More On The Banners and the Board

Papa

Before I climb on my soapbox, I want to make it absolutely clear, that I harbor no bias for homosexual folks of whatever gender, as long as their beliefs/agendas do not encroach on my personal space. I would be equally content to have a gay couple as neighbors on one side and a lesbian couple on the other. I would be happy to share gatherings such as BBQ, etc. (normal neighbor activities).

Now, to the No Place for Hate banner/program issue. I have read most (if not all) letters to the editor in the Platte County Record Times, reviewed Wheaterville editorials, Facebook sites and attended the first meeting prompted by the ACLU.

I did not want to condemn one of the board members who voted to keep the banners down, without a face-to-face visit so that I might try and understand the decision. I have a great deal of respect for this individual, whom I believe is forthright and honest. It appears that the banners might have been displayed without the approval of the appropriate supervisor. There apparently has not been a specific directive policy dealing with such matters, so no odor, until someone makes a stink. The school board has been placed in a "no win" situation. If they publicly criticise the staff member(s) who didn't clear the banners, the board could be sued, etc. relating to employment laws. If they can't openly disclose what actually happened in this respect, they are perceived as supporting hate, and opposing the No Place For Hate Program, as well as promoting and fostering discrimination against folks who are different, IE; gays and lesbians.

I've also received information that there are multiple clergymen in Wheaterville, who have had contact at the national level to support "no tolerance" toward gays and lesbians. If the board were to authorize the banners to once again be hung, they would probably have to contend with the folks who are so strongly against gays and lesbians.

I have been told also, that no-one on the board opposed the No Place for Hate Program, in and of itself, but were not presented with the banners prior to them being displayed. The board is actively working to implement a program "without sponsorship" to accomplish the same thing as the No Place for Hate Program.

I personally disagree with the decision to remove the banners, however can understand why it happened. After it was done incorrectly, a whole new potentially catastrophic issue is emerging. Folks, no one is going to "win" this one, especially the students in our schools.

It does seem that possibly the gay and lesbian community needs to form a group so that they might be recognized. I doubt that this will gain them any respect. If they think that by "ganging up" against whatever percentage of our population is anti gay and lesbian will garner those folks respect and compassion, they are sorely mistaken. They will have another battle, that will have no winner, only hurting and losing.

Anyone and everyone is accepted into our community as long as they adopt the "live and let live" attitude. By raising a ruckus, anyone comes into the spotlight and should expect those who disagree with their views to butt heads with them. Notice, I did not refer to any particular group with that statement.

I know beyond certainty, that many will disagree with me, but having lived in Wheaterville in excess of half-a-century, I believe that I have a reasonable feel for the community. This community does not support bullying or discrimination because of sexual orientation. Of course, there are those who do, but there are also those who don't like anyone who doesn't exactly agree with their views.

What is the real issue anyway? The students are going to have a program to discourage bullying and discrimination that has the potential of equalling or exceeding the No Place for Hate Program. Granted, the reasons given by some board members opened the gay and lesbian issue (their bad), but I do believe that the board members voted honestly in what they perceived and still do perceive to be their responsibility to those who elected them. They may be wrong, but were elected because of who the voting public perceived them to be. If they did wrong, let them know at the poles. Until then, lets work together to accomplish the primary and what has to be the absolute priority, "teach the lesson, there is no room for hate in our schools". Just maybe, the message can carry out into our community!

There was no attack on anyone intended here, only food for thought. Thanks for reading!

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Monday
5/24/10 5:27 PM

Where is Starbuck:

I want to know what Starbuck has to say about the Fire Hall project any update.

Monday
4/12/10 2:07 PM

Time Waster:

Wow. Really? You think? Nah...personal agendas on a blog? Who would have thought? I'm shocked. Insulted. Angry even. Wheaterville.com I hearby demand that you put Fox News headlines on here and hire staff that will conduct thorough investigative studies on whatever you put up here! Now!

Wheaterville.com is the best thing Wheatland WY has going for it. You can get out of there and still "keep in touch". Keep it up Wheaterville. You should tweet more. Love those tweets. And I've seen a few people banned while I waste my time here and I'm dang glad you banned them. Thanks for keeping us informed and entertained.

Monday
4/12/10 12:03 PM

Wheaterville.com Bans Because.:

Wheaterville is a site that was obviously created to enhance personal agendas. If you click on NOT signing the petition you will get sent to a "Beavis and Butt-head" site. That right there shows me there are personal agendas put into this blog....Wheaterville.com is a complete waste of time.

Saturday
4/10/10 11:29 AM

moosesellsweenies:

found you, involuntary, on wheataerville twitter. You're good. Nice answer to someone. Someone is trying to distract the good people of wheatland/wheaterville from moving forward to make the school board accountable for what they did. You nailed it. Someone is accusing people who are doing what is right, of having the wrong reasons. Someone doesn't see "what the issue is" about the banner. Someone is obviously dull, or just not paying attention. Good for you all of you who are working on this. maybe someone will eventually catch on.

