[NonIndigenous]

Originally Posted by Marguerite

I think regarding acting/being, it's simply semantics. If you are saying that by saying 'gay' the teachers meant it in a slang context (as in stupid, dumb, lame etc) I think you're reaching... a lot. For one, I've never met anyone over the age of 16 who goes around using the word 'gay' in that context, and I certainly doubt teachers would even be allowed to go around using that word that way. Even if it were true, it would probably be even worse. If someone is getting bullied and the teachers tell them to basically not be so lame... well, I don't have to explain that any futher.

If someone is acting really flamboyently, drawing attention to themselves etc which puts them at risk from bullies, I understand why the teachers would think they should just 'tone it down', but it's a dumb idea and victim blaming.

I wouldn't go to a neo nazi convention and announce my conversion to Judaism, and I wouldn't go to the bad side of town in the middle of the night with a $10000 necklace hanging around my neck.

The difference is, though, going to school shouldn't be putting yourself in a 'dangerous situation'. If school is an at risk place, THAT should be adressed, not whether or not a student's hair is 'straight enough'.

And as for the teachers, I want to make it clear that I don't think they should be fired. I was merely arguing that it WAS bad advice and it is not being over politically correct to say so. However I do think that sometimes the LGBT community takes things to an extreme. This was terrible advice for sure but it wasn't some human rights abuse as it is being portrayed. I think the teachers should be educated, not fired, because it doesn't sound like their actions were malicious or intentionally harmful... just stupid.

By the way, is a RATHIST a racist as told by one of those famous gay lisps?

Lol... I didn't have gay in mind at all at the end what I said "RATHIST". I was just generally portraying stupidity further, after already having brought racism up where it's completely out of context. So now people can accuse me of being rathist towards people who talk with a lisp... Jesus christ... fml. If anyone does I'll just call you a troll and ignore you.

Back on topic, like I said before, I think the teacher's advice is practical (though it could have been worded and handled differently). Yes, in every school things should be done to tackle bullying directly by the teachers, but in the end the teachers can't supervise and police everything can they? In the classroom is one thing, in the playground it gets harder, in the corridors between lessons it gets even harder, and in the toilets it's impossible without violating privacy.

You can give bullies detentions etc. Some might stop bullying, some might not. You can eventually expel them then I guess, depending on how severe the bullying is. But ultimately the only person anyone can rely on most of all is themselves if they want something done about it. It would be nice if the teachers could and would do everything they can to fight bullying, but it'd be stupid to assume that they actually will do.

What I'm saying is that leaving the issue of bullying entirely up to the teachers to deal with is as foolish as leaving it entirely up to the kids. The teachers are there to help, not run a mirco-police state. It would give the kids in school the wrong idea... thinking that they can go out into the world and do what the hell they want (within the law) because there'l always be someone covering your ass. If someone gets assaulted through hate crime, it's wrong as hell, but again it's foolish to assume that something can necessarily be done about it every time. There might not always be witnesses, or CCTVs etc. Where you can, as you said, "tone it down", it's probably a good idea in some cases, though obviously can't apply to black people because that's stupid. So if you can't tone it down, or you're defiant and refuse to... there are I guess two other ways. You learn to stand up for yourself the hard way, or you sit at home all your life.

Across a person's lifetime there will almost certainly be an instance when the authorities/police/courts simply can't help, even if they try. Goes for teachers too. Except a teacher's number 1 job is to teach, that's just my view though.