Fwd: Please protest overt discrimination at LPCUWC (HK)
Adelin Cai
From: Jean-Paul Ginestier <jpgin...@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, Dec 4, 2011 at 12:36 PM
Subject: Please protest overt discrimination at LPCUWC (HK)
To:<REDACTED>
Hello RCN Year Reps,
From: Leah Macfadyen <lea...@mac.com>
Date: 2 December 2011 19:38
Subject: [Mountbatten UWC Alumni Electronic List] Please protest overt discrimination at LPCUWC (HK)
To: united-wor...@yahoogroups.com
Dear members of the UWC community,
I am writing this letter (with permission from the parties involved) to ask you to join current LPC UWC students and a large number of UWC alumni and staff in protesting an instance of egregious and overt discrimination against a family with a small child at LPCUWC in Hong Kong.
For a short summary of this issue and to sign the LPC UWC student-led petition, go here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?hl=en_US&formkey=dFR6RkVYQkpibnFuSjdvWEFZcE4zSEE6MQ#gid=0
To learn more, read on:
Teacher Julie Harris has been teaching Geography at LPC UWC for almost ten years, and her partner Marj has lived with her in Hong Kong for most of that time. In 2009, after the law changed in their home country (South Africa), Julie and Marj married. Six month ago, they had a baby girl, Willow.
However, the Board of LPC is unwilling to recognize their marriage. For Julie, Marj and Willow, the consequences are large. Marj is considered no more than a 'visitor' in Julie's flat on the college campus. A recent review of faculty accommodation indicates "number of dependent children" resident in Julie's home as "0". Most significantly, the College has explicitly denied Willow and her family the same level of support extended to the families of the other 12 children on campus. This means that Willow (and Marj) are not allowed to be covered by Julie's medical insurance. They may not eat in the College dining room. Willow's school fees and transportation will not be paid, unlike those of all other faculty children.
In essence, LPCUWC and the LPCUWC Board are discriminating against a 6 month old child because of their attitudes towards her parents.
To be clear, these decisions are not in line with Hong Kong law, and not even with contemporary Hong Kong culture. The Hong Kong Bill of Rights Ordinance (1991) explicitly prohibits discrimination on a variety of grounds. (More information here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_rights_in_Hong_Kong). Like the population of most modern states, the people of Hong Kong doubtless hold a wide spectrum of opinions regarding human sexuality, but many organizations and companies in Hong Kong have taken a clear stand in recognizing same-sex partnerships and extending benefits and recognition to partners and family. Examples can be found here: http://www.communitybusiness.org/images/cb/publications/2010/LGBT.pdf
The distressing truth is that the LPCUWC Board is discriminating not by accident or omission, but through deliberate amendments to teacher contracts in 2007 that specifically deny recognition of same sex partnerships. I personally believe that this is a direct betrayal of UWC Mission and Values (see http://uwc.org/who_we_are/mission_and_vision.aspx), not least the UWC commitments to promote:
• International and intercultural understanding
• Celebration of difference
• Mutual responsibility and respect
Please join us in voicing your concern about such discrimination within our own movement.
Sign the petition
LPC UWC students have initiated an online petition that alumni and staff can sign that will be presented to the LPC UWC Board:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?hl=en_US&formkey=dFR6RkVYQkpibnFuSjdvWEFZcE4zSEE6MQ#gid=0
Sign the Davis Scholars' Petition
Davis Scholars have established two petitions to present to the Davis Scholarship foundation: for students who received Davis funding at UWC, and for students who received Davis undergraduate funding: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/27/stop-discrimination-at-lpc-for-students-funded-by-davis-while-at-any-uwc/
Write to LPCUWC Principal Mr Arnett Edwards
You can email him at: arn...@lpcuwc.edu.hk
Write to the LPC UWC Board
Board members are listed here: http://www.lpcuwc.edu.hk/about/board-of-directors/ and can presumably receive correspondence ℅ UWC LPC
Write to the UWC International Office
You can address correspondence to the Executive Director of UWC International, Mr Keith Clark, at keith...@uwcio.uwc.org
Write to the Head of your own College
Please contact your own UWC Head and ask for their support. We know that UWC Heads communicate on many issues.
Join the Gay UWC Facebook group
Much of the discussion on this and other relevant issues has taken place between the 400+ members of this UWC alumni group in the past week. Friends welcome! https://www.facebook.com/groups/2222678095/
Please join me an others in insisting that the LPCUWC meet its commitments to UWC ideals and end this unacceptable discrimination.
Leah
PC89
Leah Macfadyen
lea...@mac.com
+1 (604) 809 5013
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Mountbatten-United-World-Colleges-Alumni/176310089056016
Log onto your Facebook account and add Mountbatten United World Colleges Alumni to your "Likes"!
TODAY, invite at least FIVE (5) other UWCers to join this list! Have them send a blank e-mail to United-World-Co...@YahooGroups.com.
GO TO YOUR LOCAL UWC SECOND SUNDAY/FIRST FRIDAY/THIRD THURSDAY AT SIX (UWC SSS) get-togethers!
To send messages to this list send your e-mail to United-Wor...@YahooGroups.com.
Thank you for using the Mountbatten United World Colleges Alumni Electronic List. May you enjoy good fortune and happiness today and throughout the year!
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Jean-Paul Ginestier