Social Studies Lesson Plan

Overview:When Tim Hardaway, All-Star NBA player, said he hates gays and is homophobic, he unleashed reaction for all sides. Although he later apologized, his remarks brought attention to the ongoing situation. What issues surround sports and sexual identity? Does this kind of in-your-face reaction from a well-known athlete create more problems on the court and playing field? How do teams handle the issue?

Suggested time allotment: Two days to explore what the laws and policies are. Then two days to prepare a presentation for the class.

Objectives

Students will:

1. Research the issues surrounding gay athletes and the way their leagues, their teammates and their fans react.
2. Interview local athletes about their views of the Hardaway quotes, keeping in mind the purpose of the article is to investigate, not sensationalize.
3. Present your findings to the class, including some kind of visual aides that help explain the various legal and educational materials that have been produced to support diversity and equality in sports.

Curriculum Standards from the National Council for the Social Studies: Thematic Strands, from “Expectations of Excellence: Curriculum Standards for Social Studies.”
• VI — Power, authority and governance. Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of how people create and change structures of power, authority, and governance…. High school students develop their abilities in the use of abstract principles. They study the various systems that have been developed over the centuries to allocate and employ power and authority in the governing process. At every level, learners should have opportunities to apply their knowledge and skills to and participate in the workings of the various levels of power, authority, and governance.
• X – Civic ideals and practices. Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of the ideals, principles, and practices of citizenship in a democratic republic….High school students increasingly recognize the rights and responsibilities of citizens in identifying societal needs, setting directions for public policies, and working to support both individual dignity and the common good. They learn by experience how to participate in community service and political activities and how to use democratic process to influence public policy.

Resources and materials:
Web sites with information:

• For a thorough report on what Hardaway said and the reactions of both John Amaechi, one former athlete who has come out, and NBA commissioner David Stern, read “Retired NBA star Hardaway says he hates ‘gay people.’”
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• Former NBA player John Amaechi became the first professional basketball star to identify himself as gay with the release of his book, “Man in the Middle.” On the ESPN site, Chris Sheridan writes about this.
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• The focus on gay sports issues isn’t new to the Hardaway media coverage. The Web site “Outsports.com” has been covering this since November 2000.
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• The National Collegiate Athletic Association has not ignored homophobia in sports. An article titled, “H – the Scarlet Letter of Sports” discusses what the NCAA was doing in 2001.
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• The National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) is dedicated to “advancing the legal and human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and their families through litigation, public policy advocacy and public education.” It has a page of links to news and analysis of sports-related situations.
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• The NCLR site also has a model anti-harassment policy for schools.
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