SCHOOL FILM BY DEBRA CHASNOFF TEACHES TOLERANCE
Sponsored link.
Source: Article by Beth Warren from the TENNESSEAN, a state paper for
Tennessee. More information on the conference described below can be obtained from:
http://www.mtsu.edu/~mtlambda/selgb.html
A film has been produced to train teachers of grade 1 through 8 classes on how
to teach tolerance to their students. The movie was directed by Debra Chasnoff,
an Academy Award-winning documentary filmmaker from San Francisco. She
said: "We made this film to help open up the dialogue in this country
about whether and how we should be addressing this issue in elementary
classrooms ... and to counter mass information and hysteria of the
Religious Right." She feels that violence against gays and lesbians,
and the high suicide rate among homosexuals are reasons why tolerance
should be taught in the schools. The movie shows class discussions about
homosexuality in classrooms in several states. First graders read
Heather has Two Mommies, while students in Grade 8 discussed
same-sex marriage. The movie is being actively discussed among North
American educators.
It was first shown in the American Southeast at an Atlanta GA gay and
lesbian film festival. Its will be screened again on 1997-FEB-15 at the
Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU). The 6th Annual Southeastern
Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual College Conference, called "And Liberty
For All, will arrange a viewing for legislators, school board members,
teachers and other educators.
Michael Grantham, member of MTSU's Lambda Association of gay, lesbian, and
bisexual students, faculty and staff said: "It's a hot-button issue. I can hear
it now: 'Oh, they want to teach homosexuality to elementary students'...Tolerance -
not homosexuality - is the key issue."
Scott Link, president of MTSU's Baptist Student Union, was
undecided about the movie. He said: "It's an interesting dilemma...On one hand,
if you don't discuss it, you might have someone who thinks it's OK to take a
baseball bat to someone who is different...But you have to be very
careful that you don't cross the line and say we're going to accept this
as a viable, alternative lifestyle."
[We have a hunch that the religious right will be distressed at this
movie for two reasons: it teaches tolerance of gays and lesbians, and
also disseminates accurate information about sexual orientation. Their
program of hatred against homosexuality can only be sustained if it is
accompanied with misinformation.]
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