Another student sues Anoka-Hennepin over anti-LGBT bullying
Wednesday, August 10, 2011 at 3:35 pm
- 7 Comments
A student filed suit against the Anoka-Hennepin School District on Monday alleging that the school district did not do enough to protect her from bullying. Filed by the National Center for Lesbian Rights, the new suit alleges that a lesbian student was repeatedly harassed, both verbally and physically, and that the school undertook disciplinary action against the student instead of her tormentors. The suit follows a similar lawsuit against the district filed in July and brings the number of students suing the school to six.
A student at Jackson Middle School in Champlin, identified in the complaint only as E.R., endured bullying from the first day she transferred to the school as an 8th grader, according to the complaint. She was “subject to severe and pervasive harassment in gym class,” the complaint states. “When E.R. attempted to use the girls’ locker room for the first time, other female students openly mocked her, saying things like, ‘That’s a boy – there’s no boys allowed in here,’ and calling her a ‘he/she.’”
Instead of reprimanding the offending students, the complaint alleges, E.R. was told by school staff that she must change her gym clothes at a separate time as the others students.
“Predictably, further isolating and stigmatizing E.R. served only to increase the harassment,” the complaint contends. “The other students continued to mock her in class, saying that she had to use the locker room separately from other students because she ‘doesn’t know what locker room to use’ and calling her slurs like ‘he/she’ and ‘faggot.’”
The harassment extended beyond gym class to other areas of the school, according to the complaint: School administrators prohibited E.R. from eating lunch with other students and instructed her to walk through the hallways at times when other students were present.
“School officials made clear that these steps were taken as disciplinary measures against E.R., and never suggested that these steps were intended to protect her from harassment,” the court filings state. “In April, school officials cut E.R.’s class schedule to a half day.”
E.R.’s claims are similar to those of five other district students who are suing based on civil rights violations. The lawsuit’s claim that a discriminatory policy based on sexual orientation, dubbed the “neutrality policy,” has hindered staff from addressing anti-LGBT bullying and created an atmosphere that isn’t safe for LGBT students or students perceived to be lesbian, gay, bisexual or transsexual.
“This is yet another incredibly distressing example of how the district’s shameful policy has hurt kids,” NCLR Executive Director Kate Kendell said in a statement. “The district has to stop turning its back on children, and recognize that its illegal policy that singles out those who are LGBT is the reason that so many children in their schools continue to be tormented — verbally, physically, and emotionally — every day.”
Follow Andy Birkey on Twitter7 Comments
Comment posted August 11, 2011 @ 2:21 am
It’s wonderful that legal action is being taken against those who are responsible for perpetuating this untenable situation. LGBT kids deserve to be protected, and the district is not doing that for these children. What is it with these conservative wackos? What part of “protect our children” don’t they understand? Or are their minds so poisoned that they think LGBT kids don’t need or deserve protection from bullying?
Comment posted August 11, 2011 @ 4:24 am
At some point, I would think the community would start really getting angry at the amount of $$ being spent on legal fees. Maybe this is the only way to make people wake up and boot this school board to the curb.
Comment posted August 11, 2011 @ 7:35 am
Can you just imagine if this happened in the work place? PEOPLE WOULD LOSE THEIR JOBS! … so why on earth are we allowing kids to get away with sexual harassment? Kids are there to do a job of learning. I know a little teasing is healthy and part of “The Pecking Order” in species but this is seriously inappropriate. I personally know what it was like being a target of other kids cruelty in high-school back in the 80′s. You feared for you life some days with death threats… not just basic kid teasing. Imagine being forced to go to a collective of cruel kids day after day being teased and threatened… yeah, it’s “Fight or Flight” syndrome and the “Flight” turns into thoughts of suicide. Thank goodness I had a few key adults who got me into therapy to cope with other people’s discrimination and mental dysfunctions of not accepting diversity. Well BRAVO to these kids and to the parents for pushing back. All schools should have a ZERO sexual harassment tolerance policy.
Comment posted August 11, 2011 @ 7:38 am
It’s outrageous that Superintendent Carlson and some parents have been allowed to continue to stigmatize gay students with a demonizing neutrality policy that singles out homosexuality as unfit for their public school curriculum and dangerous to speak about. This bigoted policy puts these students at risk while giving aid and comfort to those who are bullying and gives refuge for those who express their anti-gay feelings at school and at community meetings. The hostilities and ignorance directed at these students by the board and certain parents has established a climate of intolerance and homophobia. The Superintendent and board have fought every effort and advancement to protect these students – and now take credit for them only after being sued, pressured by the community, and in the national media spotlight of scrutiny. They should be removed – they still don’t get it and are a part of the problem. They will continue to be sued until this is managed appropriated.
Comment posted August 11, 2011 @ 11:24 am
My prediction – in less than twenty years, these administrators, Pawlenty, Bachmann, and others who are preaching against LGBT, refusing to protect these children and trying to ban same sex marriage will be thought of in the same way as slave owners and the KKK are thought of now….just because it doesn’t cause direct physical harm, doesn’t mean it can’t cripple someone’s insides for the rest of their life. It is discriminatory and demoralizing – there is no difference.
Comment posted August 11, 2011 @ 4:00 pm
Ann, what makes you think there will be something or anything in the next 20 years.
50 years ago I enjoyed going to a school that actually did something about bullying.
It didn’t matter your race, your sexual proclivities, etc. They just did not tolerate bullying.
Teachers acted like parents (adult parents) and stepped in almost everytime. The other times other students stepped in, imitating the actions and behaviors of the teachers. It is not hard to behave properly. You just need role models and teachers that are willing to be and act like adults. I think they called it manners or etiquette back then. Anyway it disappeared in the 1960′s .
Comment posted August 12, 2011 @ 11:34 am
Other things that disapeared back in the 60,s.
It being OK to beat your wife.
Black people sitting in the back of the bus.
You remember manners. Others remember getting their ass kicked for no reason except the color of their skin.
I certainly do not want to go back to the 60′s but I do agree that teachers need to step in. In the case of this story its sounds as if the teachers advocated the bullying.
I loved my childhood but i sure hated Anoka schools even through the 70′s.
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