Back to School (Amidst Homophobia and Bullying)

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 5:01 pm by Tony Jones

Back to School (Amidst Homophobia and Bullying) 2015-03-13T17:01:01-05:00 Tony Jones

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Justin Aaberg, 1995-2010

I’m not much of a reactionary. In fact, when it comes to public schooling, I tend to take a live-and-let-live posture. I want my own kids to ride the bus and learn how to navigate that rolling-Lord-of-the-Flies environment. Same goes for recess.

But when I hear a story like that of Justin Aaberg, recently in the news in the Twin Cities, it reminds me that The Lord of the Flies is, in fact, a cautionary tale. When left to their own devices, kids can be downright brutal to one another. And it seems that the bullying that Justin, who was openly gay) received at school may have directly led to his suicide on July 9, at age 15.

Of course, there are any number of things that can lead a person to take their own life, but I happen to be of the school of thought that a 15-year-old barely has the developmental resources to take that tragic step. Justin obviously did.

According to his mother, in a heart-rending interview with the Show So Gay Podcast, Justin was “grabbed by the balls” last spring at Anoka High School Sandberg Middle School and told by a classmate, “You like that, don’t you?”, along with the other usual insults of “fag,” “queer,” and worse.

Now, according to a WCCO-TV story last night, Justin’s mother, Tammy Aaberg, is taking aim at the school’s policy on sexuality, which states,

“Teaching about sexual orientation is not a part of the District adopted curriculum; rather, such matters are best addressed within individual family homes, churches, or community organizations.”

But also in the WCCO report, a lesbian teen tells the school board that she has no such home, church, or community organization. Like many teenagers in our fractured society, the high school is her primary community. A teacher also anonymously tells the reporter that he’d like to have the freedom to speak to students about sexual orientation.

Anoka is in possibly the most conservative swath of Minnesota: it’s the belt buckle of Michelle Bachmann’s district and crowded with conservative churches. So I’m sure that the Anoka-Hennepin school board and administration is under a great deal of political pressure to stay neutral on issues of sexual identity.

However, I tend to trust in the kind of people who go into public education as teachers, administrators, and social workers. I tend to believe that they want what’s best for the kids in their school. (And when they don’t, as when teachers in this very school district (!!!) made fun of a student for being “gay” in 2008, they are punished.)

This is a moral issue, but not in the sense of what is right and what is wrong sexually. It’s moral in the sense of children’s safety. Don’t-Ask-Don’t-Tell doesn’t work.

To train teachers and other students to be sensitive to the fragile evolution of sexuality among adolescents is not to begin a slippery slope to anything-goes-sexuality. It is instead to build a community in a school in which students can experience a safe harbor, especially when they lack such a community outside of the school.

Facebook Memorial Page In Honor Of Justin Aaberg

HT to Chris Wogaman for pointing to resources for this post.

Previous Post

September 13, 2010

In defense of Kosher

Next Post

September 16, 2010 Biking Minneapolis

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category bible blogging books christianity in america church church history dissertation divorce Dog Training education emergent church essay family funny glbt jopa productions ministry minnesota movies music parenting philosophy politics Prayer publishing Questions That Haunt random same sex marriage speaking spirituality Teaching technology television theology Travels Uncategorized writing youth ministry

Select a Month January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 June 2006 May 2006 March 2006 February 2006 January 2006 December 2005 November 2005 October 2005 September 2005 August 2005 June 2005 April 2005 March 2005 February 2005 January 2005 December 2004 November 2004 October 2004 August 2004 February 2004 January 2004

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

True or False: King Saul was anointed by the prophet Nathan.

Select your answer to see how you score.

FALSE TRUE