School hallways and classrooms can feel like war zones for some teens. Pushing. Taunting. Whispering. It can be almost unbearable for those caught in the destructive cycle of bullying.
Although bullying strikes students of every stripe, it’s particularly prevalent among gay teens. The tormenting can be so severe that some LGBT kids throw away their academic lives entirely by dropping out of school to escape mean-spirited peers.
But here’s an interesting trend in the academic world: Specialty schools for gay students. See what you think. There’s a story in USA Today about an Arizona program that aims to give LGBT kids a chance to earn their diplomas in a more supportive environment. The program is called “Q High.” Although young, it appears to be helping kids get back on track after their educations have been derailed by bullying.
You’ve find this great quote in the story by Stephen Russell, a University of Arizona professor who studies the health and development of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youths: “In a perfect world, we wouldn’t need a separate school, but until we can get rid of homophobia, I think we are still going to need special environments.”
Interesting approach. Unfortunately, those programs are only treating the symptoms of a problem we need to resolve on a more universal level: Bullying. It doesn’t matter who is being targeted, it has got to stop.