'Anti-Gay Day' Students Made 'Lynch List,' Hung Noose

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

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A group of students at a suburban Pittsburgh high school have made national headlines for organizing an "Anti-Gay Day." The event happened last Thursday in response to other students at McGuffey High School observing a Day of Silence for dead lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people. The students who organized the Anti-Gay Day wore matching flannel shirts, wrote "anti-gay" on their hands, and reportedly hung homophobic posters on LGBT students' lockers. Arguably more disturbing: They passed out a "lynch list" of students who participated in the Day of Silence, and tied a noose to a flag in a classroom, according to BuzzFeed.

One student recalled the scene to local reporters. "Yesterday, there was pushing, posters hung on homosexual students' lockers," Zoe Johnson, a bisexual student at McGuffey, told news reporters on Friday. "Teachers were having to run out and take them down." Johnson also said the so-called anti-gay students uploaded Bible verses to social media and tagged their LGBT classmates.

The Day of Silence was organized with the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network. Johnson estimated that between 30 and 50 students participated. Kathy Cameron, chair of the board of directors of the Washington County, Pennsylvania, Gay Straight Alliance, toldBuzzFeed that the Day of Silence was a touching event. "They had a very silent, respectful day of action," Cameron said. "And then they came to school on Thursday to an organized backlash." She added: "The instigators, the bullies, seemed very proud of their efforts, and posted many smiling pictures online."

[Dakine10 5,452]

It's a strange logic that responds to anti-discrimination with pro-discrimination and tries to find some level of equivalence or justification. If you take an event against bullies personally, that's a good indication you probably are one. Their parents must be proud.

Edited April 22, 2015 by Dakine10

[Aleks&Hajji 1]

My question is what sort of disciplinary action will this school take against these kids?

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

It's a strange logic that responds to anti-discrimination with pro-discrimination and tries to find some level of equivalence or justification. If you take an event against bullies personally, that's a good indication you probably are one. Their parents must be proud.

You see it on here quite a lot to be honest. Repeated calls for a White History Month, how Christians are being persecuted because they experience negative social consequences for being prejudiced towards gays.

Some self described conservatives view themselves as victims. Not sure what they are supposed to be victims of, they probably don't either.

[Dakine10 5,452]

You see it on here quite a lot to be honest. Repeated calls for a White History Month, how Christians are being persecuted because they experience negative social consequences for being prejudiced towards gays.

Some self described conservatives view themselves as victims. Not sure what they are supposed to be victims of, they probably don't either.

Yeah, it made me think of that. It's a strange sentiment for someone who's essentially ahead in the game to be compalining about the rule's being unfair.

[Dakine10 5,452]

My question is what sort of disciplinary action will this school take against these kids?

At worst they'll do nothing and at best they're not going to make that information public. The school did say the media reporting was disproportionate.

April 21, 2015 - McGuffey High School

As the district works to investigate all allegations and maintain a safe learning environment for all children, inaccuracies reported by media are embellishing the situation. McGuffey School District did not authorize an “anti-gay day.” A small group of students, not the hundreds that some reports inflated, exercised their rights as citizens to express their viewpoints. Readers and viewers picked up part of the story from news media, allowed emotion to cloud judgement, and initiated a large-scale campaign against our district, individual students, and individual employees. Please remember that our children see the example of all adults, and some comments posted on news blogs, social media communications, and newspapers embody the very harassing and bullying components that we are trying to address.

The district did authorize the McGuffey High School Gay-Straight Alliance Club (GSA) to participate in the GLSEN’s “Day of Silence” activity on Wednesday, April 15, 2015. This day of silence was to “raise awareness of the silencing effect of anti-LGBT bullying, harassment, and discrimination” (www.glsen.org). While each day of silence activity holds different significance, the GSA is not the first club to observe a day of silence in McGuffey School District. Other groups have observed similar activities in our district to raise awareness for their cause and have followed the same procedures as GSA. Again, the rumored lynch list reported in media failed to surface during our school and criminal investigations. Students on both sides of this issue are working with administrators and school police to ensure a safe learning environment at McGuffey High School. Several communications requested information about “what is being done to punish these students?” Please understand that federal law prohibits the release of student information of this nature, and we will work diligently to maintain student confidentiality. This situation has brought to light the impact of conflicting viewpoints. Our focus is on education and its role in helping students of differing viewpoints coexist in a safe, positive learning environment. The district is working to address students’ concerns by providing counseling services for those who request it, reviewing our district policies associated with bullying/cyberbullying and unlawful harassment, and assessing the cultural needs of our student body. We humbly request that those outside our school system allow us to do our jobs, and focus on a safe, stable learning environment for all children

[Janelle2002 3,865]

A day for observing the dead and making an anti-gay day are two completely separate things. One group is promoting discrimination. They should be shut down.

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

It's a strange logic that responds to anti-discrimination with pro-discrimination and tries to find some level of equivalence or justification. If you take an event against bullies personally, that's a good indication you probably are one. Their parents must be proud.

You see it on here quite a lot to be honest. Repeated calls for a White History Month, how Christians are being persecuted because they experience negative social consequences for being prejudiced towards gays.

Some self described conservatives view themselves as victims. Not sure what they are supposed to be victims of, they probably don't either.

That seems to be the new thing these days. There's a percentage of folks that seem to be upset that these minority groups are getting all the attention. The protected class and all that #######. By some accounts here, all Janelle and I have to do is cry racism and we could be CEO's in a matter of moments.

[Janelle2002 3,865]

That seems to be the new thing these days. There's a percentage of folks that seem to be upset that these minority groups are getting all the attention. The protected class and all that #######. By some accounts here, all Janelle and I have to do is cry racism and we could be CEO's in a matter of moments.

Still waiting on my promotion.

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

Still waiting on my promotion.

Oh, I forgot to give you the instructions. Just say you're being discriminated against. You'll get a couple million of dollars AND they'll promote you. No burden of proof or anything. Let me know how it works out for you

[Janelle2002 3,865]

Oh, I forgot to give you the instructions. Just say you're being discriminated against. You'll get a couple million of dollars AND they'll promote you. No burden of proof or anything. Let me know how it works out for you

You mean you haven't tried it yet? How do you know it works?

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

You mean you haven't tried it yet? How do you know it works?

Because people here says that's how it works. Duh!

[OnMyWayID 1,489]

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One student recalled the scene to local reporters. "Yesterday, there was pushing, posters hung on homosexual students' lockers," Zoe Johnson, a bisexual student at McGuffey, told news reporters on Friday. "Teachers were having to run out and take them down." Johnson also said the so-called anti-gay students uploaded Bible verses to social media and tagged their LGBT classmates.

I was not sure I believed the article until I hit that sentence.. That's where it all made sense to me....

[Janelle2002 3,865]

I was not sure I believed the article until I hit that sentence.. That's where it all made sense to me....

Yep, religious nut wings will do things like this.

[JohnR! 5,495]

Isn't it fascinating how these people will go through great lengths and read the bible in order to find justification for their hatred and bigotry?

I'm sure the irony is lost on them...

I was not sure I believed the article until I hit that sentence.. That's where it all made sense to me....

Edited April 22, 2015 by JohnR!