High school newspaper column sparks controversy
http://dervishcom.blogspot.com/2012/01/high-school-newspaper-column-sparks.html
SHAWANO, Wis. -- A gay couple with school-age children is outraged over a column in a local high school newspaper that cites Bible passages and calls homosexuality a sin punishable by death.
The column ran on the editorial page of Shawano High School's Hawks Post recently as part of an opinion package about gay families who adopt children. There was an opposing column saying sexual orientation does not determine a person's ability to raise kids.
"This is why kids commit suicide," said Nick Uttecht, who is raising four children with his partner, Michael McNelly.
Uttecht told school district officials he thinks the piece opposing gays as parents is hateful and should not have run. He worries the strong language will hurt his children and could lead students to bully gay classmates.
School officials apologized and said they will review the process for editing and producing the paper.
"Offensive articles cultivating a negative environment of disrespect are not appropriate or condoned by the Shawano School District," district Superintendent Todd Carlson said in a written statement.
According to the 2010 U.S. Census, of 17,019 households in Shawano County, 82 were same-sex households, and nearly half reported children in the home. In Wisconsin, 13,630 out of 2.28 million households in 2010 were same-sex, and 5,978 of those households had children.
A step back?
The student newspaper column against same-sex couples says: "If one is a practicing Christian, Jesus states in the Bible that homosexuality is (a) detestable act and sin which makes adopting wrong for homosexuals because you would be raising the child in a sin-filled environment."
"A child adopted into homosexuality will get confused because everyone else will have two different-gendered parents that can give them the correct amount of motherly nurturing and fatherly structure. In a Christian society, allowing homosexual couples to adopt is an abomination."
Uttecht said his 13-year-old son, Tanner, who is in eighth grade, saw the article and asked about it.
"When I saw this I was in shock," said Uttecht, who is raising four children, three who are his biological kids and the biological daughter of his partner. Three are in the Shawano school system, the youngest is 4.
"I talked to the school superintendent; he said he was shocked," Uttecht said.
Carlson told the Green Bay Press-Gazette "appropriate steps are being taken" to remedy the situation, but did not provide details.
He sent the following written statement:
"The Shawano School District would like to apologize for a recent article printed in the Hawks Post newspaper. Proper judgment that reflects school district policies needs to be exercised with articles printed in our school newspaper. Offensive articles cultivating a negative environment of disrespect are not appropriate or condoned by the Shawano School District. We sincerely apologize to anyone we may have offended and are taking steps to prevent items of this nature from happening in the future."
Uttecht said he's worried about the lasting impact of the column.
"I'm worried about how this is going to affect my kids," said Uttecht, who also is an elected member of the Menominee Indian Head Start Policy Council. "And I'm worried how gay students in school will be treated. It took me a long time to come out, and I think this just really sets things back by being so close-minded. This sets things back 20 or 30 years."
"I know there are at least three openly gay families in the district, there's probably more. What effect is this going to have on my kids? And how are other people going to react?"
Free speech
David Hudson of the Washington, D.C.-based advocacy group First Amendment Center said the column may be distasteful to some, but the student journalists were practicing their constitutional right to free speech.
"I hope they won't squash any political viewpoints because of this," he said.
"Bullying is a serious concern, and I don't take it lightly. But I hope it doesn't lead to squashing different viewpoints. I do think (gay adoption) is an issue people are deeply divided about. Hopefully, student journalists don't have to fear they'll be squashed if they take a controversial view."
Editors and advisers have the job of toning down language if it is too sensational, Hudson said.
"Freedom of speech includes speech about religious viewpoints," Hudson said. "If you took that away, it could be seen as discrimination. Someone could have an atheist opinion, and that's OK, too."
"Any controversial issue is a lightning rod for censorship."
Although students have the right to voice their opinion, it doesn't mean they should say it in a school paper, said Christine Smith, assistant professor of psychology, human development and women's studies at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.
"High school students are at a time in their life when they are developing intellectually and socially," she said. "To see something like this debated in the paper could be devastating. How would you feel if someone said your family is abnormal, is not acceptable, that your parents never should have been allowed to have you, that they're not suitable to raise you?"
"Of course, it's got to be harmful. Kids this age are so worried about discovering who they are and what they are. To have them told their family is immoral and not suitable has to be devastating. To be told by your peers, people you see in the hallways, these people who clearly have passed judgment."
