Hanford club policy puts leash on student express
By MICHAEL CULVER
On March 9, 2005, the Hanford school district voted to give parents the
ability to control the school sponsored clubs in which their children
can participate.
The issue came to light after some parents became concerned about their
children joining the Gay-Straight Alliance club.
Under the new policy, parents would be able to keep their children out
of the Gay-Straight Alliance, or any other club they find objectionable.
The issue of a student’s right to self-exploration was overshadowed
by a homophobic community. Parents who need to be embracing and nurturing
their children’s development are instead building fences that may
cause a confused child who is reaching out for help to withdraw.
These parents spoke their concerns so vividly and loudly that the children
now know who is in control.
The children have also been informed that if their views do not match
their parents, the screams and shouts of their guardians can drown their
voice out. And these same guardians and policy makers can dictate their
social life.
The school board should be ashamed of itself for allowing such repressive
and restrictive principles to become policies. They are the ones we depend
on to temper such overzealous uprisings. They should be defenders of the
principles of free expression and self-growth. Instead, these educators
have found yet another way to stifle the intellectual development of these
students.
Now that these parents and educators have closed this door for their children,
lets see what kind of clutter builds up. I’m just glad I’m
not the one that’s going to have to clean it up.
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