What does "neutrally aggressive" mean?
It is clear and obvious, after having listened to the boy's words and having read the correspondence, that Laieski has been asking the school teachers and admin. to live up to their own policies for some time now. I do wonder at what point the more passive and kowtowing among us would like him to grow a set and stand up for his legal rights to be protected and defended in the government school that is subject to a legal responsibility to care for all the students as per the law and educational policy. The boy is not bullying; he is operating fairly, overtly and within clear and strictly polite parameters, so far as has been shown. He is not being aggressive, but assertive. I think there is some over-generalising of terminology happening if we are coming to the point of understanding Laieski's behaviour to be in any way inappropriate.
I did notice the desk interviewer use facial expression to betray her feelings that this is an elephant being made of an ant - another example of commentary. Also, she ignored (like has been done here) that the student (showing legal consequences can be real and damaging if government employees do not fulfill their legal and social obligations as educators and administrators of an ed. facility) has already approached the system personnel repeatedly to no avail and she ignored that the personnel have delberately been remiss in carrying out their duties.
Teachers and administrators can eradicate this kind of bigotry very easily. It can disappear immediately in the presence of individual teachers if only that teacher determines to knock it on the head, or it can disappear from the whole school within a week if the principal and all teachers take the bigotry head on and stamp it out with inclusive behaviour, lesson plans, language and positive reinforcement, as well as dire consequences for students who balk at leaving their prejudice at home. Schools shouldn't have to resort to such projects when parents are normal and healthy and living in societies that expect all people to be respectful and evolved, but since their are so many people who find it is all too much to expect all people to automatically show and give respect to their colleagues, schools must tackle this growing problem of bigotry.
Bravo to Caleb Laiesk and his support groups. And bravo to the teachers and admin. who recognise that theirs is the most responsible work in the world, because they control the development (more than any other group) of almost all children as they emerge to take control of our world, and who consequently execute their duties wholly and with maturity and a sense of participating in a positive and beautiful outcome. And damn those who stubbornly refuse to include all students in a code of protection and safe education, or who would allow students to be harrassed and cornered and shouted at and abused for perceived sexual non-conformity with those who are attracted to a sex other than their own. I hope the system comes to its senses and respond positively. Otherwise, I hope Caleb goes on to study Human Rights and Law, and comes back to haunt them all.
