The burg’s school is one building — K through 12. One yearbook serves students from age 5 to 17 or 18 (and sometimes 19 and 20!). Why am I mentioning the yearbook you might wonder? It’s the buzz of the burg, that’s why! Don’t believe me? Check it out!
A few years back, there was an uproar over photos of students with tattoos that appeared in the yearbook. It had many parents pretty upset and even inspired one board member to suggest uniforms for all students if I remember correctly. The hits just keep on coming with this year’s publication. It contains a spread of photos taken during an organized “Day of Silence”.
Student supporters on the crothersville.net forum are saying the day was observed to stand for all students that are victims of discrimination; however, the official site for “Day of Silence” states the following:
“The National Day of Silence brings attention to anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying and harassment in schools. Each year the event has grown, now with hundreds of thousands of students coming together to encourage schools and classmates to address the problem of anti-LGBT behavior. “ Notice the reference to name-calling, harassment and bullying are only referenced in the context of what is experienced insofar as anti-LGBT. (LGBT for those of you playing along at home is initialism referring collectively to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people.)
I have friends that are gay. I have relatives that are gay. I don’t think more of them or less of them because of their personal sexual preferences any more than they think more or less of me because of mine. I certainly don’t want them to be called names, bullied or harassed in school or anywhere else. But that’s not the issue — at least not to me anyway.
In this yearbook, could you find a spread of photos based on a group of Bible-toting kids preaching their views against religious name-calling? No, that’s not allowed in school. How about non-white awareness day to bring attention to anti-Mexican bullying, harassment and name-calling? Nuh uh. Not in there because it didn’t happen — and wouldn’t be allowed to happen.
I just think that fair is fair. If school administrators allowed an organized “Day of Silence” to bring attention to anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying and harassment in schools, they should also allow the same opportunity (and yearbook coverage) to those discriminated against for anything and everything else — including, but not limited to religion. (This issue also causes me question the judgement of school officials. And, why did the photos that knowingly would raise the most controversy also get so much coverage in the yearbook that serves not only students that are Seniors in High School, but also those in Kindergarden?) Why didn’t they just choose a different day, call it something else, and unify all groups that are discriminated against, called names, bullied and harassed in schools? Go figure.
What do you think?