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From: ka@hou3c.UUCP (Kenneth Almquist)
Newsgroups: net.motss
Subject: Re: Discussion about Gay Teachers
Message-ID: <113@hou3c.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 15-Nov-83 00:22:25 EST
Article-I.D.: hou3c.113
Posted: Tue Nov 15 00:22:25 1983
Date-Received: Tue, 15-Nov-83 20:58:13 EST
References: <2374@yale-com.UUCP>
Organization: Bell Labs, Holmdel, NJ
Lines: 40

1) Of course it's not reasonable for employers to concern themselves
   with the  sexual preferences of their employees.  I can't think of
   any cases where this would be related to job performance.  I have
   some reservations about affirmative action, but I suppose homosexuals
   are as good candidates for affirmative action as any other group that
   is discriminated against.


2) Probably not; I can't conceive of very many instances when teacher
   would be called upon to discuss their sexual preferences with their
   students.

3) The evidence seems to suggest that sexual preferences are, if not innate,
   then determined at a very early age.  All the evidence seems to be
   against the notion that sexual preferences can be encouraged by association
   with other individuals with particular preferences.

   The question about "coming out of the closet" is more interesting.  I
   would suggest that the ability of an individual to deal with his sexual
   desires, whether homosexual or hetrosexual, depends to a large extent
   upon the individual's sence of self worth, but that the existance of
   positive role models would certainly make it easier for an individual
   to "come out of the closet".  This is beginning to sound like a Psych.
   term paper.  I guess the point I am trying to make is that it is impor-
   tant for people to learn to be able to make their own decisions in the
   face of social pressures, and that one way to learn this is to observe
   other people (e. g. self professed homosexuals) dealing with social
   pressure.  Additionally, I belive that people should encounter a varity
   of viewpoints on life.

4) I am not familiar with the "Man-Boy Love Association", but there are
   people who advocate the abolition of incest laws covering father-
   daughter relationships, so I am not surprised that such a group exists.
   Sexual relationships between parents and children, or teachers and
   students, are by their very nature are not relationships based on
   mutual consent.  The power a parent or teacher has over a child makes
   the concept of consent essentially meaningless.  For that reason, such
   relationships can be very damaging.

					Kenneth Almquist