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Openly Gay Student Defends Teacher at School Board Meeting

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    Uh, my father is Kirk Taylor; he's a teacher at Heartland...
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    ...and he tells me about things that go on in this area, and it seems...
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    ...like a nice community.
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    I, myself, am gay, and I'm a young person, and that can cause lots of trouble.
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    And when you hear of things like Dr. King's speech: that one day he wanted...
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    ...his grandchildren, his posterity, to not be judged upon the color of their skin...
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    ...but by the content of their character, I hope that one day, we too can be...
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    ...judged on the content of our character, and not who we love.
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    How old is the Headquarters for the Klu Klux Klan?
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    Does that really sound great on your racism record?
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    The fact that they chose this city to come into...
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    And you probably want to get rid of them, and so how would you like more headlines...
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    ...of 'Howell Denies Gays' or 'Howell Doesn't Protect Them?'
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    This teacher, whom I fully support, finally stood up and said something.
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    I have been in rooms, in classrooms, where children have said the worst kinds of things.
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    The kinds of things that helped drive me to a suicide attempt when I was only...
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    ...nine years old.
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    These are things that hurt a lot.
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    There's a silent holocaust out there, in which an estimated six million gay people...
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    ...every year kill themselves.
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    Is this really the environment we want for our school?
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    Do we really want this on our record?
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    Now, I'm saying that the best thing you can do right now...
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    ...is just, give him his pay for that day, and just reverse the disciplinary actions.
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    He did an amazing thing. He did something that's inspired a lot of people.
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    And whenever, EVER, I have a teacher stand up for me like that...
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    ...they change, in my eyes.
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    I support Jay McDowell, and I hope you do, too.
Title:
Openly Gay Student Defends Teacher at School Board Meeting
Video Language:
English
Duration:
01:44

English subtitles

Revisions