And They Were Wonderful Teachers: Florida’s Purge of Gay and Lesbian Teachers by Graves, Karen takes look on Florida's purge of gay and lesbian teachers in the middle of the twentieth century. Graves examine Johns Committee a Florida Legislative Investigation investigated and persecution of teachers on the basis of different sexuality. This study shows Florida's attempt to govern sexuality in schools and control the dominant ideology of sexuality in American. It gives a details information in to the practices of rooting out teachers and removing their professional credentials. But also, show how teachers responded and resisted the invasion from the undercover investigations.
During the twentieth century there constant attacks on civil liberties and academic freedom (Graves, xiii). This was because the fear of the different, after the two international wars, Great Depression, and threat of another with Cold War that the United States experienced. In order to control this fear a Florida Legislative Investigation called the Johns Committee was
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Some of the victims try will silence in regards to question. Thought the silence did not protect them the loss of material wealth and careers of being connected with homosexuality (Graves, 48). There were many forms of resistance the committee, the most effective was keep their answers short and not provide with the investigators lots information (Graves, 48). Teacher responded with resistance with resignations in order to avoid the persecution. Thought there little legal success in protect gay and lesbian citizens since no laws existed. However, the NAACP did find success with Supreme Court case of Gibson v. Florida Legislative Investigation Committee that terminated the John committee (Graves, 93). It did not end the purge of lesbian and gay schoolteachers made more publicly accountably with the Board of Education (BOE)
America’s involvement in World War I not only impacted the war front but also the people left on the home front. When America entered World War I in 1917 the government enforced many measures on its citizens, many of which violated constitutional rights. The biggest measure inflicted on the American population was censorship. The formation of the Committee on Public Information (CPI) and the passing of the Espionage Act and Sedition Amendment stole American’s freedom of speech, created an anti-German sentiment, and led to deportation during the post-war Red Scare.
In reference to the research question “To what extent did the Red Scare create a pseudo “reign of terror” in the United States, ” authors Wendy Wall and Alexander Stafford provide adequate information about the affects of the red scare on society. Wall goes into a detailed description the Federal Loyalty-Security Program and the House Un-American Activities Committees. Both of these programs set up by the government were a form of oppression to the American citizens, inquiring personal information that should have not been public information. The Federal Loyalty-Security Program put regulations on employment agencies and required employers to take loyalty oaths. This can be seen as a violation of the constitution, as it oppresses one’s personal points of view and violates their right to freedom of speech. The House Un-American Activities Committees (HUAC) questioned workers of film in Hollywood and blacklisted those who were seen as untrustworthy. Those blacklisted thus had a difficult time finding employment.
The final assignment for this course is a Final Paper. The purpose of the Final Paper is to give you an opportunity to apply much of what you have learned about American national government to an examination of civil liberties in the context of the war on terror. The Final Paper represents 20% of the overall course grade.
The topic of queer community has always been a complicated and delicate subject to many conservatives in the state of Texas. In fact, a news article from 2009 discusses how a homosexual teacher in the outskirts of Dallas was ridiculed for assigning an essay to his students about the acceptance of all people, including Homosexuals (PR Newswire Association LLC). Ridiculous accusations started surfacing about the teacher such as him sodomizing one of his students, or he was having an affair with a well-known lawyer. Ivan brings in a quote from the woman she interviews about gay bashing in Midland Texas. The woman states that “there’s not a gay in Midland who would come out of the closet for fear people would think they’re a Democrat” (Ivan 784). People in Texas don’t want others to wrongfully stereotype them into something they are
In 2004, the student Gay-Straight Alliance at Poway High School in Poway, California held its second annual "Day of Silence" to promote "tolerance of others, particularly those of a different sexual
This has been a common occurrence for the LGBTQIA community as well. Much like women they have been kept silenced. Today it has become a trend of them speaking out against the injustice. They are able to stay true to their societal roles of advocates and be moral members of
The American Civil Liberties Union has a long and righteous history of being an interest group. The non-profit group was officially founded in 1920; during the years following World War I, America was engrossed by the fear that the Communist Revolution that had taken place in Russia would spread to the United States. As is often the case when fear outweighs rational debate, civil liberties paid the price (American Civil Liberties Union, n.d.). In November 1919 and January 1920, in what infamously became known as the “Palmer Raids,” Attorney General Mitchell Palmer began rounding up and deporting so-called radicals. Thousands of people were arrested without warrants and without regard to
Since the creation of the United States, the meaning of freedom has changed to meet changing attitudes. Throughout our nation’s history, there have been significant periods of racial, economic and civil rights inequalities. There are different meanings for freedoms that have been established throughout the historical period of the United States. During this modern era, the US had certain periods of time that lived up to the ideals of freedom such as the Gilded Age. In opposition, the US has also had periods of time where our ideals of freedom failed to meet the requirements of our nation, a prime example being the late 1940s when the US entered the Cold War and led to the anti-communism period of McCarthyism which ultimately restricted
I don’t know if we have any gay teachers in my building. I don’t ask about people’s sexual orientation because I believe it’s not a topic for school discussion. If a teacher wanted to tell me that would be fine, but I’m not going to openly ask them. If a teacher was gay in my building I would believe they would be treated the same as any other professional. Audubon has a world class staff who appreciate and encourage students to be themselves no matter what their sexual preference.
