Teaching tolerance
I was shocked and dismayed when I read the April 15 “From Outside the Beltway” op-ed “Movie on homosexual rights was wrong for second-grade students,” (p. 4). The authors criticized the decision to show a documentary on homosexuality to a second-grade class, or to read them Becky Has Two Mommies. The author contended that second grade was too early to discuss such “contentious issues” as homosexuality.
My parents taught me from day one that you love who you love, and the above teachings have a similar message. Although they might briefly explain how it is possible to have a baby without a daddy, the key topic is one of acceptance and tolerance, not just of homosexual couples but of their children.
As a quick search on Yahoo! will show, gays and lesbians are bearing or adopting children in increasing numbers. They are not making some kind of political statement, they just want to have a family with the person they love. As a result, most children either have gay relatives or know someone who does, and they ask questions, which this curriculum addresses.
Psychologists will tell you that the roots of most adult views are based in childhood. As a result, it is never too early to teach children not to hate.
-Romie Stott
PREP alumna
I was a member of GW’s Pre-College Review and Enrichment Program (PREP) before my freshman year. PREP was not only for students from D.C. but from other states as well.
I live in Maryland and was enrolled in PREP. The University cut the funding for PREP because not enough students were enrolled at GW (“GW cuts freshman mentoring program,” April 15, p. 3). The money previously allocated to PREP will be spent on financial aid packages for D.C. students. But how about the students from other states who would have been in PREP? Will they still be admitted to GW?
When GW decided to cancel PREP, I was not notified about any previous meetings to discuss PREP’s future. That was unfair. The people who were in PREP should have had some say as to what would happen to the program.
-Angie Goodman
sophomore
