The creation of a lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender agenda for middle and high school students in terms of their literature classes is not only absurd but grossly inappropriate for a public setting.
Literature class for most high school students is intended to help them develop a positive use of the English language as well as literary devices by reading classics and appropriate novels.
Agenda setting to attempt to develop “empathy” and relieve those poor children of the “horror” that supposedly is the modern-day literature class has no place in high school, period. What I find most upsetting is the fact that basic common sense is lacking in these overdramatic statements on what society should do — when it has no place to do so.
Instead of forcing something on a whole student body, how about placing LGBT material in a guidance counselor’s office, where those seeking that material can find it if necessary? Just think about it, reading LGBT material in most common high school classes will not only make most heterosexual students extremely uncomfortable, but will foster a dismissive environment towards that community.
So in essence, to make a small group more comfortable you will make a large group very uncomfortable. There are more and more outlets for LGBT students to seek a positive environment to cope with any difficulties they face; public high school literature classes are not one of them.
— Bryan Blalock, third-year marketing student