Saturday
4/10/10 10:08 AM

An involuntarily hetrosexual man:

There is nothing "radical" about the No Place for Hate Program, and there is no tension between supporting "the students" and "the gays and lesbians." Whether or not you are personally aware of who they are, many students at Wheatland High School are gays or lesbians, and it shouldn't be too hard to see how they might have been adversely impacted by the fact that the School Board has announced that Platte County School District #1 does not approve of gays and lesbians.

If the School Board had treated the Gay and Lesbian Fund for Colorado the same way it routinely treats other organizations that sponsor beneficial activities, then there would be no problem. The problem is that the School Board singled out the Gay and Lesbian Fund for Colorado for discriminatory treatment simply because 1. The organization has the phrase "Gay and Lesbian" in its name; and, 2. Our supposedly "ultra conservative community" does not approve of Gays and Lesbians.

Yes, we all make mistakes, but if you want us to "forgive" the school board for its avowed hostility to gays and lesbians (and, by extention, toward gay and lesbian students) then you need to keep in mind the first step: repentance. The School Board has not repented. It has not apoligized, has not acknowleged that it has done wrong, nor has it make any effort to right the wrong. Instead, it is simply telling the members of the community who overwhelmingly object to its hostility to homosexuals to shut up and go home. That is not a path that leads to forgiveness.

Thursday
4/8/10 11:11 PM

someone:

Okay, okay. Hold it, stop. Let's think for a moment and ask ourselves something. What is the REAL reason for all of the commotion about the banner issue? Is it for the students or is it for the gays/lesbians? Is there a group in Wheatland that is wanting to be radical? In my opinion Wheatland NEEDS to be supporting the students and making sure that bullying is NOT permitted. If there are other sources for anti-hate and bullying being put in place then I don't see what the issue is about the banner. Wheatland has a number of gays and lesbians, more than one might actually think. Are they being treated equally amongst the other citizens? Yes. Would you know who they were if you seen them in the store? Yes and no. They are just as human as we are. WE ALL MAKE MISTAKES!!! Last time I knew, GOD FORGIVES EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US! Let's forget the banners. There's another program in place. If Wheatland is going to bicker, what is that showing the children around us? Let's move on for goodness sake.

Thursday
4/8/10 12:22 PM

to papa:

The gay community in Wheatland or anywhere shouldn't have to ask for compassion or respect. They're not ganging up on anyone and although I can't speak for a group of people who are all individuals, I kind of don't think that the compassion or respect of people like the school board is what they want or care about. I'll tell you, I have very little respect for that board myself. They blew it and then the chose to not fix it when given the opportunity.

Thursday
4/8/10 10:46 AM

oinnv3:

"I've also received information that there are multiple clergymen in Wheaterville, who have had contact at the national level to support "no tolerance" toward gays and lesbians. If the board were to authorize the banners to once again be hung, they would probably have to contend with the folks who are so strongly against gays and lesbians."

All I can say to this is "AMEN TO THAT!" Clergyfolks should be contending with the bigots, and they should be contending loudly and clearly. Wheatland is No Place For Hate, unless you ask one of the Fab Four. Where are the churches on this? Wheatland churches we'd like to hear from you. Where is the ACLU on this?

Thursday
4/8/10 8:37 AM

Hugger of Trees:

Thank you Papa for your comments. Are you saying though, that the board now claims that they voted to pull the banners because they didn't want to point a finger at Mrs. Ryff for hanging them, because then Mrs. Ryff might sue the school board? The school board is going to be sued, they've likely nailed that one with their comments and the fact that they're looking specifically at programs that excludes gay students from the policy! Are you saying that the board was forced to vote the banners down? That's a new one, and likely easily proven to not be the case. Fabian and Dunham quotes made national news. There's no denying them at this point. No, the "I was only doing my job" excuse just doesn't fly. My hope too is that the ACLU does the right thing and brings this into the national spotlight. We're seeing what bullying can lead to, as others have pointed out. I'd rather have Wheatland in the news as being sued for anti-American intolerance then for the death of one of our teens because of bullying. Let's fix this while we can.

Wednesday
4/7/10 7:31 PM

Jack:

Mental illness should not be criteria for a new protected class.

Wednesday
4/7/10 7:13 PM

GreenMnMMonster:

You defend the actions of the board as "proper permission wasn't asked". But the board's answer's made it clear that gays and lesbians are not okay and are not to be protected at WHS. The "new bullying policy" will obviously have NOTHING in it about glbt students, and THAT is "the issue".
Any "clergyman" who is against this program probably got ordained off the internet. What Would Jesus Do? No, sorry, the big mouth board members opend the barn doors wide, wide, wide and the horse is way out and running around the nation. There's no backing off now, and claiming "procedure". This board needs to stop opening its collective mouth to change feet because they just keep digging themselves in deeper and deeper. Generally when someone gives you 3 or 4 or 5 different reasons for something none of them are true. The ACLU should make an example of this.

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