Subject: Culliton Honored by GLSTN at Boston Event
From: [email-masked]
Date: Thu, 18 Apr 1996 21:28:02 -0400

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NEWS from the
Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Teachers Network (GLSTN)

122  West 26th Street, Suite 1100
New York, NY 100001
email:  [email-masked]
WWW:    http://www.glstn.org/freedom/
_________________________________________________

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 18, 1996

PENNY CULLITON, "STRAIGHT ALLY" WHO LOST AND THEN REGAINED TEACHING JOB IN
CURRICULUM BATTLE, HONORED BY GLSTN

SHE BECOMES THE FIRST HETEROSEXUAL TO RECEIVE PRESTIGIOUS "PATHFINDER AWARD"
AT NATION'S LARGEST CONFERENCE ON HOMOPHOBIA IN SCHOOLS
                                
                                                **

Find out more about GLSTN, the only organization of gay and straight
educators and community members working to see all members of the school
community are valued and respected, regardless of sexual orientation, on our
web site: http://www.glstn.org/freedom/

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NEW YORK -- The Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Teachers Network (GLSTN) announced
today that Penny Culliton, a New Hampshire high school English teacher who
was fired for teaching two books by lesbian/gay authors, will receive its
GLSTN/Northeast Pathfinder Award at the Sixth Annual GLSTN/Northeastern
Regional Conference, to be held on Saturday, April 27 at Cambridge Rindge and
Latin High School in Cambridge, Massachusetts.  The Pathfinder Award is given
to individuals who "have created new paths for others to follow in the fight
against homophobia in schools."  Culliton is the first heterosexual person to
receive the award.
 
A New Hampshire native, the thirty-four-old Culliton first became embroiled
in controversy in the spring of 1995, when research she had done for a
"Respect for All Youth" grant led her to conclude that Mascenic High School's
curriculum needed to be revised to include lesbian/gay themed literature.
  
"I saw the tremendous pain lesbian/gay youth were in, and the ignorance which
led so any heterosexual kids to be afraid of their own friends and family who
were lesbian or gay,"  Culliton said, "and I knew we needed to make sure that
our curriculum provided an opportunity for students to learn more about these
issues."  Culliton added two books, Maurice by E.M. Forster and The Education
of Harriet Hatfield by May Sarton, to her curriculum, and was promptly
brought up on charges of "insubordination" by her school board.  Dismissed in
September 1995, Culliton pursued arbitration, and the board was ordered in
April 1996 to reinstate her in the 1996-97 school year.
 
GLSTN Executive Director Kevin Jennings, a former history teacher, noted that
giving the Northeastern award to Culliton had a special historic resonance.
 "Maybe it's something in the water in New England, " Jennings said, "that
produces people like Penny Culliton.  She follows in that great New England
tradition of folks Anne Hutchison and Henry David Thoreau, whose consciences
told them to risk everything to stand up for what they knew was right and to
not be intimidated by the powers that be."  Patty Smith, the Northeastern
Conference coordinator, concurred.  "Throughout the Northeast and even around
the country, people have been watching Penny," Smith said, "and her refusal
to be intimidated has inspired all of us to redouble our efforts to see
'respect for all youth' become a reality in our schools."  Jennings added, "I
think some people thought we were crazy when we added 'straight' to the
organization's name two years ago, and I still see many people stumble over
it when they read it aloud.  Jennings concluded, "Penny Culliton proves you
don't have to be gay to 'get it' when it comes to lesbian/gay issues.
  There's a more appropriate word than 'straight' for her, and that word is
'hero'."
 
When informed of the award, Culliton  expressed delight but also concern.
 "My fight is far from over," she said, referring to the fact that the school
board is appealing the arbitrator's decision to the New Hampshire Supreme
Judicial Court and/or possibly to Federal Court. "But winning an award like
this helps keep me going, as has GLSTN's tremendous support over the past
very difficult year."

Culliton noted the outpouring of support she has received from people, both
gay and straight, in New Hampshire and beyond, as critical.  "I never knew
how many folks there were out there who agreed with me on these issues," she
said.  "I hope the organizing that my case helped prompt will continue and
lead to lasting changes in our schools."  She concluded, "As someone who grew
up in a rural area, I think this work is especially important in places like
New Hampshire."

Culliton will receive her award at the Sixth Annual Northeastern Regional
Conference's opening session.  The oldest of the GLSTN regional conferences,
the Northeastern Conference is expected to draw over 600 individuals of all
ages, sexual orientations, and occupations, including students who will
participate in a special "youth track" organized by Project 10 East,
Cambridge Rindge and Latin High School's Gay-Straight Alliance.  It is the
largest single gathering in the United States devoted to addressing
homophobia in schools.  Highlights of the day will include the first New
England showing of clips from It's Elementary, the new documentary on
homophobia in elementary schools made by Academy Award-winning director Debra
Chasnoff and Helen Cohen, as well as over thirty individual workshops.  The
conference will begin at 8:30, with Culliton receiving her award at the 9:00
a.m. plenary session.  For more information on the conference, call Patty
Smith at 617-661-2411.

                                                **

With over thirty chapters, and a membership of over three thousand teachers,
parents, and concerned citizens, The Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Teachers
Network (GLSTN) is the largest national organization working to insure that
schools are places where all people are respected and valued, regardless of
sexual orientation.

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