Republican Demands Resignation of Obama's Safe Schools Official

Published October 16, 2009 @ 07:09AM PT

Republicans are demanding the resignation of someone Education Secretary Arne Duncan called "uniquely qualified for his job." Kevin Jennings, who is charged with promoting school safety is being targeted due to his sexuality, with the Republican Steve King leading the campaign saying “These are people on the fringe. And I think it is likely that there are others out there that are part of this administration."

And this is the problem: King isn't interested in Jennings' ability to do the job of making our schools safe, but simply spouts the vague Us Vs Them sort of bigotry that the Office of Safe and Drug Free Schools is working to end. Indeed: "The only thing Jennings is guilty of is trying to make schools safer for children," with 90% of LGBT students having experienced bullying in the past year, explains Joe Mirabella for the Seattle PI.

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What? There are bigoted politicians using their elected authority to enforce their way of thinking and behaving on a confused constituency? When did that happen? Someone notify the media... get me Glenn Beck or Rush Limbaugh!

Posted by Fred Frankenberg on 10/16/2009 @ 08:29AM PT
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The article says "To some, Mr. Jennings's efforts to combat bias sound like encouraging homosexuality."

Beyond the fact that you cannot be encouraged to be what you are not, isn't the goal of the bullying to discourage you from being what you are?

True, Jennings should not have been tolerant of sex between an adult and minor but that doesn't diminish his point. If Steve King is going to disparage Jennings' argument and character based on this episode or fear of "encouraging" kids to become homosexual, then we need to question how such an ignorant and vicious person can serve in Congress.

I'll grant that King may represent the mainstream in the backwater that is Iowa but, bring him to the coasts where most of the US really lives and he'd find it quite different.

We have to stop listening to or caring what Republicans think and let them sit on their Heartland porches, shotguns in hand, while we engage in commerce with the civilized world.

Posted by Harold Lewis on 10/16/2009 @ 09:27AM PT
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Steve King is an intolerant conservative who has an incorrect view of LGBT rights. Steve King spews nonsense because the Education Secretary calls Kevin Jennings a qualified person for that position. Steve King's and other Republicans calling for the resignation of Kevin Jennings because of supporting tolerance for LGBT students in schools shows their stupidity. Steve King should leave sexual orientation up to girls and boys, but tolerance for LGBT students is necessary.

Posted by Edwin Bonilla on 10/17/2009 @ 08:52PM PT
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The rallying call against promotion of safety in schools for what is currently known as the most endangered minority only serves as a warning for those who can speak out to be sure to not only speak out, but shout from the rafters, write snail mail postcards to their senators and congress members, and otherwise make the weight of the argument for both safety and de-marginalization of any given minority a priority.

Another note to those reading this article: writing directly, letting your associations be clearly marked on your letters, and notifying your elected leaders that your votes shall depend on *their* votes will lend credence to your statements.

Notifying others via email, phone, and any available mode of communication will also allow others to chime in on your voice,your votes, your Message.

This world is getting scarier and scarier for kids, let alone for kids who are marginalized - smaller percentages of living, breathing, human beings who are too young to vote are oftentimes left in a position of having no political voice.

I write this as a Christian, straight, married woman; biological mother of two straight sons, committed to a war against abuse - any abuse.

Posted by Maxine Mesko on 10/20/2009 @ 03:40AM PT
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