I read Jen Chen's story about Matthew Pope and his classmates at Shawnee Mission East twice. Not because I missed anything the first time. I read it again because it made me feel so good. Made me want to be back in school again.
I'm so tired of the agents of intolerance telling us to be afraid. Afraid of gays, afraid of lesbians, afraid of gays in the military, of a gay couple living next door. Hooey.
There is nothing to be afraid of — never has been, never will be. After reading this wonderful story, it seems to me there's a lot that needs to be celebrated. I want a friend like Matt and friends like Matt's friends. Thanks to Jen for a great feel-good article. And thanks to Matt and all his cool buddies for living, loving and leading by example.
Mike Sheperis, Lee's Summit
I want to congratulate Jen Chen for exposing the fact that in 21st-century, contemporary society, it is no big deal to be lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgendered. Job well done to Jen and her subject, Matthew Pope, and all the students, parents and staff at Shawnee Mission East. Each and every one of that plurality of actors resisted the temptation to make catatonic blunders in Matthew's years at East. This article leaves hope that so many more talented yet closeted students of all genders, creeds and colors will see the light. It is not necessarily about reaching the corporate apex. It is about being true to oneself!
David Davis, Overland Park
That is a wonderful article Jen Chen wrote about Matthew Pope: a very objective and concise but complete description of his special senior year. The school sounds like a special place, too. I am a member of Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays and Straight for Equality, trying to be as out and proud as he is. Before he goes to school at the University of Oklahoma, however, I want him to realize that Oklahoma state Rep. Sally Kern has given multiple hate speeches against gays just this year. She is supported by the Republicans in the Oklahoma Legislature. I recommend that Matthew be sure there is an active gay-straight alliance on any campus he attends.
Linda Mendoza, Chico, California
Sometimes I think young people are wiser about dealing with difference than adults, but your article is perhaps the most vivid example of this I have read. Congratulations to Matthew Pope and all his friends and family; they all have reason to be proud.
Bill Begert, New York City
Thank you for writing about Matthew Pope and sharing his story. It's very inspiring to learn about a gay teenager overcoming personal and social challenges and ultimately being accepted and even rewarded by his peers for being exactly who he is: a kindhearted person who cares about himself and those around him. Shawnee Mission East is lucky to have this kid. We all are, actually.
Douglas Geller, New York City
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Multicultural Human Development Customer Development Business Development Mathematical Results, "Recognized behavior is repeated behavior." from observations of behavior under precise behavior recognition conditions positive re-enforcement and extinction technique, redirecting away from wrong that wrong does not happen and get social and self recognition temporarily suppressing behavior, while providing multiple choices for right which happens and receives recognition as stated by Dr. Dodson, saves finances that can then be used for food, clothing, and shelter for happy childhood worldwide. Scientific Laws in Human Development Scientific Results Human Resources Business Development and Customer Development Scientific Formula: Please investigate drumming up business for wrong human development profits and for repair profits. Professional adaptation education needed. Education profits replace lack of education profits. Results = People's effect upon the earth. Scientific Laws in Human Development Scientific Results Democracy Occurs Human Resources Business Development and Investor Relations Communications objected to by wrong human development profits communism bring freedom and kind living.
Do you give positive attention while one is being good? According to Doctor Fitzhough Dodson some learned the only way to receive attention was through inappropriate behavior. As long as one was good one may have been ignored. Some who ignored others when they were good may have felt compelled to give instant focused attention for inappropriate behavior. Misbehavior was therefore attention. The behavior received attention from some in the environment and allied forces producing further teasing for social recognition. While wasting productive time other needs failed to be met causing the need to feed off productive forces. Changing who one became depends upon the process. In the past some thought dictated undesirable actions would stop unwanted actions. Authoritarians did not know punishment, which is a behavior recognizer, fools by temporarily suppressing behavior while at the same time giving social and self recognition causing the behavior to repeat. Recognizing the difference between the behavior and the individual do give the individual attention. Doctor Dodson suggests easily gently distracting offering attention in a new direction redirecting the individual to fun learning activities that let the individual know they are valuable and people care their time is spent valuably, that meet needs, and that lead to productive behavior while applying Extinction Technique by giving zero attention to behaviors one does not wish to be repeated. Recognized productive behavior becomes repeated productive behavior. Generative productive personalities develop. Children's productive behavior is the right to have their educational needs met and be actively engaged in the educational process. Scientific studies by recorded observation of behavior under precise behavior recognition conditions produced the results: Recognized behavior repeats, or to quote the results, "Recognized behavior is repeated behavior." The rule of science is, "All science is repeatable." Repeatable results may always be obtained. Grown ups do much of their own human development while children do their own human development sometimes. These scientific facts may not have been available to others and you before so forgive others and yourself for the unchangeable past punishment cannot change and focus upon life's qualities being specific and investigative. Make a future.
