A letter to the editor from an anti-gay parent bashing the NC Governor’s school was published today in The Daily Dispatch (Hendersonville, NC).
The parent “regrets” sending her child to the honors school because of a seminar which was being offered, entitled “The New Gay Teenager”:
To the editor:
After reading the announcement concerning the nominees for the 2006 N.C. Governor’s School program, I have to encourage the parents to research this program before entrusting the staff with their child. I expected the program to live up to its reputation for being an excellent academic enrichment program for gifted and talented students. However, my experience showed that people with other agendas have found this to be a very easy program with which to impress their beliefs on unsuspecting young minds.After my child returned from the 2005 North Carolina Governor’s School-West program, I found a schedule from the final week which showed that an optional seminar entitled “The New Gay Teenager” had been sponsored by GSW. Parents were not given schedules as to the material that would be presented in the classes or seminars. In addition, it was conducted by GSW staff members who, according to the director, were all homosexual and relating their personal experience.
I feel that this was totally inappropriate for the students who were 15, 16, and 17 years old. I totally regret sending my child to this supposedly great honors program. Remember that this program is supported by our tax dollars.
Beverly Burrows
Candler, NC
The NC Governor’s School-West is held at Salem College in Winston-Salem, NC, during every summer. The East program is held at Meredith College. The Governor’s School is the oldest statewide summer enrichment program for academically gifted students.
The anti-gay parent may regret sending her child to the school but I regret that she has the audacity to accuse the NC Governor’s School of trying to indoctrinate her child.
Now I don’t know for sure, but I can pretty much bet that the name of this optional seminar to which the anti-gay parent objects came from a very scholarly book by the same name: The New Gay Teenager, which was written by Ritch C. Savin-Williams, the Professor of Clinical and Developmental Psychology at Cornell University. The book itself was the recipient of the American Psychological Association’s 2005 Distinguished Book Award.
Doing a quick Google search on the name of the seminar gave me that result, and I had thought I had seen the book itself in the Resource Library of UNCG PRIDE!.
Here is a summary of the book, from the Harvard University Press:
Gay, straight, bisexual: how much does sexual orientation matter to a teenager’s mental health or sense of identity? In this down-to-earth book, filled with the voices of young people speaking for themselves, Ritch Savin-Williams argues that the standard image of gay youth presented by mental health researchers–as depressed, isolated, drug-dependent, even suicidal–may have been exaggerated even twenty years ago, and is far from accurate today.
The New Gay Teenager gives us a refreshing and frequently controversial introduction to confident, competent, upbeat teenagers with same-sex desires, who worry more about the chemistry test or their curfew than they do about their sexuality. What does “gay” mean, when some adolescents who have had sexual encounters with those of their own sex don’t consider themselves gay, when some who consider themselves gay have had sex with the opposite sex, and when many have never had sex at all? What counts as “having sex,” anyway? Teenagers (unlike social science researchers) are not especially interested in neatly categorizing their sexual orientation.
In fact, Savin-Williams learns, teenagers may think a lot about sex, but they don’t think that sexuality is the most important thing about them. And adults, he advises, shouldn’t think so either.
As the anti-gay parent pointed out, the Governor’s School seminar was optional. No one made her child attend, although she doesn’t even mention whether or not her child did attend it. She talks of people using the Governor’s School to push their own political agendas. I disagree… I think the Governor’s School staff was trying to teach those who were willing (since it was optional) about diversity, acceptance, tolerance and also about how society may view sexual orientation and sexual identity.
I am sure that the anti-gay parent is thinking of sex and sexual activities when the words “gay” or “sexual orientation” enters into her mind, but in my experience within any type of academic setting, sexual activities are something that would just not be discussed.
I think it is ironic she wants to accuse others pushing an agenda. What exactly does she think she is doing? She is pushing an agenda of her own, one of bigotry and prejudice.
Yes, you are right Ms. Burrows, the school is supported by tax-payer money… so guess what, you have to include all sides and you cannot exclude anyone.
Although, I really liked the last paragraph of that book’s summary and I think Ms. Burrows would be wise to follow its wisdom:
In fact, Savin-Williams learns, teenagers may think a lot about sex, but they don’t think that sexuality is the most important thing about them. And adults, he advises, shouldn’t think so either.
