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.