I recently blogged about a Houston Community College (HCC) instructor that instigated anti-trans bullying in his classroom. A transgender student sat stunned in Donny Leveston’s classroom as he handed out tranny porn educational material to the students. Here’s a sample of what the instructor handed out to his students:
The student said to me:
I was shocked when I read this. I mean, this isn’t a human sexuality or psych class, it’s an English class. I think there might have been some students in that class that were 16 or 17 years old. I just couldn’t believe that this was happening.
After this shock, the student endured an hour of listening to her classmates laughingly mock transgender people. The instructor, Donny Leveston, ended the “discussion” by stating, “I don’t care what those people do as long as they keep it away from me.”
What happened next was, to me, almost beyond belief:
The student emailed Leveston and explained that his comments made her feel unwelcome in his class. Leveston responded that “everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion” and that the student should respect his right to feel uncomfortable with transgender people “Everyone has the right to his or her own preference,” wrote Leveston, “just do not go trying to push your views on me. Case closed.”
After the truth came out and it went public, HCC became willing to work with TFA and set up a meeting between the student, community and HCC reps. What came out of that meeting was very positive and I personally commend HCC for stepping up to the plate to meet with TFA and their school’s GLBT group. After the meeting, HCC facilitated the student’s transfer from Leveston’s classroom and posted anti-harassment fliers around the campus.
HCC poster that appeared after the meeting
Having said all of this, I still have a few bones to pick with HCC. I’m not happy that it took a PR nightmare to force them into acting on this problem. By the time all of this went public, the student had been trying to address this through the HCC system for a week! Also, even after all of this, the instructor still seems to be clueless. Apparently Donny Leveston sees himself as being the VICTIM in all of this!
Hello, my FB’s family and friends, I come to you with a heavy heart. One of my female transgendered students is accusing me of discriminatory or bias remarks against the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered (LGBT) community. As a college fellow, a college professsor, and a person who has a niece and a sister who participate in LGBT activities, I would never institute a plan to undermine LGBTs. You all know me. I am asking you to stand up for me. I am a “tragic figure” all over the internet becase of the false claims. If I am your friend and brother, you will help to exonerate my name; you all know me, and you know that I would never act like that. Thank you.
– Donny Leveston, 9/23/11
Note the date of the above statement of victimhood. This was made the same day that HCC administration was meeting with the student and community groups. While Leveston may view himself as being the “tragic figure” in this situation, HCC administrators didn’t seem to view it that way. Indeed, they expressed shock over the Leveston’s behavior.
When the HCC administration saw the emails and when [the Executive Dean for Instruction and Student Services] Cheryl Peters saw the story, she was really shocked by the story talking about the girth of a transgender woman’s penis. That had nothing to do with the curriculum of the class. She and the Diversity Representative were shocked over the emails and [Leveston’s] choice in curriculum because it had nothing to do with what he was supposed to be teaching. The stuff was really vulgar.
– Student
HCC’s anti-discrimination policy does not explicitly protect their students against discrimination based upon “gender identity.” Currently, their anti-discrimination policy only covers “sexual orientation.” While the school claims that “sexual orientation” automatically covers “gender identity,” the idea that one’s intrinsic sexual desires equates to one’s intrinsic experience of one’s sex is fallacious.
Employees of the District shall not discriminate on the basis of or engage in harassment motivated by age, race, color, ancestry, national origin, sex, handicap or disability, marital status, religion, veteran status, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, and/or gender expression. A substantiated charge of harassment against a student or employee shall result in disciplinary action.
Even the Houston public school system recognizes the need to explicitly protect both from discrimination. Why won’t HCC spell it out especially when they continue having anti-trans problems?
It is the policy of the San Jacinto College to provide an educational, employment, and business environment free of discrimination based on race, creed, color, national origin, citizenship status, age, disability, pregnancy, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, genetic information, marital status, or veteran status. Trustees, administrators, faculty, staff, and other agents of the College will not engage in conduct constituting unlawful harassment or discrimination.
– San Jacinto College District, Pasadena, Texas
The town that proudly housed the storefront of the KKK has chosen to explicitly protect “gender identity” and HCC hasn’t. Is such a measure too radical for Houston, Texas, the fourth largest city in the US?
Pursuant to University policy, this policy also prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression.
– The University of Texas-Pan American, Edinburg, Texas
Even a small-town university understands the need to explicitly protect “gender identity.” Why hasn’t HCC hasn’t figured this out yet?
Why has HCC – when their transgender students are bashed during Pride week and openly mocked in the classroom – not moved to explicitly protect their transgender students? There is NO EXCUSE for their failure to explicitly protect their students and faculty against discrimination based upon “gender identity.”
Need I again cite the rates of bullying and discrimination transgender students face?
From the nation’s largest (6,400+ respondents) and most comprehensive transgender study.
Tags: Hate