Life for most homosexuals during the first half of the Twentieth century was one of hiding, being ever so careful to not give away their true feelings and predilections. Although the 1920s saw a brief moment of openness in American society, that was quickly destroyed with the progress of the Cold War, and by default, that of McCarthyism. The homosexuals of the 50s “felt the heavy weight of medical prejudice, police harassment and church condemnation … [and] were not able to challenge these authorities.” They were constantly battered, both physically and emotionally, by the society that surrounded them. The very mention or rumor of one’s homosexuality could lead to the loss of their family, their livelihood and, in some cases, their
The late 1940′s were a time when much change happened to the American society. As a result to the expanding threat of the Soviet Union, or its Communistic ideals, America took a stand that lead it to the Cold War. Although the war didn’t involve fighting directly with Russia, it still affected the American society and domestic policy. The war affected America so much that it lead to a fear of livelihood; precisely when Joseph McCarthy began his “witch hunt”. The Cold war lead to an enlarged fear of nuclear war; as well, it affected many of the domestic policies.
Macbeth is a famous, Shakespearian, Scottish tragedy about a mad king. It is most famous for its depiction of corrupt humans, and truly the most corrupted one is the main character himself, Macbeth. Starting out as a noble warrior, and ending up as a bloodthirsty and heartless king, Macbeth goes through immense changes throughout the play. But what caused Macbeths descent into madness?
After that instance, they started to listen. Rivera spent her time doing everything to try to get the bill to pass, including getting arrested. Yet over time, a struggle within the group arose when those who were in favor of a class-based agenda, like Rivera, who wanted a movement centered around issues of poverty and oppression, clashed with assimilation-focused leaders who suggested that the only thing wrong with the U.S. culture was that it was antigay (Shepard, 99). Rivera quickly learned that even amongst the most radical gay activist, they weren’t interested in the struggles of trans and gender non-conforming people.
With the end of the slave trade and the beginning of “legitimate trade,” European countries began to set up forts and colonies along the coasts of Africa. These forts and colonies began to nibble at the continent bit by bit; within thirty years, almost the entire continent had been claimed by colonial powers. Since there was a rise in nationalism among European countries, Africa provided these colonizers with their own market to produce raw materials and goods that would be used to benefit Europe’s Industrial Revolution. And so, with the increasing need for raw materials and a new market the ‘Scramble for Africa’ brought political as well as economic impacts to the continent. The main goal of these colonizers were to exploit African
With all of the unfairness going on right now with LGBT people, sometimes the people adjudicating do not know how it is affecting the victims. If they did know they would know that it has an emotional impact on them in many ways. According to the ACLU they carry out this type of work through five central priority areas: Basic Rights and Liberties, Parenting, Relationships and Marriages, Youth and Schools, and Transgender Discrimination. Basic Rights and Liberties, the ACLU works hard to make LGBT people have equal opportunity to participate fully in civil society. “No LGBT person should experience discrimination in employment, housing, or in business and public places, or the suppression of their free expression or privacy rights.”(LGBT Rights, 1). Parenting, a lot of people especially do not agree that LGBT people should be able to have or adopt kids because it will affect how they grow throughout time and will teach them the wrong things about life. “Fighting restrictions on parenting by LGBT people is critical because this discrimination causes serious, enduring harm to the lives of LGBT people and their children.”(LGBT Rights, 1). Relationships and Marriage, the ACLU believes that LGBT people, like everyone else, should have the freedom to build the kinds of personal, intimate relationships most meaningful to them without risking that their families will be disregarded or harmed by the state (LGBT Rights, 2). Youth and