A well-known movie quote from more than half a century ago pretty much sums up the recent experience that brought my name to this newspaper in unflattering and false light: “What we have here is a failure to communicate.” That pretty well sums up how well-meaning but misinterpreted words I spoke came to be labeled hate or biased speech (“Skowhegan school board meeting erupts over biased speech on gender-neutral bathrooms,” Jan. 10).

I was simply trying to voice some concerns on naming the restroom facilities at our local high school. These concerns I became aware of when some students brought them up. As a well-respected substitute teacher and ed tech for over 30 years, I have always made the students’ best interest a high priority. A priority that I would never, ever reduce to name calling or other hate or bias speech.

At the recent meeting I did not use the words such as lesbian, gay, queer or bi as hate words but as samples of what the names of the restrooms could be labeled. These are the exact words used by LGBTQ groups in that acronym and endorsed by the Human Rights Council.

I was just taking advantage of the freedom of speech to express concerns of mine and others I have spoken to. I certainly had no intention of being shouted over or placing the school board chairwoman in an awkward position. Instead I have become the subject of the name calling and bias that I was accused of, and unbalanced reporting.

I was not given an opportunity to respond, as the other parties were. I couldn’t even respond to or comment on the story, because I am not a subscriber to the newspaper. Is that now a requirement to receive fair and unbiased reporting?

That’s my take on failure to communicate. What’s yours?

Gloria J. Gordon

Skowhegan

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