Texas

TexasTowelie

(112,202 posts) Thu Dec 5, 2013, 12:25 PM Dec 2013

How a Texas school responded to anti-gay bullying by suppressing the victim’s free speech

Let’s play a game. Read the following little story and then guess where it happened:

A student in a high school tears pages from a “holy book” as a protest. The incident causes considerable outrage from authorities. The fact that he owns the book and no one is injured doesn’t matter; he is suspended from school.

Was this something that happened in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq?

Nope, it was Richland Hills, Texas. The “holy book” was a Bible and the student, Isaiah Smith, was the victim of anti-gay bullying. In protest, he tore the pages from the books of Leviticus and Romans in his Bible.

More at http://www.lonestarq.com/dungeon-diary-north-richland-hills-school-district-violated-isaiah-smiths-free-speech/#more-879 .

Cross-posted in LGBT Group.

5 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

How a Texas school responded to anti-gay bullying by suppressing the victim’s free speech (Original Post) TexasTowelie Dec 2013 OP

One must use critical thinking here. Where did the incident happen? When did it happen? DhhD Dec 2013 #1

Here is the description of the incident... DreamGypsy Dec 2013 #2

Thanks for adding information to the post. DhhD Dec 2013 #3

The article says that the students that were doing the bullying were not cited TexasTowelie Dec 2013 #4

Which time, times and since? It makes a difference if it is a pattern of emotional abuse by DhhD Dec 2013 #5

DhhD

(4,695 posts)

1. One must use critical thinking here. Where did the incident happen? When did it happen?

Reply to TexasTowelie (Original post)

Thu Dec 5, 2013, 01:25 PM

Dec 2013

In my opinion:
Sometimes students cuss outside the building, not to anyone. There is no action taken. Cussing or loud continuing talking or throwing a book on the floor, in class and disrupting the lesson being taught by a teacher, is a disruption that you get sent out of class for. If you go to the Assistant Principal with a written Referral that throwing a book on the floor caused a sever disruption and students refused to go back to the classroom lesson because they were so up set, is grounds for the disrupter to have a conference with the school administration. Cussing out the Administration or tearing up something in the Office, might be grounds for suspension (cannot control yourself) for the rest of the day. Make up work is allowed. It is my understanding that the student choses to be suspended on campus and have the work brought to the On Campus Teacher or off campus if the parent agrees to over-see the school work. Any other dismissal would be through a Hearing.

The parents may file a complaint requesting verbal assault charges against bullies with the Officer on Campus. And the District has to have a, Bully Plan, approved by the Texas Education Agency. Local Police would want to see how the bullies were addressed by the District before formal charges would be filed.

Since the student's name is given, I assume that he is 17 or 18 years old and can make decisions himself. I believe that it was up to him to stay for on-campus suspension or off-campus suspension for the rest of the day.

DreamGypsy

(2,252 posts)

2. Here is the description of the incident...

Reply to DhhD (Reply #1)

Thu Dec 5, 2013, 02:08 PM

Dec 2013

...as described in the complaint filed by the Appignani Humanist Legal Center on behalf of Isiah Smith. Presumably these are the events as perceived by Smith and other parties involved will/may recount a different story.

On Monday, October 28, Isaiah brought his Bible to school in response to the anti-gay bullying he frequently endures from his classmates. The bullies repeatedly told Isaiah, a fellow Christian, that being gay is a sin, that gays go to hell, and that he too would go to hell. Isaiah brought his Bible to school to show the bullies why he did not believe it condemns gay persons. Isaiah believes that the Bible is a tool that Christians are suppose to use, so that they can be guided spiritually, physically, mentally and psychologically.

As soon as Isaiah began getting bullied by classmates in his first period class on Monday, he reached for his Bible and tore out the pages containing the book of Leviticus among other scriptures. Moments later, the assistant principal, Glenn Serviente, told Isaiah to follow him to his office. Isaiah told the assistant principal about the bullying. Serviente, citing Tinker v. Des Moines School District, told Isaiah that tearing the Bible, but oddly not the bullying he had to endure, creates a disruption. Isaiah responded, stating he would not tear the Bible at school in the future but asked if he could carry it. Serviente said that he could carry the Bible, so long as he did not tear it. He made Isaiah stay in his office until the school bell rang.

Isaiah carried the torn Bible in his hand the remainder of the day without any disruption. He continued to carry the same Bible on Tuesday without any resulting disruption. However, when Isaiah brought the same book to school on Wednesday, also without any resulting disruption, the assistant principal called Isaiah into his office and immediately began to reprimand him. He asked Isaiah, “how would Muslims feel if a student was tearing up the Qur-an?” and then told him he was suspended. He then demanded Isaiah to give him the book. Isaiah said no, informing Serviente that he did not tear the Bible since being told on Monday that he could not do so. The assistant principal clarified that Isaiah was suspended for merely carrying a ripped Bible at school. He then reached for Isaiah’s Bible without his permission and slammed it on his desk. First he said Isaiah was suspended from school for the remainder of the day, but then changed his mind and told Isaiah he was suspended for three days. He also confiscated Isaiah’s Bible.

Apparently, both the acts of 'bullying' and the response of tearing pages occurred in a classroom setting. IF one accepts the events as reported in the complaint, then (IMHO) critical thinking points to a real discrimination against Smith by the school personnel.

DhhD

(4,695 posts)

3. Thanks for adding information to the post.

Reply to DreamGypsy (Reply #2)

Thu Dec 5, 2013, 10:52 PM

Dec 2013

Sounds like multiple people were talking disruptively which lead to frustration and neurotic acting out (tearing paper) as a defense mechanism (thankfully not suicide). What was said does matter. Has anyone found out what kind of action was taken against the other Students? They should be subject to tougher consequences each time they bullied someone (see the Secondary Student Handbook-Code of Conduct).

I am guessing that all religious Groups/Gangs chanting Verses, have be dismissed if there were any.

TexasTowelie

(112,202 posts)

4. The article says that the students that were doing the bullying were not cited

Reply to DhhD (Reply #3)

Thu Dec 5, 2013, 11:13 PM

Dec 2013

for being disruptive and no action was taken against those students for harassment.

DhhD

(4,695 posts)

5. Which time, times and since? It makes a difference if it is a pattern of emotional abuse by

Reply to TexasTowelie (Reply #4)

Thu Dec 5, 2013, 11:54 PM

Dec 2013

adults or an adult. How about last year and the years before? He is an older student I assume. Maybe it is not known by any of us, but it is alright to inquire. (I am detail oriented and I do not like to assume.) Thanks for your post. It is just fine. I am the one worried over it, perhaps it should just be let go. Thanks for your time and diligence.

Reply to this discussion