Opposition to inclusion of gender identity surfaces at MTSU

In November, we noted that MTSU President Sidney McPhee announced the inclusion of gender identity in the school's non-discrimination policy, after several weeks of student discussion. MTSU's move brings the policy into line with the policy of the Tennessee Board of Regents.

While the public mood has been largely positive in reaction to the change, some opposition has surfaced recently. Kidd Navarro, a student at MTSU, sent me of a photograph of the handout opponents have left around campus the last couple of days (pictured upper left)

Students who support the inclusion of gender identity are planning action to distribute pro-transgender information on campus in support of the policy tomorrow and in the following days.

It is not clear at this point who is responsible for the handouts or why the opposition is surfacing now. TEP stands in solidarity with the MTSU Amnesty International and Lambda groups who continue to educate the campus on the importance of including gender identity in the MTSU policy.

House passes bullying bill

SB 0283/HB 0451 passed in House today by a vote of 90 to 2. It had previously passed 33 to 0 in the Senate. The bill requires local school districts to include certain criteria in their bullying policies. It's an advance in policy to protect our state's children from bullying at school. Congratulations and thanks to Rep. Bill Dunn (R-Knoxville) for advancing the bill in the House.

Tennessean profiles student activists

The Tennessean featured two teenagers, Nicholas Allen & Eric Austin, in Gail Kerr's "Eight faces of patriotism" story that ran on the front page on Friday, July 4.

Allen, who is gay, and Austin, a straight ally, both helped organize students to get the Metro School Board to pass a comprehensive anti-bullying policy.

You can read the profile and see their photo here.

The story is an example of how policy can be changed at any level should we actually take interest and get invovled.

At least The Tennessean featured the two students and actually covered a gay topic.

Meanwhile, Neal Anthony continues his fight against all kinds of homophobia in Warren County. A fight The Tennessean continues to ignore, as does Neal's local newspaper, The Southern Standard.

Remembering a tragedy

http://www.tricities.com/tristate/tri/news.apx.-content-articles-TRI-2008-04-11-0020.html

Tri-Cities news site asks readers what their plans are to observe the anniversary of the murders at Virginia Tech.

School safety is becoming such a broad, multi-faceted issue across the country. At times, it seems to unite conservatives and liberals. Consider the anti-bullying bill that was debated in the Georgia Legislature this year that was introduced by a conservative but backed by Georgia Equality. At other times, it brings out widely different perspectives. A prime example is the bill that was debated this year in the Tennessee Legislature that would have allowed some to carry weapons on college campuses. The Virginia Tech murders were explicitly cited. And while these acts of brutality touch all Americans in some way, it seems that the impact was particularly felt in East Tennessee.

We should welcome the growing focus on the safety of students, whether in our elementary or secondary schools or in higher education institutions. It is the kind of substantive issue that is worth the debate, the time, and whatever funds we can allocate.