Collin College President Neil Matkin
About a month after he first emailed officials at Collin College regarding the college district’s lack of policies protecting LGBTQ staff and students from discrimination, Resource Center Communications and Advocacy Manager Rafael McDonnell today notified Dallas Voice that he has finally received a response.
McDonnell said today (Thursday, Oct. 3) that he had just received an email from Collin College District President Neil Matkin saying, “We are reviewing our non-discrimination policy with regard to breadth of coverage and legality.”
But, McDonnell said, the email does not alleviate his concerns.
“First of all, I am glad to hear from them,” McDonnell said. “I am glad they are reviewing their policies. But I am still a little concerned by that reference to ‘legality,’ since there are no [Texas] state or federal laws protecting LGBT from discrimination.
“They need to just add” such protections, McDonnell said, adding that he encourages all Collin College students and alumni as well as anyone who lives or works in Collin College to contact Matkin and members of the Collin College Board of Trustees to express support for adding LGBTQ protections to the school’s policies before the next board meeting, scheduled for Oct. 22 at 5:30 p.m. in the Collin Higher Education Center.
McDonnell received Matkin’s email about a month after he first contacted the school administrator via email the day after Labor Day and seven days after Dallas Voice published an article about the policies based on interviews with McDonnell and Collin College student Chris Vasquez. Vasquez had attended the August board meeting to ask trustees to change the policy and to make other changes in the wake of the mass shooting carried out at an El Paso Walmart by a former Collin College student. When the board did not respond, Vasquez contacted McDonnell.
Last week, both McDonnell and Vasquez that no one in the school’s administration or on its board had responded.
“No (Texas) state or federal laws protecting LGBT from discrimination”…. Collin College is a public school. It receives funds from the federal government. Therefore, discrimination against Age, race, gender, religion and sexual orientation is against the law on campus. Mr. McDonnell (I’m not gender identitying, if you identy as something other than a man, I apologise)… Please stop trying to create drama where none exists.
Actually Henry, no. There is no federal law protecting LGBT people against discrimination. The Trump administration has rescinded directives prohibiting such discrimination in schools. And Rafael McDonnell only responded to a request for help from a student from Collin College. No drama; just concern for LGBT employees and students at that school.
Wow, autocorrect absolutely killed me… *Identifying, *identify… Ok somewhat better. I’ve talked with my daughter (a 2nd year student at Collin College in McKinney) who has assured me that this campus has “the most open and inclusive attitude. I have a few friends who have that kind of lifestyle and they’ve never said anything about being discriminated against”
Now, it could be that they’re just not saying anything because they’re afraid. I get it, it’s a possibility. If it is, then I hope they find the courage to speak out.
As a student of Collin College who has attended the three main campuses, I have to agree with your daughter!