Western Hills student suspended for denouncing homosexuality has punishment reversed

[alp227]

FORT WORTH -- A Western Hills High School student who was suspended from school for saying homosexuality is wrong has had his punishment reversed, according to the boy's mother and attorney.

Freshman Dakota Ary was in German class Tuesday when the discussion turned to religion, and a student in the back of the class asked about that country's views of homosexuality.

"I told my friend that I'm a Christian and I believe being gay is wrong," said Ary, 14. "But the teacher told me I shouldn't say things like that, and he wrote me an infraction. I was surprised. I wasn't discriminating or being a bully. I was just expressing my beliefs."

The teacher sent Ary to the office, where an assistant principal placed him on three-day in-school suspension.

Read more: http://www.star-telegram.com/2011/09/22/3389839/western-hills-student-suspended.html

As bigoted as his views are, suspending Ary was a violation of his 1st amendment rights. But what should be the goal of public schools when confronting intolerance and free speech? In a public school, all students deserve to know about various POVs (like in this German class) but in the end the most reasonable ones win. I do NOT advocate condoning religious ignorance like this, but I do not want ANY public schooler to have a formal punishment simply for expressing an unpopular or controversial viewpoint. BTW, as most European countries do, Germany has a law against inciting hatred.

[The Straight Story]

1. If he had turned to his friend and said "I don't like black people" wonder if they would

have reversed it?

[alp227]

3. i don't know that district's specific policy,

but most public schools i assume would have non-discrimination and anti-harassment policies. there is a difference between student doing what you described vs. expressing bigotry directly at another person.

[virgogal]

4. I would hope so. It is his opinion,not a hate crime.

[msongs]

2. great, so it is ok to say christians and christianity are wrong as well. nt

[Yo_Mama]

5. Of course -

and who could allow that opinion not to be expressed in a public school system? Would you WANT a public school system like that?

And don't tell me it doesn't come up, because when you are studying European history it certainly does.

[Angry Dragon]

6. YES

[Pab Sungenis]

7. Exactly.

We shouldn't be standing against free speech. I believe that people have the right to prove they're ignorant, intolerant douchebags.

[Kurmudgeon]

11. Only if you want to be as wrong as the misguided student was.

Instead ask them, what does "love thy neighbor as thyself" and "judge not lest ye be judged" mean?
Hostility and criticism will only cause more problems than it helps and will only justify the hatred some of the "right wing" Christians have towards the gays. I don't feel this way, so please don't lump me in with them. I don't want to have family or friends turned into enemies or vice versa.

[nomb]

8. I was more surprised to see Texas suspend immediately...and the reversal has a good basis/lawyer

WE should support the Texas school taking the action to suspend.

And accept that fighting the kid is an expensive and uncertain path for the school district in Texas.

The details suggest it's not a perfect case.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

10. I too was surprised to see the the school back down.

The key would be what was written on the infraction notice, which would have been the only thing the principal had to go on at the time. If it was as described, a comment to a fellow student in response to a question, it was in no way bullying and the teacher over reacted.

In terms of the administration backing down, other venues has said that the suspension was first cut to one day before it was dropped entirely. Not clear what is the correct story.

At this point it looks like once the administration got the full story, they backed the student.

[Bluenorthwest]

9. It is wrong to be Ary.

It is wrong to be his parents, I believe and my faith teaches me that Ary and his small minded parents are an abomination and they should not be allowed the full set of rights that those of us who are 'sanctified' have.