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The following are emails from Joe Quigley
(Posted 8-11-03)

(8-4-03)
Dr. Bob Moore
Superintendent of Schools
Oklahoma City Public Schools


Dear Dr. Moore,

     Although I am aware there are a few pressing issues within the District among them audits, the releasing of teachers due to budget considerations, and the need to find a way to rehire coaches while at the same time being mindful of not violating the Collective Bargaining Agreement in the process, I am sure the safety and well-being of those of our students who are Gay and Lesbian (this includes those who are Bisexual, Transgendered and Questioning as well) are not forgotten concerns.
     As we face the beginning of another academic year we can avoid possible problems by taking the bold, proactive step of making our policies clear so that there is no doubt within our school community that all students are to be protected from harassment, abuse and bullying regardless of anyone's personal, political or religious beliefs.
    This is something that needs to be made clear and not left up to the assumptions one way or the other as that could put some students at risk either as the victim or even the perpetrator for that matter.
    The proposal made in May for a committee to visit this and its acceptance at that time by the then acting superintendent has yet to be honestly dealt with, and my previous requests to meet to bring you up to speed have gone unanswered.
    Certainly three months is sufficient time to have passed considering the history of this which includes a great deal of stalling and avoidance that has been on going since 1997. Other less important issues than the safety and well being of these students have been more swiftly addressed and with more concern.
    So I am again requesting a meeting to go over documentation that the district has chosen to ignore in spite of repeated requests that it do so  (some of which has been generated by the administrators within the district). Please let me know when such a meeting can be scheduled.
    For the sake of all concerned, especially our GLBT students and their peers, I hope this can take place before school opens.
I look forward once again to hearing from you.

Sincerely

Joseph M. Quigley
NWClassen HS

 

 

(8-10-03)
Tammi Carter
Legal Department
Oklahoma City Public Schools


Dear Ms. Carter
       This past May I was apparently gullibly optimistic when in response to my concern about the District's weak non-discrimination language, you suggested that a committee be formed to revisit the language in question and possibly making it clear that Gay and Lesbian Students were included. Your suggestion was followed by emails to and from various people requesting and accepting the formation of such a committee.
     Then nothing.
     It is as if this matter had no importance, and could be so easily swept aside.
In response to my request that we do not delay in this matter I was told that the new superintendent would need to be brought up to speed, but one has to wonder, as everyone in the district was aware a new superintendent would be in place within weeks of the end of the 2003 academic year, why this was not considered when we met in May and you proposed the committee to the then acting superintendent. Certainly this committee could have met and at the proper time presented its considerations to the new superintendent thus avoiding a delay that affects our students. I am sure there were other matters dealt with before the new superintendent came on board, while he was arriving and soon after he took his position which were handled without the need to bring him up to speed. Certainly the district did not cease to function until he was totally informed on all matters. I have worked on committees in the district in past years and most, if not all of them did their work whether or not the superintendent was kept up to speed with the findings of the committee presented upon completion. The unique treatment this matter received is at best questionable.
     There may have been a number of issues the district needed to deal with, but we as teachers are required to multi-task on a daily basis and can be considered insubordinate if we do not address all of the assigned tasks. This was part of the district's multi-tasking.
     I am aware that to make it clear that Gay and Lesbian students are to be protected just as all others are and that they are to be educated according to their individual needs as the district states in its handbooks is an uphill battle as there are those who feel that their personal, political and religious beliefs take precedence over school policies and the welfare of students, but it is what the district needs to do.
     Over this summer I have requested meetings with the new superintendent, but these requests have gone unacknowledged. You and others at 900 NKlein have received copies of these requests via email.
     So, I am suggesting we put the cards on the table, and I am just going to ask as we enter the new school year:
     Is it permissable to discriminate against Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered students in the Oklahoma City Public School District? If not, why is there such a reluctance to make this known. If permissable, should this not also be made clear?
   I, as a teacher, am going to be required to uphold all district policies, and I am asking for clarification on this one.

Joseph M. Quigley
NWClassen HS
(8-11-03)
As I have contended now since 1997, the Oklahoma City Public School District will go to any length to avoid stating whether or not the sexual orientation of students can be the grounds for discrimination.
As you can see from the response I have received from legal even a transparent dodge will be used to avoid making the statement one way or the other. I asked about discrimination and the response is related to bullying and harassment. There is a difference.


Joe
Our regulations address harassment and bullying and it is not permissible to harass or bully any student and that includes gay students.

Tammy Carter

My inquiry was specifically about discrimination as that was the term used throughout my email Harassment and bullying were not part of my inquiry, nor do those words appear in my email.

This was my response. Perhaps the question I ask will be answered this time.

Joe


Ms. Carter


Thank you for that reply. However, my concern is regarding discrimination which is different from bullying or harassment.
"Is it permissible to discriminate against Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender students?" is the question.
Is it?
Joe

 

(8-11-03)
As you have seen, the district would rather play games to avoid saying whether or not GLBT students are protected from discrimination. Either the district believes they are not and don't want people to see its bigotry, or the students are and it just doesn't want the politicians and fundies to find out. After all, the business of the school district is not to educate students, but to keep politicians and fundies happy. Right?
     I think this basic question, "Is it permissible to discriminate against Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered students in the Oklahoma City Public School District?", is one a lot more people than I should be asking.
   So, let's.
The far right has no problem asking its questions in great numbers. We should be as bold.
I propose that anyone receiving this send this question to the following email addresses:


lllesure@okcps.org .....................Student Services.......................Leslie Lesure
ppowell@okcps.org....................Deputy Superintendent..............Pamela Powell
superintendent@okcps.org ...........Superintendent.........................Bob Moore
ttcarter@okcps.k12.ok.us .............District Legal...........................Tammy Carter
msoto@okcps.org ......................Chief Operations Officer............Manny Soto
jahenderson@okcps.k12.ok.us ....School Community Relations,,,,,Joyce Henderson
                                                       (Joyce is supportive, so this one is optional)

If we all do this and then pass this on to everyone in our address books to follow suit, then they are going to have to answer someone.
It only takes a second to cut and paste, and we really have a right to know the answer, as do the students, their parents, their peers etc.
  Some of us belong to groups like OGLPC and Demolist etc. Its time we acted and our supporters helped.
THANKS
Joe

 

 

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