Technorati Tags: gay youth, gay, lgbt, gay rights, nc governors school, the new gay teenager, Ritch C. Savin-Williams, winston-salem, hendersonville, north carolina
December 31st, 2005 at 10:38 pm
On the topic of letters to the editor, I have started a website which looks for smart, original letters in national, regional and local newspapers:
The link is:
http://hudson.typepad.com/woodchuck
In my experience, the best insights and writing in any paper come from its readers.
If you have written or have seen an interesting letter to the editor, I’d like to hear about it… Please visit (and post ideas and comments) at the address above, or click my link.
Thanks!
February 6th, 2006 at 9:05 pm
[...] Ha Ha…. many of you may remember when I posted about the anti-gay mom who was, to say the least, pissed over a seminar on gay teens at the NC Governors School-West (Winston-Salem, NC). [...]
March 16th, 2006 at 12:36 am
[...] But anyway…. I blogged about little Mrs. Bigot… oops, I mean Mrs. Burrows this� week and in December. Now the father has gotten involved and decided he’d throw his ignorance into the ring: “He [said he] was thinking now that he perhaps was gay — and of course I was floored by this [pronouncement] and was, like, ‘where did this come from?’ This kind of came out of left field,” the dad says. After questioning his son for an extended period, Burrows says he discovered the source. “I found out that this was as a result of this seminar.” [...]
December 25th, 2007 at 12:05 pm
For the record, I am an alum of GSW 2007, and I loved every second of my time there. that said, I wanted to say something:
You said, “I think it is ironic she wants to accuse others pushing an agenda. what exactly does she think she is doing? She is pushing an agenda of her own, one of bigotry and prejudice.”
This, as a GSW alum, I feel is anything but the spirit of Governor’s School. She was harsh in what she said, but we cannot call her a “bigot” or one of “prejudice” just because she has strong feelings towards something. personally, I felt that while GSW was a trememdously enlightening experience, it was in a way, one-sided. most, if not virtually all seminars, speakers, and lessons we were taught were presented from a liberal’s standpoint: there was no conservative side presented (including the side which perhaps may look less frondly at homosexuality). Don’t accuse her of being anything, because there are motives on both sides, and neither side has the right to judge…frankly, you came off as more judgemental than she did.
that said, I wanted to also advise you to consider your own statement, “Yes, you are right Ms. Burrows, the school is supported by tax-payer money…so guess what, you have to include all sides and you cannot exclude anyone.”
again, my friend, you couldn’t have said it better. The fact is that GSW was, even in its wonderful nature, lacking “all sides” as I said above, namely the conservative side of things (for example, “pro death-penalty”…there was a seminar on anti-death-penalty, why not pro? both sides have to be presented.
Again, I am in no way calling GSW a failure, or saying that it was bad. I truly loved my time there, and I learned more there in 6 weeks than I have in the past 12 years. that said, in the spirit of Governor’s School, I feel obligated to tell you, Matt, that we cannot judge people for feeling that their side was not presented…there is no need for confrontation. chalenging, absolutely, but in a mature way…no name calling. Ms. Burrows, I respect your letter, and I feel you had every right to address the issue which you were talking about. I feel that it is something which absolutely must be addressed…if GSW is to be the greatest educational experience it can be, we must listen to others and acknowledge flaws in the system rather than jumping to conslusions and getting defensive.
Z
Natural Science student
Governor’s School West
Summer 2007
December 25th, 2007 at 4:11 pm
i am also a GSW alum, and i have to agree with Z here. the six-week program was truly enlightening and fun, but it was ENTIRELY liberal. i remember feeling uncomfortable in classes and seminars because of teachers’ and speakers’ attempts to influence our political and religious beliefs. i feel like the program and all the students would benefit from more diversity (i.e. some CONSERVATIVE teachers, speakers, etc.).
December 25th, 2007 at 5:40 pm
I’m agreeing with A and Z here, as far as the judgemental nature of the letter and the article are concerned. As a GSE ‘07 alumnus for art, I feel that the program was founded on and continues to promote its main goal of “Accept Nothing. Challenge Everything.” This topic on homosexuality in no way refutes the aforementioned GS motto. Knowing that her child’s beliefs would be challenged, this kind of exposure would come as no surprise, and the opposition seems to be for personal political or moral gain.
