The Middle School Students Were Born This Way

Posted on September 11, 2011 by Hemant Mehta

Here’s a video that’ll make you smile: In Portland, Oregon, the Hosford Middle School Gay Straight Alliance group made their own music video for Lady Gaga‘s “Born This Way”:

(Seriously, where were all the kids like this when I was in middle school?)

Also awesome: The principal of the school is named Kevin Bacon. Kick ass.

(Thanks to Rich for the link!)

About Hemant Mehta

Hemant Mehta is the chair of Foundation Beyond Belief and a high school math teacher in the suburbs of Chicago.
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  • Dubliner

    That’s a lovely idea. Glad to see schools like this getting attention. The impression from abroad can be of a lot of intolerance and marginalising in American schools with incidents like Damon Fowler and Constance MacMillan getting so much media attention. Well done Hosford!

  • Erinn Foley

    Seriously, where were these kids when I was in middle school? I hope they can keep this attitude through high school…that’s when things get really crazy.

  • JulietEcho

    That made my day!  Everybody looked like they were having such a great time making it :-)

  • Nankay

    MIDDLE SCHOOL!!!!????  Holy Moley! That was fantastic.  Times they are a’changin’.

  • Donna Lafferty

    I love that everybody seems to have participated, too. Lots of kids, teachers, the administration…what a happy, peaceful place. Kids growing up in such a tolerant environment will make for a more rational, tolerant future. Very inspiring.

  • Anonymous

    Aw this gave me the happy tears

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=750428174 Paddy Reddin

    Kudos to the kids involved, and fir play to the school for letting them use the facilities.

    Though I did have to watch with it muted due to my deep seated hatred of Lady Gag’s attempt at music, but those kids give me hope for future reason, if not future taste in music.

  • Trina

    Wonderful!  (and we thought we were so enlightened in ’71 lol).  Thanks for sharing it to FA!

  • edgar ayala

    As long as we have schools and people like the ones seen on this video and people like Hemant that spread said message, we have a chance to make the world a better place. This all may seem cheesy, yet it is oh so necessary in this divided population we live in.

  • Nick Andrew

    Awesome. 1:10 was the best :-)

  • http://www.facebook.com/chriswarr78 Chris Warren

    Who could have dreamed of such a thing when I was a kid…. What a beautiful, positive, life-affirming exercise. On a day like today, this gives me hope, and makes me smile. Imagine how much better children would learn when they feel loved and accepted. Our schools need more of this. Awesome job, Hosford Middle School. 

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1615224910 Anonymous

    Haha This is better than Glee :)

  • Annie

    I can’t stop watching this video… these are the things that change the world.

  • MelanieDawn

    That was awesome. I just love that the teachers and principal participated.

  • Anonymous

    Thanks for the Sunday morning inspiration. That was awesome!

  • http://www.facebook.com/jadelackey Jade Lackey

    ^^^^ exactly

  • Daniel Brown

    Cute… but SO sick of that song. Never liked it to begin with and it’s popping it’s ugly head up in more and more places… and subconsciously it’s turning me against the homosexual movement! Because when I think of the movement, I think of the song. Ew. Gosh I hope they come up with something new soon.

  • bjal528

    Wow, that video was amazing and inspiring!  Kudos to the middle school that made it!

  • Jim Henline

    It is things like this that make me regret that I finally got a good job that is unfortunately going to require me to move to Cleveland Ohio. Not exactly the center of acceptance.
    But perhaps I can start the movement there. 
    My favorite shirt: Straight as an Oval.

  • Marian

    This is great except that that lyric in the chorus “‘Cause God makes no mistakes” I hate that.  I hate it so much that I just can’t stand this song.

  • Thin-ice

    Love my town Portland, and all it’s tree-hugging, socialist, bike-riding, tolerant ways! (It’s openly gay mayor Sam Adams turned out to be a bust, but hey, can’t have everything. . . .)

  • Anonymous

    Wow, that video was amazing and inspiring!  Kudos to the middle school that made it!

  • Keith Collyer

    Emma, have you been hacked – what is that crap at the end of all your posts?

  • http://itsmyworldcanthasnotyours.blogspot.com/ Anonymous

    I’m giggling because I can’t hear this song without thinking of Weird Al’s “Perform This Way”.

  • Rob

    That was absolutely awesome. Just good people having some fun. The students getting to dance on top of the desks must have been a blast.

  • oli kenton

    Loved the member of staff with Footloose written on him. Having the staff be part of this makes it so much more powerful than just the kids. It sends the right message, not only do the students stand behind the message but so does the authority of the school. Warmed my cold lizard heart :)