Legend
09-01-2007, 04:00 AM
Daily Freeman
PORT EWEN - Ulster BOCES officials described a 90-minute closed-door meeting with parents Tuesday evening as sensitivity training in anticipation of Principal Gary Suraci's planned gender change operation.
B.A. Feeney, a former Kingston school board trustee who said he attended the session as a parent, said there were about 75 parents at the meeting and that comments were both supportive and critical of Suraci.
"There were a lot of questions that were asked and they ran the range from very basic to complex problems, and everybody is looking at this from a different perspective," he said. "In human nature, some people are more tolerant and accepting than others."
Feeney said the session clarified issues surrounding gender change. He said he was reassured that the quality of classes at the BOCES Vo-Tec Center would not be affected.
"I thought it was very helpful," he said of the meeting. "The individual been doing the job for the past 10{ to 11 years and has done a very good job. What is going to be different is the appearance, but the ability to run this program is not going to change."
It was not clear whether Suraci, a Dutchess County resident who launched an unsuccessful campaign for Congress last year, attended the meeting. Feeney and others interviewed afterward said they didn't see him.
In an Aug. 21 letter to parents, district officials said meetings would be held with students Sept. 5 and 6 to "help them understand and deal with these issues."
At the outset of Tuesday's meeting, Howard Korn, the director of career and technical education and adult services for the Board of Cooperative Educational Services, said reporters would not be allowed into the Vo-Tec building on U.S. Route 9W. He directed security personnel to restrict television new crews to the sidewalk.
"This is a parent-only meeting," Korn said. "That's what it's for, not the press."
Korn summarized the session as providing "legal and medical information from those kinds of experts to share with the parents about what this is all about."
District Superintendent Martin Ruglis declined requests to discuss what was said.
Sixteen-year-old Hannah Baxter said she was disappointed BOCES officials would not allow students to participate in Tuesday evening's discussion, arguing that it could have saved students time that they will spend in meetings next week instead of getting ready for classes. She said the meeting could have overcome negative reactions from some students.
"My friend who lives in Esopus - we talked about it and he was like, 'Oh, that's sick,'" she said.
Baxter, surprised that two New York City television crews arrived on the scene, said she was turned off by the media interest in Suraci.
"I don't think they should be doing that, because maybe he'd want some privacy about it," she said.
Local News Coverage
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EN-oBX_gXWc
I think this is one of those things that the media cares about and makes more of a deal about more then the students,although parents and students should be educated i think that person should be judged on his work ethics rather then his appearance,as i 've heard stories on this forum when most transition in the middle of a job they still do a good job afterwards.
PORT EWEN - Ulster BOCES officials described a 90-minute closed-door meeting with parents Tuesday evening as sensitivity training in anticipation of Principal Gary Suraci's planned gender change operation.
B.A. Feeney, a former Kingston school board trustee who said he attended the session as a parent, said there were about 75 parents at the meeting and that comments were both supportive and critical of Suraci.
"There were a lot of questions that were asked and they ran the range from very basic to complex problems, and everybody is looking at this from a different perspective," he said. "In human nature, some people are more tolerant and accepting than others."
Feeney said the session clarified issues surrounding gender change. He said he was reassured that the quality of classes at the BOCES Vo-Tec Center would not be affected.
"I thought it was very helpful," he said of the meeting. "The individual been doing the job for the past 10{ to 11 years and has done a very good job. What is going to be different is the appearance, but the ability to run this program is not going to change."
It was not clear whether Suraci, a Dutchess County resident who launched an unsuccessful campaign for Congress last year, attended the meeting. Feeney and others interviewed afterward said they didn't see him.
In an Aug. 21 letter to parents, district officials said meetings would be held with students Sept. 5 and 6 to "help them understand and deal with these issues."
At the outset of Tuesday's meeting, Howard Korn, the director of career and technical education and adult services for the Board of Cooperative Educational Services, said reporters would not be allowed into the Vo-Tec building on U.S. Route 9W. He directed security personnel to restrict television new crews to the sidewalk.
"This is a parent-only meeting," Korn said. "That's what it's for, not the press."
Korn summarized the session as providing "legal and medical information from those kinds of experts to share with the parents about what this is all about."
District Superintendent Martin Ruglis declined requests to discuss what was said.
Sixteen-year-old Hannah Baxter said she was disappointed BOCES officials would not allow students to participate in Tuesday evening's discussion, arguing that it could have saved students time that they will spend in meetings next week instead of getting ready for classes. She said the meeting could have overcome negative reactions from some students.
"My friend who lives in Esopus - we talked about it and he was like, 'Oh, that's sick,'" she said.
Baxter, surprised that two New York City television crews arrived on the scene, said she was turned off by the media interest in Suraci.
"I don't think they should be doing that, because maybe he'd want some privacy about it," she said.
Local News Coverage
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EN-oBX_gXWc
I think this is one of those things that the media cares about and makes more of a deal about more then the students,although parents and students should be educated i think that person should be judged on his work ethics rather then his appearance,as i 've heard stories on this forum when most transition in the middle of a job they still do a good job afterwards.