Tweet
Middle School Boys Suspended After Masturbating During Class While Watching Porn On There Phones To See If They Were Gay
[WSHH]wshhK73LW808mHuknsk9[/WSHH]
The incident that led to the suspension of nine seventh-graders at Bell Middle School in May after watching pornography in class began as a sexual orientation test created by students, according to written accounts.
Multiple students reported being asked if they had passed the “gay test” in watching particular videos on their cell phones.
Patti Boman of Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays said news of the test is disturbing.
“I was thinking we were getting better and that’s why we go out and speak in schools. This is news to me and this gives me chills. It is terrible,” said Boman, part of the team which helped craft the district’s anti-harassment policy. “They use that to attack and intimidate.”
San Diego Unified School District officials did not respond to requests for comment Friday, and have declined to discuss what went on at Bell, in Paradise Hills.
The Watchdog reviewed written testimonials from 22 students. Their accounts said students in the all-boys English class wore gym shorts and watched certain videos in class. Whoever became aroused was labeled gay. Children masturbated openly in class, according to the statements, and peers complained of inaction by the teacher.
“I am very disappointed,” said San Diego County Office of Education board member John Witt, who represents the area. “I am very distressed about it and I wish there was something I can do about it,” he said, noting he does not have jurisdiction in the city schools.
San Diego schools have a record of inclusion on gay issues.
The district banned Boy Scout activities from its campuses in 1993, saying the organization discriminates against homosexuals. In 2011, board members unanimously approved a policy against bullying, harassment and intimidation, which included discrimination based on sexual orientation.
Superintendent Bill Kowba was honored with a leadership award for the policy and the district’s efforts to combat the bullying of gay youth at San Diego’s Harvey Milk Diversity Breakfast a month later in May 2011.
At the 2011 board meeting in which the district policy was passed, Kevin Beiser, the district’s first openly gay board member, shared his experiences.
“The taunting, getting beat up in the locker room — these episodes are so powerful at destroying children’s lives,” Beiser said at the time. “We have to stand up for those children’s lives. You cannot turn a blind eye when you observe bullying of your students at your school.”
Beiser declined to comment on Friday.
After the incident, district officials said teacher Ed Johnson remained employed and had no change in his schedule. He is not on a list of 1,534 teachers being laid off because of budget cuts. He has not responded to requests for comment.
District officials declined to say whether any personnel action was pending, but union representative William Daniel is trying to rally support for Johnson.
"We wish to support him as his friends," said Daniel, a special education teacher. "This is not a union action."
Source: utsandiego.com