I expect simple behaviours here. Friendship, and love. Any advice should be from the perspective of the person asking, not the person giving! We have had to make new membership moderated to combat the huge number of spammers who register
Location: US/Canada
Registered: September 2009
Messages: 733
Oakleigh Reed received the most votes for homecoming king at Mona Shores High School in Muskegon, Mich
The transgender teen, who friends call "Oak," let the school community know he was running for homecoming king on Facebook.
The honors student quickly became the leading candidate.
But then last Monday the principal called the 17-year-old into her office.
"They told me that they took me off because they had to invalidate all of my votes because I'm enrolled at Mona Shores as a female," Oakleigh told Wood TV.
Teachers use him, his, and he when referring to Oakleigh in class. The school has allowed him to wear a tuxedo when marching with the band at football games and he has been given permission to wear the male robe and cap at graduation.
But the district feels the homecoming race is different. Assistant Superintendent Todd Geerlings told Wood TV, "The ballots gave two choices -- vote for a boy for king and a girl for queen."
Outraged Mona Shores students created a Facebook group called Oak Is Our King. People all over the country--from Nashville, Tenn., to Seattle Wash., and the world (from the U.K. to Barcelona, Spain) are writing in with support and love.
Autumn Frampton writes on the page's wall: "Support from phoenix errorzona."
Lee Bernhang makes the case that the school administrators are acting unfairly: "With all the stories you see about bullying in school and how kids are picked on, here's a kid who is a little different who is actively involved in his school and accepted by enough of his peers to be voted homecoming king! This should have been an amazing example of how far the world has come in advancing equality for everyone in this country, and instead the school administrators ruined it. Shame on you, you should all be fired! There are kids dying over in Iraq for us to live free in the the US, and you do this? Amazing. Your ignorance is astounding. Look at the kid, he walks like a boy, talks like a boy thinks like a boy, and acts like a boy. He's not hurting anyone, he's just being him. WAKE UP AMERICA."
Mona Shores has already crowned its king so it's too late for the school to reverse its decision. But the Facebook page founders are encouraging Mona Shores students to wear "Oak is my King" T-shirts on October 1 to show administrators that they made a discriminatory decision. "Either make one yourself or ask for the design at the T-shirt store across from Blockbuster," the instructions read on the Facebook page.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is reportedly considering taking on this case, and Oakleigh told Wood TV that he'd talk with them.
What do you think? Did Mona Shores administrators unfairly strip Oak of the homecoming king crown?
However I think it's great that the school has done what it has for him so far. The use of male pronouns, permitting male attire, etc.
I guess the school admin thought that those things don't impact other students as much as allowing him to compete against other males in a competition. The runner up might feel they should have won. Which is stupid, but possibly why the school decided to act this way.
I'm more inclined to forgive the lapse in judgement because of how kindly the school has treated Oak in the past. But it is the lapse of judgement nonetheless.
I just think we should see the positives in the story as much as the negative. Partial recognition for transgendered teens is a hell of a lot better than no recognition.
Look at this tree. I cannot make it blossom when it suits me nor make it bear fruit before its time [...] No matter what you do, that seed will grow to be a peach tree. You may wish for an apple or an orange, but you will get a peach.
Master Oogway
Location: U.S.
Registered: November 2009
Messages: 630
Unfortunately the administration of this school have lost the edge, and ignored the positive message they could send to all students.
I give a nod to all the students and teachers at the school who allow Oakleigh to be himself. They send the right message and it is grand to see the level of acceptance he has revceived.
Gender identity is a personal matter, a place that should make school officials pause and realize this action has nothing to do with their role as educators. I'd say they get an "F" for their attitude and actions.
At least Oakleigh has the encouragement of his peers when so many LGBT students don't, a lucky boy.
Age appears to be best in four things; old wood best to burn, old wine to drink, old friends to trust, and old authors to read. (Sir Francis Bacon 1561-1626)
Location: USA
Registered: August 2007
Messages: 297
More then often the school admin. steps in when the matter was not theirs to chose. The voting is done by the students, not to be re-directed by school officials because they don't like it.
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School Robs Teen Of Homecoming King Title 
Re: Unfair and inconsistent... 