Quoting a homes and gardens magazine, "The best way to quit a bad habit is to substitute it with a good habit." The book One Hundred Languages of Children by Carolyn Edwards is the story of Italy's child development Reggio Emilia Schools. Learning projects at Reggio Emilia are self-discovery projects. The children are free to think through how to construct and measure in their own way. During play the children test their theories. Chapter nine is the true story of a small group of children who draw a life scale dinosaur. The children found a place in the schoolyard large enough to draw a dinosaur. The school provided for the children's access many measuring sticks, 'Rods', for placing side-by-side showing the precise height and length of the dinosaur. The school spared no rods. The children learned measuring skills used in building societies. The King's foot measurement divided into one dozen makes twelve inches. Cubit rods measure cubits. During projects the teachers engage the children in conversation. Children are inspired to inquisitiveness as a result of the teacher's questions. Projects are displayed at community gatherings giving each child a sense of community. Community observers give recognition of correct principles applied to create each project. Rods used in child education to show quantities are Cuisenaire Rods. Each uniform section on the rod is displayed by color. Each consecutive rod is one unit longer. Rods make useful levers. Rods reach under and pull out items a person cannot reach. A walking stick is a sturdy rod. Children attain higher principles. Quoting Doctor Fitzhough Dodson, "What is the ultimate goal we are working toward in the training of our children? If we reflect deeply on this question, most of us would say that our ultimate goal is to produce an adult who has learned self-regulation, who has learned to exercise his freedom in a responsible way." "A baby's wants are a baby's needs." "Mother is a baby's first social life." "The learner must be in condition to learn." Mother and Father set an example as learning discovery information gatherers. Family members share learning experiences. Doctor Dodson says "A two year old may not be able to obey the same as a six year old." If one is taught the only reason one does or does not do something is because someone says they might not know the other reasons and when the someone who says to or not to is not able to control there is no other reason, says Doctor Dodson. Obedience has been misused by dictators. Obedience causes some to fear the rise to power of dictators. A dictator must take advantage of obedience in order to dictate. Kind cooperation is a virtue. Please investigate drumming up business for wrong human development profits and for repair profits that objects to good human development communications. Math places out of business all that profit by lack of mathematical accuracy. Mathematically accurate happy childhood, thinking, and meeting needs equals mathematically accurate mental health. Education profits replace lack of education profits. Freedom is mathematically accurate. Stewards taking person responsibility children are busy being good are free of placing responsibility upon children with consequences and rewards, wrong can be rewarding and support appearances of being good, while children are free to develop good character independently. Grown ups doing much of their own human development, no one need harm wrong human development just teach good human development. Be Free.
Multicultural Human Development Customer Development Business Development Mathematical Results, "Recognized behavior is repeated behavior." from observations of behavior under precise behavior recognition conditions positive re-enforcement and extinction technique, redirecting away from wrong that wrong does not happen and get social and self recognition temporarily suppressing behavior, while providing multiple choices for right which happens and receives recognition as stated by Dr. Dodson, saves finances that can then be used for food, clothing, and shelter for happy childhood worldwide. Scientific Laws in Human Development Scientific Results Human Resources Business Development and Customer Development Scientific Formula: Please investigate drumming up business for wrong human development profits and for repair profits. Professional adaptation education needed. Education profits replace lack of education profits. Results = People's effect upon the earth. Scientific Laws in Human Development Scientific Results Democracy Occurs Human Resources Business Development and Investor Relations Communications objected to by wrong human development profits communism bring freedom and kind living. Do you give positive attention while one is being good? According to Doctor Fitzhough Dodson some learned the only way to receive attention was through inappropriate behavior. As long as one was good one may have been ignored. Some who ignored others when they were good may have felt compelled to give instant focused attention for inappropriate behavior. Misbehavior was therefore attention. The behavior received attention from some in the environment and allied forces producing further teasing for social recognition. While wasting productive time other needs failed to be met causing the need to feed off productive forces. Changing who one became depends upon the process. In the past some thought dictated undesirable actions would stop unwanted actions. Authoritarians did not know punishment, which is a behavior recognizer, fools by temporarily suppressing behavior while at the same time giving social and self recognition causing the behavior to repeat. Recognizing the difference between the behavior and the individual do give the individual attention. Doctor Dodson suggests easily gently distracting offering attention in a new direction redirecting the individual to fun learning activities that let the individual know they are valuable and people care their time is spent valuably, that meet needs, and that lead to productive behavior