On another note, I went to GSE and, although the program and instructors may have been different, many sides were presented, several that I have not experienced before. As a liberal, I felt uncomfortable at times, having MY beliefs challenged on a daily basis. We had a Libertarian speaker come in, and many of my classmates and close friends were conservative. As a result, I feel like I have become more moderate. The overall diversity had to be the best aspect of the program, in my opinion.
December 27th, 2007 at 2:32 am
At the University level, most colleges I do believe, have a program of required hours in Liberal Arts Studies. These are electives of your choice and have a plethora of options dependent on what is offered at your selected University. Yet, I was like to again point out the title, “Liberal Arts.” Not Conservative Arts, but Liberal. http://www.m-w.com has such definitions of Liberal as marked by generosity, ample, full, not literal or strict and also, lacking in moral restraint. All befitting of the word. However, in the case of Liberal Arts in pertains to generous, ample and full.
We go to the college level of education to obtain a Liberal Education, not a Conservative one. Governors School is a place of college caliber education and the students are treated as highly intellectual and capable young adults who have the ability to cope with taboo subjects. Now, in my experience growing up in North Carolina, people of the conservative flavor generally skirt and sidestep the more controversial subjects in lieu of standards already in place, which is a perfectly acceptable view point.
I ask, why would you send these bright teenagers to a program to hear about an earful of what they already know about?
A and Z, you have very good view points on the subject matter, but in a state where the predominant perspective and angle is conservative, a place like GSE and GSW where the majority is taught from the political/social Liberal side is not such a bad thing. =)
December 27th, 2007 at 4:55 pm
ChaBoing,
agreed: it is very much true that it is not at all a bad thing. as you said, we do get a LOT of conservative thought from where we live anyway. my point was geared more toward the fact that this article completely “bashed” (for lack of a better word) the mother…which in the spirit of Governor’s School is wrong.
what i was saying was that Governor’s School is about challenging things: so why not present both sides anyway. I personally am a bit more liberal myself when it comes to looking at things, but that doesn’t mean that the conservative side of things isn’t equally as important. I think that the point needed to be made that, in an effort to prevent us from having too much of an impact on someone (i.e. prevent the so called “indoctrination” of people…let’s face it, at that (this) age, we’re still kind of vulnerable to being pushed one way or another if we’re immersed in it), it needs to be taken into account that all sides should be presented in order to allow for the student, on his or her own, to make for an effective judgment, and thus come to a conclusion on his or her own (isnt that what governor’s school is all about?)
that’s all i was trying to say there…just saying that we shouldnt get defensive. maybe i did come off as too confrontational there, and if i did, then i apologize.
z
December 28th, 2007 at 7:22 am
“this article completely “bashed” (for lack of a better word) the mother…which in the spirit of Governor’s School is wrong.”
Hi everyone… I’m the blog owner and editor, Matt. I never went to Governor’s School so excuse me for not knowing about your “spirit.”
The woman bashed the LGBT community with her words. That course didn’t turn her son gay, no matter how much she may repeat it. If she has the freedom to preach hate, then I have the freedom to point that hate out. The fact that she has teamed up with the Alliance Defense Fund should be enough evidence that she’s a bigot, living in North Carolina (wow. Surpise there).
The world isn’t all fun and pretty and games, Governor’s School folks… Bigots and people filled with hate really do exist.
December 28th, 2007 at 7:57 am
[...] seems as though former participants of the N.C. Governor’s School have taken to attacking me on my public outspokenness against the anti-gay mother who claimed Governor’s School turned [...]
December 28th, 2007 at 2:39 pm
Why do honors programs need to push sexual education on teens while withholding the information from the parent. So now it is an agenda to want nothing of that sort pushed on our children? An agenda would be demanding they also have a “Straight Kids United” course for children to cope with the radical liberalism that is being shoved down chidrens’ throats daily from teachers who feel they need to be sling their wack morals to everyone who will listen. The ONLY agenda here is “The New Gay Teenager” and it is sad so many corupt people in this country lack the common sense or comprehension to see that.
December 28th, 2007 at 2:45 pm
And for those who claim the Mother is the “basher” I would encourage you to reread the letter. Not once did she use any harsh or hateful language like all of you have continued to use. All she stated were FACTS and opinion in a non threatening tone. Bashing and disagreement are far from the same. Again reread it and maybe next time skip the Radical Lib 101 and seek true Education.
