Talking Point # 3

"Gayness, Multiculturalism and Community"

Context/Premise:

Gay
Lesbian
Straight
School
Invisible
Separate
Normal
Abnormal
Oppression
Homophobia
Democratic
Public
Silence

Argument:

Carlson argues that reinforcement in the classroom about the respect towards gender and sexuality is crucial for the change in the outside world towards the issue.


Evidence:

"Public schools in particular have often promoted such "normalizing" conceptualizations of community that are based on defining a cultural center or "norm" and positioning class, gender, race, and sexual Others at the margins."

~Carlson is saying that public schools teach children right off the bat that the “norm” in this world is to be straight. Such things as teachers expecting all children to have one mom and one dad could through off someone’s judgment.

"I want to suggest that public schools may play an important role in helping build a new democratic, multicultural community, one in which sexual identity is recognized..."

"For the time being, at least, this means that the public schools are caught in a dilemma over gayness, unable to please anyone, and unable to act without inviting attack from one side or the other."
~School systems don’t know what to do. Whatever they choose to do, someone will be unhappy.