carlson

Josh Wainwright

Dr. Joyce Stevos

Carlson Talking Points

1. "The official policy in most school districts is in fact identical to that of the U.S. military, namely: "Don't ask, don't tell."

I chose this quote because I found it particularly interesting. First off the military has not always allowed gays in the military. Standard questions asked before signing included questions about one’s personal sexual orientation and if they were in fact a homosexual. This policy has gone on force homosexuals to lie about their sexual backgrounds in order to join. There has always been and always will be homosexuals enlisted in the military, and it shouldn’t matter either way. I feel I had already recognized that most schools are don’t ask don’t tell as well though. In high school when ever classmates would have a teacher about their significant others, they would either be open to discussing it, or sometimes say it’s not an appropriate topic for class. I personally don’t feel it’s necessary to know a teachers sexual orientation, so long as that teacher doesn’t let it affect their ability to act professional.

2. "Throughout this century, one of one primary means of ensuring that gayness was an invisible presence in the school was through the dismissal of teachers who were found out to be homosexuals. Early in this century, the dismissal of gay teachers was legitimated as a way of keeping young people from being exposed to improper role models, lechery, and child molestation"

I chose this quote because it kind of goes along with my first one. If these teachers were fired just because someone went through the trouble of discovering their sexual backgrounds, than they were wrongly terminated and deserve compensation. However if they were allowing their sexual orientation to affect their level of professionalism and acting inappropriate than they were rightly terminated for the sake and safety of the children.

3. "Nevertheless, normalizing texts systematically exclude and neglect the culture of those outside the norm for the purpose of ratifying or legitimating the dominant culture as the only significant culture worth studying."

I chose this quote because I feel it’s really important. Now a days I feel it is very important for people of all ages and especially school children to learn about many other cultures. If texts are normalized then children are going to miss out on many great learning opportunities, plus grow up neglectful of other people and their cultural backgrounds.