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Making excuses

On Oct. 12 at a meeting for the Saline School Board, dozens of people spoke passionately for over two hours about the need to protect LGBTQ students in every way possible, from bullying to anti-discrimination policies. Some of them cried, others drew thunderous applause and some spoke silently, but persuasively, about why adding "sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression" to the Saline school district's student discrimination policy was necessary and, in fact, shouldn't even be up for debate, but a no-brainer.
But in 30 seconds, with four opposing and only three affirming votes from board trustees, all those words and emotions and tears turned to dust.
It is truly amazing how far prejudice can go. How could any person – let alone four of them – look over 100 youth in the eyes and say to them, "You do not deserve to be protected"?
This is how: by making excuses. Here's a look at some of them.
Excuse No. 1: "There are no cases of discrimination in Saline schools."
Just because no one reports discrimination doesn't mean that it doesn't happen. In fact, an unnamed teacher even sent a letter during the weeks of debate on the issue intending to intimidate school board members into opposing the measure. A teacher that some of those kids may have to face, unable to defend themselves if that teacher chooses to single them out for being LGBT.
Excuse No. 2: "Why should LGBT kids get special protections?"
Why kids of different races, religions and ethnicities? Why protect against sex discrimination? Because these are things that people are specifically targeted for, and anyone who tries to argue that LGBT kids don't face bias from peers and adults in their lives is willingly blind. It isn't about special protections; it's about equal protections.
Excuse No. 3: "Our state and federal laws don't provide discrimination protections, so to defy those laws in our policies would be illegal."
Good laws don't usually start at federal or even state levels. They start with school districts and cities and towns and businesses and slowly, as communities change, states and regions and countries begin to change. The Saline School Board is simply a sheep following an ill-informed and anti-gay herd.
Excuse No. 3: "This is about bullying, not discrimination. Strengthen the bullying policy, not the anti-discrimination policy."
But the two go hand in hand. How can children be taught not to bully their LGBT peers when discrimination is allowed and, by this decision, endorsed by the school district? This argument says that when a teen is pushed into the locker and called a fag, it's inexcusable, but when a teacher gives a lower grade to a student or ignores their questions in class because they are "different," it's permissible.
Saying that bullying is the only issue that needs to be addressed begs the question: If you believe that LGBT youth should be treated equally, why not exhibit that belief in every way possible?
The only real reason those four members of the Saline School Board have for voting the way they did is fear. And that is no excuse at all.

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