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		Joe Quigley's news from NW Classen: April 26, 2001xxxx

(Posted 4-26-01)

    As you will recall, my principal’s major objections to positive information or lists that contain the names of Gay and Lesbian people who have contributed to society in a positive way ( and knowing these people exist and the number of them could make the difference in the lives of Gay and Lesbian students and in the attitudes of their straight peers) has been the appearance of “promoting the homosexual life-style” and the contention that as we do not promote or teach about heterosexual life-styles or any other for that matter, it is wrong to single out Gay and Lesbian people.
    Today the following announcement was taped up throughout the halls of NWClassen. You will notice that (and I am copying verbatim) there is no listed name of the sponsor of the event, nor is there a signature of the principal which would indicate that the signs were posted in accordance with established policy, even the one addressed to all faculty and staff and of which I remain the soul possessor.

The National Day of Prayer
“One Nation Under God”
“Bringing NWC to it’s knees!”
Thursday, May 3, 2001
Gather around the flagpole at 7 a.m.
See you there

       In light of the words, actions and attitudes expressed by the various administrators at NWC, I wrote the following memo on April 25, 2001, and was in the office when the principal picked it up out of his in-box.

Mr. Davis:
     As I have been accused of “promoting” a “life-style”; as this accusation actually figured into my official evaluation for the 2000-2001 school year; as students were removed from my classroom based on such an accusation which was tacitly agreed to by the supportive response to these alleged complaints; as at every meeting at which you have objected to my practice of supplying students with the names of positive Gay and Lesbian role-models (and if the lists have been long, impressing on all the shear number of them) you have objected to what you term “promotimg” some imagined monolithic Gay Life-style; and as you have constantly stated no life-styles are promoted at NWC over another, I bring your attention to this recruitment poster.
    I do not see your signature okaying its being in the halls, so I am assuming the memo of September 14, 2000 is either being ignored and the assumption made that this life-style is the dominant, supported one, or it is not being universally applied,
                         ( the above poster was attached)

This is a quick update, and I will let you know what, and if there is a reply, and what if any action is taken.
As a Boston Irish Catholic, former altar boy (in the heady days of the latin mass right through to the reforms of the ecumenical council of the early sixties and its english vernacular liturgies), former seminarian and "sunday school" teacher who was heavily involved in church activities and who still annually participates in the Christmas mid-night mass as a bass in the church choir, travelling half the continent to do so (and at one time the whole continent) and whose family remains extremely active in the church, I find it ironic that in order to advocate for the equal rights of Gay and Lesbian students to get positive information and be exposed to positive role-models I have to monitor the aggrssive activities of those who claim the world as theirs because they are in the majority, and who make religion their tool.
    What is one to do?

     joe quigley

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