g-a-y

I like the video Jeremy - you should do more. It's fun to hear you speak in a similar style to your writing.

I also enjoyed the video. It made me smile in the same way as when I watched the episode of "In the Life" where I first heard of your website.

As an elementary music teacher, I struggle to find tactful ways to deal with similar situations to the scenario that you told in this video. In my classroom, we do many group and partner dances as a part of the music curriculum, and I generally allow the students to choose their own partners. In a class of kindergarteners (5-6 years of age), it is interesting to see different reactions to the partners that certain classmates have choosen. If a boy and a girl choose to be partners, certain classmates tease them as though they are about to become the youngest bride and groom in the world. However, if two girls (or especially if two boys) choose to be each other's partner, while they are do-si-do-ing with one another, in many of my classes, I've heard many outspoken students loudly saying things such as, "oh, they must be gay"... or "they had better not be holding hands!", "you're sooooo gay"... (if only they were old enough to be able to pronounce "abomination", they'd be just as bad as their parents)

I just find it tragic that 5- and 6-year-olds have heard so much negativity on the subject at such an early age... but at the same time, when something like this happens in my classroom, I find it difficult to think of the right words to say besides my usual, "we don't tease each other at this school"... I've been struggling to find a direct (yet acceptable for a public school teacher to say to children) way to deal with such an early display of hatred and intolerance. Any suggestions?

~Becca