Gay Teacher Driven Out

* Re “A Painful Lesson for a Gay Teacher, June 18:

While I completely understand the pain and outrage felt by Martin Bridge over the gay bashing that forced him out of teaching at Crenshaw High School, I think it is important to point out that it isn’t like that at every school. Given the ignorance that surrounds the subject of homosexuality, certainly the potential for hateful behavior on the part of students and teachers always exists. But through the years, there have been some school administrators who have encouraged an atmosphere of respect for diversity and a zero tolerance for the kind of name-calling and harassment that was described by Bridge.

It is true that most gay and lesbian teachers still remain closeted for fear that what happened at Crenshaw might happen to them. This tragic fact is not only a profound indictment of the educational system and its leadership, but also an incalculable loss to those gay and lesbian students who desperately need role models and support if they are to stay in school at all.

VIRGINIA URIBE

Founder, Project 10

Los Angeles Unified School District

* I’ve been a substitute teacher at Wilmington Middle School for the better part of the past three months. As a gay man, I’m sensitive to anti-gay rhetoric and know of what Bridge speaks. Unlike Bridge, however, who was crippled by the hateful comments of students, I was appalled by the comments of my fellow teachers.

On May 22, local clergy admonished their parishioners to keep students home the following Tuesday in protest of LAUSD’s gay-awareness month. Much discussion ensued at school that week, but the unkind rhetoric of the kids paled in comparison to what some of the teachers had to say. That Tuesday afternoon an impromptu discussion convened in the main office after school, where teachers expressed views generously peppered with adjectives such as “evil, unnatural and disgusting” while referencing homosexuality.

It was a very disturbing experience to hear such fear/hate-based ignorance coming from the very educators expected to effectively address anti-gay prejudice.

It seems premature for the Los Angeles school district to promote classroom awareness when the very conveyors of that awareness are themselves drowning in ignorance.

BRYAN STEELE

Laguna Beach

* After hearing the word “Faggot!” hurled at him repeatedly, English teacher Bridge went on sick leave. The vocal mob of students who participated in these idiotic acts can now pat themselves on the back for losing one of the best teachers at Crenshaw.

School officials must inform students that gay bashing is not acceptable. The name-calling students should be required to participate in a little role-playing exercise, where gay people are in the majority and have outlawed heterosexuality. In order to survive, the minority of straight people must sneak around and try to pass themselves as gay to avoid being verbally or physically bashed for expressing their natural sexuality.

DAVID TULANIAN

West Hollywood