"PFHS Hates Fags- A Followup"
by Vorfeed

Months after the Ryan Myers scandal broke out at Post Falls High School, students and non-students alike continued to discuss Ryan's case against the school. After dropping out as a result of allegedly being bullied for being homosexual, Ryan threatened to file a lawsuit against the Post Falls School District. This lawsuit fell through because, according to Ryan, "The school never responded with a settlement before my grace period to file the lawsuit was up, so my lawyer knew this would not be an easy fight and unfortunately let me down." In addition, the school had kept only three out of nineteen records of Ryan's visits with administrators, and all three, according to Ryan, sided with the school.

Ryan believed that the school neglected to enforce its own zero-tolerance policies, so students assumed they could get away with harassing him. He said that when he initially went to administrators with complaints, they responded in a way that implied corrective action was not necessary. He considered dropping out his last resort, saying, "When you worry about your safety when you walk from class to class, wondering if you were going to get shoved in a busy hallway and break your wrist trying to break your fall, you have no other choice." He said that his previous school, Lake City High School, handled bullying more effectively; when he complained to administrators there, action was taken against offending students, and other students knew that there were boundaries they were not allowed to cross, unlike at Post Falls.

Some students who witnessed or participated in the harassment of Ryan defended their behavior. They claimed that Ryan acted "too gay," and that he tried to come on to straight male students. They said that they told him to stop his advances, joking or not, but he did not comply. They felt that they had no other choice but to bully him so that he would be too afraid to continue with such behavior. Ryan was shocked when he heard these allegations, claiming that "They were lucky if I uttered a single word to any of them, let alone come within five feet willingly." He said that he had "dropped" numerous homosexual friends because they believed that straight men were "some part gay and just don't know it," and those friends pursued straight males. Ryan says his opinion is that that kind of behavior encourages homophobia. He says he cannot believe he has been accused of behaving so unacceptably.

Ryan said that he felt there were really no teachers at Post Falls who genuinely cared about him, but he did have special words about Mrs. Fry: "She cared for me as a person and believed I could exceed if I tried and would never wish for anything such as what happened to me."

Now, Ryan stays positive by choosing to not associate with those who feel the need to discriminate against him. He says that in the working world, people get fired for being discriminatory against coworkers, while in high school, students find their own boundaries and rules. Ryan thinks that his problems at school have "dramatically" changed the way people in this community feel about and treat gay people, but not necessarily for better or worse. He says that the support given to him over the past several months has backfired for those who harassed him, and "they are wrong and don't like to accept it."

Ryan plans to stay with his current occupation in Coeur d'Alene until next year, when he will move to fill a job in Seattle. At this time, he will also attend college to pursue a degree in administrative law with a minor in theatre.

Below is a message from Ryan to the readers:

HIGH SCHOOL IS OVER, THANK GOD!!! There was a light at the end of the tunnel and I have been there and have not taken one moment for granted. Everyone is going to have a hard time in high school, but I will not see anyone else do what I have had to do. We all deserve the same chances in life; high school is the first thing we have to accomplish to take that path. There was the key word- have to. I had to attend that school and so did the offenders. I want high school to be a place where we can go and feel safe and work on what it will take to accomplish what you deserve. Once we can make all offenders, administrators, and offending students take control of understanding where those boundaries should lie, that can be a common wealth. Nobody asks for this kind of treatment, so for all of you who think I brought this upon myself, I'll be seeing you on the opposite side of the railroad tracks. I AM AWESOME without your belittling minds in my face and I have accomplished more than you can hope to accomplish before you will or had turned eighteen. I am smiling, while others find a reason to smile; one of your reasons might be to put others down for sheer entertainment or to help yourself feel more important. I only wish you the best of luck in life and your hopeful progression to maturity. Drew Barrymore once said in a favorite movie of mine, "There is an even bigger world out there beyond high school." I am here to tell all of you that the world can be a kind place, and whatever goes around comes around. Hatred it not just born; it's created.

My best regards to all,
Ryan