December 28th, 2007 at 3:00 pm
I agree with Matt on this one. As much as GSW was liberal, it was quite different than the “normal” conservative nature of the majority of people’s regular life. The school wasn’t about teaching one-sided lessons or information, it was about exploring different situations that were contrary to what society makes us believe.
In my opinion, I am spoken to, acted upon, and almost expected to think in a conservative manner; there isn’t much difference. GSW was about breaking free from the monotony, and truly understanding every side. I feel that you’re not taking into account the side that you allready know, the side of a blind society.
This woman, however inteligent she may be, doesn’t understand how the school works, and how to interpret new imformation. It’s as if she’s scared of the truth. I wonder if she’s even consulted her son on the matter, and asked him what he feels about the school. She’s just another hot-headed parent who flew off the wheel over something that she was scared about.
As for the spirit of GS, what kind of spirit involves having sex on the tennis courts and finding places to smoke ciggarettes around Salem College Campus? We all know what went on at GSW. The spirit is about upholding the school, and this woman is trying, but may not be trying hard, to bring the school down.
First and foremost, as others have stated, all seminars were optional. Some seminars weren’t even sided at all; they just existed. Others, however, couldn’t have been any more one sided, simply because it was necessary.
Tim Tyson’s seminar on racism: Should he have talked about why racism shouldn’t be abolished? That would have been both sides of the story.
The Exonerated: Would it have been fair to keep those innocent people in jail?
The Planet Earth Series
The Alfred Hitchcock Series
How many of these seminars would have been more controversial had they been two sided?
That being said, I must congratulate Matt for expressing his opinion on the matter without having even been to the school. Not many respect GS for what it is and has become, simply because they haven’t gone. It takes a lot, for lack of a better term, for an “outsider” to support this school. It doesn’t happen as often as it should.
December 28th, 2007 at 8:14 pm
Jim… the mother didn’t just write a letter… She mounted a full-scale assault, getting the Alliance Defense Fund involved. She said the school turned her son gay.
February 2nd, 2008 at 1:19 am
I attended GSW 2007, and I believe it to be an unique program. I do believe that it challenges our beliefs and forces us to see situations from a different perspective. However, I believe that it goes too far sometimes.
We were asked to respect everyone’s differences. (Ex. religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, etc.) I believe that acceptance scared people. I was insulted because someone was under the assumption that I was a Christian (white, middle class, so I have to be a Christian apparently.) I then returned the insult as a defense mechanism. I was then intimidated and assaulted by this other person. Because, “Bob” was of a different religion, I was under the impression that I was not being “accepting”, and if I told what had happened leading up to the assault, I would be kicked out of the program or shunned by other students. Due to this fear, I didn’t report “Bob”, and I have regretted it ever since.
I am not saying that GS is one sided. I just believe that students are put into uncomfortable situations. When students disagree with certain beliefs, they are then the bad guy, and it can lead to escalated situations.
February 2nd, 2008 at 10:40 am
I don’t understand your comment at all Anna. If you were insulted and assaulted then there is nothing to have “accepted” there.
“Respecting differences” doesn’t mean that I allow right wing religious bigots to tell me I’m going to hell. Respecting differences would be more like, oh… I like broccoli and you don’t. I will not “respect” the “differences” on how valuable I am as a human.
February 3rd, 2008 at 2:00 am
“Respecting differences” doesn’t mean that I allow right wing religious bigots to tell me I’m going to hell.
Tell me, Matt; according to your beliefs, who makes the final decision on who is and isn’t going to hell?
Because according to mine, that’s something that happens between you and God, and no one else gets any say in it.
In short, those people can say whatever they want. They have no idea of what my relationship is with God, and they have no power over the decisionmaking process anyway. The rest is their right to express their opinion.
February 3rd, 2008 at 11:19 am
When opinion actively turns into behaviors which cause damage to others’ lives, then it is no longer “opinion.” Countless scores of LGBT youth across the South (across the nation and world, actually) continue to be harmed by actions informed by the religious right’s opinion.
October 9th, 2008 at 12:17 am
Not once did she say she was anti-gay. You could just as easily assume that she would be against a seminar called “the new heterosexual teen”.