while applying Extinction Technique by giving zero attention to behaviors one does not wish to be repeated. Recognized productive behavior becomes repeated productive behavior. Generative productive personalities develop. Children's productive behavior is the right to have their educational needs met and be actively engaged in the educational process. Scientific studies by recorded observation of behavior under precise behavior recognition conditions produced the results: Recognized behavior repeats, or to quote the results, "Recognized behavior is repeated behavior." The rule of science is, "All science is repeatable." Repeatable results may always be obtained. Grown ups do much of their own human development while children do their own human development sometimes. These scientific facts may not have been available to others and you before so forgive others and yourself for the unchangeable past punishment cannot change and focus upon life's qualities being specific and investigative. Make a future. Quoting a homes and gardens magazine, "The best way to quit a bad habit is to substitute it with a good habit." The book One Hundred Languages of Children by Carolyn Edwards is the story of Italy's child development Reggio Emilia Schools. Learning projects at Reggio Emilia are self-discovery projects. The children are free to think through how to construct and measure in their own way. During play the children test their theories. Chapter nine is the true story of a small group of children who draw a life scale dinosaur. The children found a place in the schoolyard large enough to draw a dinosaur. The school provided for the children's access many measuring sticks, 'Rods', for placing side-by-side showing the precise height and length of the dinosaur. The school spared no rods. The children learned measuring skills used in building societies. The King's foot measurement divided into one dozen makes twelve inches. Cubit rods measure cubits. During projects the teachers engage the children in conversation. Children are inspired to inquisitiveness as a result of the teacher's questions. Projects are displayed at community gatherings giving each child a sense of community. Community observers give recognition of correct principles applied to create each project. Rods used in child education to show quantities are Cuisenaire Rods. Each uniform section on the rod is displayed by color. Each consecutive rod is one unit longer. Rods make useful levers. Rods reach under and pull out items a person cannot reach. A walking stick is a sturdy rod. Children attain higher principles. Quoting Doctor Fitzhough Dodson, "What is the ultimate goal we are working toward in the training of our children? If we reflect deeply on this question, most of us would say that our ultimate goal is to produce an adult who has learned self-regulation, who has learned to exercise his freedom in a responsible way." "A baby's wants are a baby's needs." "Mother is a baby's first social life." "The learner must be in condition to learn." Mother and Father set an example as learning discovery information gatherers. Family members share learning experiences. Doctor Dodson says "A two year old may not be able to obey the same as a six year old." If one is taught the only reason one does or does not do something is because someone says they might not know the other reasons and when the someone who says to or not to is not able to control there is no other reason, says Doctor Dodson. Obedience has been misused by dictators. Obedience causes some to fear the rise to power of dictators. A dictator must take advantage of obedience in order to dictate. Kind cooperation is a virtue. Please investigate drumming up business for wrong human development profits and for repair profits that objects to good human development communications. Math places out of business all that profit by lack of mathematical accuracy. Mathematically accurate happy childhood, thinking, and meeting needs equals mathematically accurate mental health. Education profits replace lack of education profits. Freedom is mathematically accurate. Stewards taking person responsibility children are busy being good are free of placing responsibility upon children with consequences and rewards, wrong can be rewarding and support appearances of being good, while children are free to develop good character independently. Grown ups doing much of their own human development, no one need harm wrong human development just teach good human development. Be Free.
I agree with Bill of NYC. The kids have it right, and are open to those around them, regardless if the person, is gay, lesbian or even another race. Our kids are living in the 21st century and will overcome, compared to most adults who are racist against color and who a person really is with-in. The SM-East student obviously is the perfect friend to have. We (my family)have a gay friend, and have been friends for the past 15 years, since ever meeting him. He has been a big influence about what true friends are, and i feel being a woman he has helped through things, that none of my friends at work could ever help me through. He is very open and helpful with the rest of my family, helping and understanding more than anyone else ever could.
I agree with Bill of NYC. The kids have it right, and are open to those around them, regardless if the person, is gay, lesbian or even another race. Our kids are living in the 21st century and will overcome, compared to most adults who are racist against color and who a person really is with-in. The SM-East student obviously is the perfect friend to have. We (my family)have a gay friend, and have been friends for the past 15 years, since ever meeting him. He has been a big influence about what true friends are, and i feel being a woman he has helped through things, that none of my friends at work could ever help me through. He is very open and helpful with the rest of my family, helping and understanding more than anyone else ever could.
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