She hopes something good comes from Shawano's situation.
"Sometimes it can be motivational," she said. "People can see there is a need for action and it sparks them to do something."
The column ran on the editorial page of Shawano High School's Hawks Post recently as part of an opinion package about gay families who adopt children. There was an opposing column saying sexual orientation does not determine a person's ability to raise kids.
"This is why kids commit suicide," said Nick Uttecht, who is raising four children with his partner, Michael McNelly.
Uttecht told school district officials he thinks the piece opposing gays as parents is hateful and should not have run. He worries the strong language will hurt his children and could lead students to bully gay classmates.
School officials apologized and said they will review the process for editing and producing the paper.
"Offensive articles cultivating a negative environment of disrespect are not appropriate or condoned by the Shawano School District," district Superintendent Todd Carlson said in a written statement.
According to the 2010 U.S. Census, of 17,019 households in Shawano County, 82 were same-sex households, and nearly half reported children in the home. In Wisconsin, 13,630 out of 2.28 million households in 2010 were same-sex, and 5,978 of those households had children.
A step back?
The student newspaper column against same-sex couples says: "If one is a practicing Christian, Jesus states in the Bible that homosexuality is (a) detestable act and sin which makes adopting wrong for homosexuals because you would be raising the child in a sin-filled environment."
"A child adopted into homosexuality will get confused because everyone else will have two different-gendered parents that can give them the correct amount of motherly nurturing and fatherly structure. In a Christian society, allowing homosexual couples to adopt is an abomination."
Uttecht said his 13-year-old son, Tanner, who is in eighth grade, saw the article and asked about it.
"When I saw this I was in shock," said Uttecht, who is raising four children, three who are his biological kids and the biological daughter of his partner. Three are in the Shawano school system, the youngest is 4.
"I talked to the school superintendent; he said he was shocked," Uttecht said.
Carlson told the Green Bay Press-Gazette "appropriate steps are being taken" to remedy the situation, but did not provide details.
He sent the following written statement:
"The Shawano School District would like to apologize for a recent article printed in the Hawks Post newspaper. Proper judgment that reflects school district policies needs to be exercised with articles printed in our school newspaper. Offensive articles cultivating a negative environment of disrespect are not appropriate or condoned by the Shawano School District. We sincerely apologize to anyone we may have offended and are taking steps to prevent items of this nature from happening in the future."
Uttecht said he's worried about the lasting impact of the column.
"I'm worried about how this is going to affect my kids," said Uttecht, who also is an elected member of the Menominee Indian Head Start Policy Council. "And I'm worried how gay students in school will be treated. It took me a long time to come out, and I think this just really sets things back by being so close-minded. This sets things back 20 or 30 years."
"I know there are at least three openly gay families in the district, there's probably more. What effect is this going to have on my kids? And how are other people going to react?"
Free speech
David Hudson of the Washington, D.C.-based advocacy group First Amendment Center said the column may be distasteful to some, but the student journalists were practicing their constitutional right to free speech.
"I hope they won't squash any political viewpoints because of this," he said.
"Bullying is a serious concern, and I don't take it lightly. But I hope it doesn't lead to squashing different viewpoints. I do think (gay adoption) is an issue people are deeply divided about. Hopefully, student journalists don't have to fear they'll be squashed if they take a controversial view."
Editors and advisers have the job of toning down language if it is too sensational, Hudson said.
"Freedom of speech includes speech about religious viewpoints," Hudson said. "If you took that away, it could be seen as discrimination. Someone could have an atheist opinion, and that's OK, too."
"Any controversial issue is a lightning rod for censorship."
Although students have the right to voice their opinion, it doesn't mean they should say it in a school paper, said Christine Smith, assistant professor of psychology, human development and women's studies at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.
"High school students are at a time in their life when they are developing intellectually and socially," she said. "To see something like this debated in the paper could be devastating. How would you feel if someone said your family is abnormal, is not acceptable, that your parents never should have been allowed to have you, that they're not suitable to raise you?"
"Of course, it's got to be harmful. Kids this age are so worried about discovering who they are and what they are. To have them told their family is immoral and not suitable has to be devastating. To be told by your peers, people you see in the hallways, these people who clearly have passed judgment."
She hopes something good comes from Shawano's situation.
"Sometimes it can be motivational," she said. "People can see there is a need for action and it sparks them to do something."
