Tonight the Middletown Board of Education will consider a proposed policy of requiring school staff, including teachers to notify parents of their child is suspected of being gay or transgender. And Middletown is not the only town in New Jersey or even in the country that is considering such a policy.
Although teachers are mandated reporters when it comes to child abuse, this policy is not one that even addresses the issue of abuse. It would force teachers into an untenable situation, breaking any confidential information a minor would want to share with a teacher or even overhearing a student speaking to another student.
This proposal goes against everything a teacher is supposed to do for any student, including building confidence and trust. And, in the experience of minors who are “outed” to parents who are not sympathetic to the search for identity for their children, it can lead to child abuse. This proposal should be voted down no matter where it rears its ugly head.
Prayer for the Day
Holy One who illumines the skies, let us not seek you as a distant deity,
But as a vibrant living Presence in our lives;
We know we are more haunted by our fears than buttressed by your hope,
For we want to be followers of Jesus but our ideals falter.
Help us, O God, to catch a glimpse of your truth so that we live boldly
Expanding our vision of your justice and your peace.
As did the one who shows us the way to real faith,
Even Christ Jesus our Lord, Amen.
Thoughts for the Day
Being deadnamed [called the name assigned at birth] just immediately makes you feel belittled, weak and insignificant. I didn’t want to be in the classroom. I didn’t trust the teacher
- Al Stone-Gebhardt, student in Tulsas Oklahoma
There is a big difference between coming out and being outed. Just because someone is out with their friends or at school doesn't mean they're out at home. Outing LGBTQ+ youth can lead to them being abused, harassed, severely isolated, and forced to leave their home.
- Laura Guy, clinical social worker who works with at-risk youth ages 8 to 17
Protect me, O God, for in you do I take refuge.
I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord. I have no good apart from you.”
Psalm 16: 1-2