Reading for Academic Purposes text 12

TEXT 12

1. The students mean bring the weapons to school not dangerous. The author's means degrading word, slurs, and put-downs.
2. The problem is about bring the weapons to school is very dangerous.
3. 5
4. # in the firs case, the harassment began with whispered slurs and comments to john, making graphic antigay slurs, tripping john and pushing him.
# on two occasions, several boys jumped john during school day. While put him in a head lock, kneed him in the stomach and groin.
# three additional, when john was jumped in the boys' bathroom by several boys who while yelling antigay slurs ,pushed his head into a urinal.
5. She had taken off the star of David necklace that she had worn since 2nd grade.
6. Degrading and violent language.
7. They cease to understand or hear the real meanings of the words they use, and often the only students who truly realize their impact and meaning are the boys and girls who are the targets of the slurs, jokes, and put-downs.
8. Escalation, fear, rage, loss of spirit.
9. Author said no magic solution exists. We will not develop one project that will eliminate hate and prejudice or end violence, but we can begin to change the culture in which the use of degrading language and violence appears acceptable to our students. To do this we must, in consistent, firm, but low-key ways, confront the use of these words. Adults must intervene when degrading language is spoken.
10. Intervention breaks the pattern of escalation from language to more focused harassment to threats and finally to violence. Intervention also has an extraordinary impact on the students who feel targeted. The students will feel empowered, and they empowered other students.
11. The latter wrote by school's civil rights team to the author.
12. Author disagree. he does not believe that students are the problem or the cause of incivility and violence. Instead, he believe that students-like the students who sent the letter-are the solution.