Think Outside the Closet

I know we are supposed to reflect on what we have discussed in class but I hope that this illuminates what I have learned so far from our past seessions. We are emotional creatures, conflict can be good, how we react to issues, and even how just the power of one voice can create change. I am also aware that this is a technology class and I want to keep that lesson in mind as well. What I was moved to speak on today was the recent suicides and deaths of gay students this past week. Not only is the LGBT community a taboo topic in many schools and universities but it takes an event like this to gain national attention. Who knows, even with these deaths the topic again may be swept back into the closet. As leaders we must be aware of the needs of our students and give them an outlet or someone that they can trust. The use of technology in the recent suicide also brings up the question of how can technology be monitored and elevates bullying to an entirely different level. How are we teaching this generation to use the power at their fingertips for good? How can we then use this technology to teach these lessons as well?

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/10/rutgers_student_tyler_clementi_4.html


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C85QQTXAtnY&feature=related

Here is also an example of how technology can help people through something like this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTVXEDTW9pY

Also, looking into conflict...how conflicted are you to even discuss a topic such as this in your classroom or the people that you work with. Thinking about the struggles of the LGBT community how do administrators deal with trying to handle the concerns of the students they interact with, but also feel the heat from outside forces or parents that may be against even talking about LGBT issues. How does our fight or flight mechanism play into a scenario like this?