he'll sleep with the fishes if he rats you out?
Remember, Thomas is 14 years old. They leaned on him and they leaned on him hard. I say they meant to break this kid and they knew damn well what they were doing. The only thing they didn't know was Thomas' strength.
"My school forced me out of the closet when I should have been allowed to come out to my family on my own terms and when I thought it was the right time. And now the school has been trying to shove me back into it ever since. I'm through with being silenced, and I don't want this happening to other gay kids at my school."
Judging from the ACLU's action on your case, I'd say you've greatly increased the chances that it won't, Thomas.
