The school, in a Cape Town, South Africa suburb, insists it’s not letting him back on school grounds because his mother said she’d enroll him at another school. Hmmm. “Lascar Petersen, 19, of Clarke Estate in Elsies River says he hasn’t attended one day of school this term because the principal of Lentegeur Secondary School in Mitchell’s Plain refuses to allow him on the school grounds. ‘I go to school every morning dressed in my uniform but they won’t allow me in,’ says the teen. […] The effeminate Lascar says his problems started early this year when his history teacher humiliated him in front of his Grade 11 class. ‘She told me that I am a moffie because my parents didn’t raise me right,’ recalls Lascar. When the Daily Voice contacted Frieslaar for comment the abrupt principal claimed the matter between Lascar and the history teacher had been dealt with. Lascar says his problems only got worse after he demanded his report at the end of the March holidays. ‘The teacher told me that she hadn’t signed it yet, so later that day I approached her again for my report and that is when she went to the office to say I had been badgering her,’ says an agitated Lascar. ‘They wouldn’t allow me back for a few weeks, saying my mother must come to the school to discuss the matter but it is difficult for her because we live in Clarke Estate.'” [IOL]
pete
OK, I had to look up “moffie”. And this story still doesn’t make any sense to me.
Miss Understood
This article is poorly written. It doesn’t outline the situation very clearly. Facts are missing and the order of events is confusing.
Enron
Moffie seems to be a derogatory alternative to sissy. Sounds like a living nightmare. Here I was, just reading wikipedia about LGBT rights in South Africa. If I were him, I would just move away and seek people who I can bond with, sounds too much like hell.
hetmobi
@pete: “moffie” is most likely a slang term for queer/gay. His teacher doesn’t like gay (and lesbian) students so she passive/aggressively makes school near impossible for him. The principal seems not to mind…
CJ
The more I read this story, the more I got confused. Thankfully I’m not alone.
MarkOfAntares
Let’s sum it up, shall we?
Gr. 11 Student goes to school.
Teacher is passive/aggressive in her homophobia.
Embarrasses student in front of class.
Principal claims issues resolved.
Student is still persecuted because of his mannerisms by the teacher (and now the class, obviously – if teacher does it, I can do it).
Principal denies there is a problem.
Giovannidude
MarkofAntares, I sort of got it the first time I read the story, that they were hassling the kid, but doing it cleverly. But I like your recap much better. So thank you for that.
TruAgape
So did Lascar get his 5th star for the Book-it pin or not? The boy wants his Personal Pan Pizza like everybody else! That history teacher needs to give him the freekin sticker so his principle can sign it! Geez Louise, it’s just a Personal Pan Pizza.
Andreusz
And this in a country with constitutionally guaranteed gay equality. He should take the school all the way to the Constitutional Court.
Cam
The Afrikanars no longer have the power to discriminate against blacks, so they’re gonna lash out wherever they can. They were brought up to be bigots, I’m just surprised it isn’t happening more down there.
John (CA)
@Andreusz: If it becomes a legal complaint, the lower courts will side with the kid. And any attempt by the school to appeal to the Constitutional Court will be instantly rebuffed. What they are doing is so obviously illegal under both the constitution and primary legislation (The Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Acts) that the justices would, almost certainly, consider it a waste of time to even hold a hearing.
Marc
CAM I’m confused – what do the Afrikaners have to do with this kid’s problem?
ishmaeel
@Cam: if you know this principal you wouldn’t say what you just said. I don’t think he would discriminate against a gay student, and I know him very well
ishmaeel
Oh yes! Cam, don’t just post things, there are no afrikaners in this scenario, FAIL!!!
Warren in NY
@Cam: Cam, Mitchell’s Plain and Elsies River are historically ‘coloured’ areas of Cape town. The coloured people are of mixed race origins being a mix of the original Khoisan inhabitants of the Cape, the Malay slaves the British imported and the Dutch settlers that arrived in the 1600s. They mainly speak Afrikaans as their home language, though there are several religious (Christian and Muslim) sub-groups within the community. Afrikaners are generally the white descendants of the Dutch and French Huguenot settlers. This story takes place within the coloured community and there are no Afrikaners involved. Maybe you should think about whether you are informed before showing your own biases.
As to the story itself, whether or not there is more to it than the student’s side I don’t know. I do know that despite the fantastic legal protections afforded to LGBTs in SA the social climate, especially (but not only) in the less affluent communities of the country is extremely hostile and in many cases dangerous. Fortunately the legal changes are making things better, but in terms of acceptance and tolerance generally SA has a long way to go.