I remember being 16 and getting into a discussion with a perfectly nice girl about gay marriage. I supported it, and was surprised that she did not. She eventually started screaming at me. She told me her religion taught her that gay marriage was evil and I was disrespecting her religion. Ultimately, the teacher told me to leave for instigating a fight. I don't think I had even raised my voice. As far as I'm concerned, this scenario (asking the student in support of gay rights to leave because she supports gay rights) is far more dangerous and happens far more frequently. It's a teacher's job to ensure the atmosphere of the classroom is comfortable and equitable. Sometimes this involves asking a disruptive student to leave for a brief period of time. If a student came in wearing a Confederate buckle and said “I don't support African-American students,” I don't think anyone would question the teacher's actions. Hell, if the student came in and said “this class is stupid” and the teacher told him to leave, no one would blink an eye. Why on EARTH did this scenario prompt a suspension? Kudos to this 14 year old for speaking out on his teacher's behalf.
