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lyrics

"They're hiding us away."

9th grader Kastle Smith was moved by the story of Tammy Aaberg, a mother trying to change educational policies that failed her son.

Justin committed suicide on July 9, 2010 at 15 years old. Tammy says his sexuality made him especially vulnerable in a Minnesota school district with a policy that sexual orientation topics aren't part of the curriculum and teachers must remain "neutral." Critics say these types pf policies resemble gag orders, and contribute to a hostile atmosphere where teachers can't validate students' identities or offer support.

Starting in 1998, the Minnesota Student Survey found that gay students were twice as likely to contemplate suicide, and two and a half times as likely to have tried it. Over a decade later, a rash of suicides in the Anoka-Hennepin School District — eight students in two years, at least four of them gay or bisexual -- showed conditions hadn't improved.

Tammy eventually DID help persuade her district to adopt language in its anti-bullying policies that includes sexual orientation and gender identity. Tammy is raising a trans teenager, older now than Justin was when he died, while witnessing the rise of another round of "don't say gay" policies all these years later.

Learn more at https://www.aclusocal.org/en/lgbtq-know-your-rights

LYRICS:
You've been there since the start of his life
Yet you never thought you'd see him fly away
Time has passed, the years go by
Maybe he could be here, he could be alive

The world has only an idea what you're going through
But they'd never know the pain that struck your home
ooh ooh mm - mm

It felt brutal going to his funeral
Death reminds you it confines you
Why were you lied to
That your son was okay?

The world has only an idea what you're going through
But they'd never know the pain that struck your home
ooh ooh mm - mm

But now you stand up advocating
For the kids we've lost
And for the sweet, sweet boy
Even if he's gone you give him a loud-loud voice

The world has only an idea what you're going through
But they'd never how this affected you
ooh ooh mm – mm; ohh ooh mm mm mm mm

credits

from Chords of Courage Volume One, released December 2, 2022
Lyrics and melody by Kastle Smith
Arranged and Performed by ilyAIMY:
Heather Aubrey Lloyd (vocals, guitar, programmed percussion)
Rob Hinkal (beatbox, guitar)
Kristen Jones (steel pans)
Additional engineering by Rob Hinkal

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ilyAIMY Baltimore, Maryland

ilyAIMY is a percussive acoustic rock animal hailing from Baltimore, MD. Mixing genres from rock to folk to soul to bluegrass; flavours as varied as jazz and hip hop curl through what is undoubtedly one of the most exciting sounds in today’s folk(ish) music scene. Instrumentation includes acoustic guitars, cello, djembe, cajon, Irish bones, keyboard, bass, drums & harmonies. ... more

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