A Friday well spent.

Today the Boy Scouts of America voted to lift the ban on YOUTH that identify themselves as gay.  I must confess, I haven’t followed the Boy Scout saga very much over this last year.  I haven’t had any involvement in the organization, nor do I wish too.  It’s just not my “bag”. 

            However, I’ve spent almost my entire life working with students…and I was actually surprised that there would ever have been a ban in the first place.  Even back in my more conservative days, I would have been shocked at the idea of any organization turning away some 14 year old kid, just because he said he was gay.  Hell, even churches don’t do that.  What amazes me is that there are still people that think this way.  I have become accustomed to the idea that having gay leaders is controversial.  I get it.  I don’t like it, but I’m used to it.

             

            But students?  Really?  You’re going to exclude some kid who has no real concrete idea about life, let alone his sexuality, from your gatherings that claim to build character?

            It’s been awhile since I’ve blogged, and I must say that much has changed.  I’m happily in a relationship, and I have all around adjusted to who I am, and honestly, don’t really care too much about the opinions of some of my more conservative friends.  I will always enjoy the company of my old friends, in fact, I have lately…and it’s been great.  But I know that we disagree on my “lifestyle choices” blah, whatever.  All that to say…since I’ve worked with kids for most of my life, I’ve always been perceived as a fairly influential person when it comes to students.  I feel privileged by this, I really do.  This is one of the reasons that I’m pursuing the career of being a teacher.  Many of my more conservative friends are quite supportive of this…they know who I am…just someone who is an effective communicator and wishes the best in the lives of all students.  

I’m quite sure at this point that there are those that are worried about me having influence in the classroom; that I’ll do something really dangerous like tell kids it’s ok to be gay or something…the audacity.  So it is to those individuals, that I make the following statement:

If you’re worried about me teaching kids that everyone deserves to be loved and respected…if you’re afraid of me teaching students that individuality is something that is very much apart of our society, and shouldn’t just be tolerated, but embraced…that we might actually LEARN something from those that are different from us….

Then by all means…be afraid.  Be very afraid…

Thanks for reading,

John