Subject: Back to School Campaign Update - Week 3
From: [email-masked]
Date: Mon, 23 Sep 1996 20:12:00 -0400

---------------------GLSTN News---------------------

BACK-TO-SCHOOL CAMPAIGN UPDATE #3

WEEK ENDING SEPTEMBER 20, 1996

Note:  The Back-to-School Campaign is a national letter-writing and 
advocacy campaign in which GLSTN urges lesbian, gay, and bisexual adults 
and their friends to contact their former schools and school officials to 
demand action to end anti-gay bias in education.  Staged each September, 
it is in its second year.  Weekly updates will be made available 
throughout the month of September.

CONTENTS:

*     Press Release:  GLSTN Releases New Video On Homophobia In 
      Schools To Support  Back-To-School Campaign 

*     GLSTN Kalamazoo Starts Up

*     GLSTN In The News

*     GLSTN Back to School Ads In More and More Publications

GLSTN RELEASES NEW VIDEO ON HOMOPHOBIA IN SCHOOLS TO SUPPORT  
BACK-TO-SCHOOL CAMPAIGN 

PREMIERE SET FOR PHILADELPHIA SEPT. 28

New York, NY	The Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Teachers Network (GLSTN) 
announced today the release of its new video Teaching Respect for All as 
part of its Second Annual "Back-to-School" Campaign. Based on the staff 
training program GLSTN developed for the state of Massachusetts (the 
first-ever such program in the U.S.), the 50 minute video helps teachers, 
parents, and community members understand why schools need to address 
anti-gay bias if they are to achieve their mission of educating all 
students to the best of their ability.  Staged each September, the 
Back-to-School Campaign works to get lesbian, gay, and bisexual adults 
and their supporters to write to their old schools demanding action to 
end homophobia,

Kevin Jennings, GLSTN's Executive Director, said of the video, "With over 
7,000 people having already sent Back-to-School letters, we wanted to 
provide a concrete resource for schools that are being motivated to take 
action.  Teaching Respect for All gives them a tool they can use to 
increase the awareness of the community and the skills of school staff."  
Jennings, who conducted the training filmed in Teaching Respect for All 
before a live audience in Philadelphia in July, added, "We're trying to 
help people understand that homophobia in schools stops kids from 
learning and, once they understand that, most schools will do the right 
thing."

Teaching Respect for All will be premiered in its birthplace, 
Philadelphia, on Saturday, Sept. 28. at 1:00 p.m. at the Arch Street 
Meeting House.  "People loved being part of the filming process," said 
Megan Spears, GLSTN/Philadelphia Co-Chair, "and are very eager to see the 
final product." Other GLSTN chapters will stage premieres in their 
communities in coming months, and the tape will also be available (along 
with an accompanying training manual) for mail order purchase. "We've 
been watching the Radical Right put out all kinds of videos about how 
we're 'after kids' for years," said Jennings "and we're glad to finally 
have something that will help teachers and parents understand the truth 
-- that schools simply aren't good schools when they allow anti-gay 
bigotry to flourish."

For further information: More information on the Philadelphia premiere 
can is available at 215-546-7030.  Copies of Teaching Respect for All and 
its accompanying training manual are $59.95 plus $3.00 for shipping and 
handling and may be ordered with either Mastercard or Visa by calling 
212-727-0135 or by sending a check to GLSTN at 122 W. 26 St. Suite 1100 
New York, NY 10001.

GLSTN KALAMAZOO STARTS UP

The first meeting of GLSTN's newest chapter in Kalamazoo, Michigan took 
place on September 18, and was attended by over thirty people.  "We're 
flying" said Bob Higgins, chapter co-chair.  "We were thrilled at how 
many people came and how eager they ere to get involved."  The Kalamazoo 
area has been an area of some controversy, with intense media attention 
resulting from the "coming out" and subsequent resignation under pressure 
of Byron Center music teacher Gerry Crane, who attended the meeting.  
"This is an area where people have really been harassed," said John 
Spear, GLSTN National Director of Field Services, "and I am glad to see 
people's resolve has been strengthened rather than broken."  Said Jeannie 
Byrne, Kalamazoo Co-Chair "I think people are really ready to take 
action."

GLSTN IN THE NEWS

The Back to School Campaign Has Been Featured in The Following Newspapers 
and Publications (partial list):

*  Bay Windows (Boston)
*  Focus Point (Minneapolis)
*  Frontiers (Los Angeles)
*  Guardian (San Francisco)
*  Houston Voice
*  In Newsweekly (New England)
*  Philadelphia Daily News
*  Philadelphia Gay News
*  Seattle Gay News
*  Southern Voice (Atlanta)
*  Weekly News (Miami)
*  Windy City Times (Chicago)

GLSTN BACK TO SCHOOL ADS IN MORE AND MORE PUBLICATIONS

The Back to School Campaign's Public Service Advertisements Has Been 
Featured in The Following Newspapers and Publications:

*  Bay Area Reporter (San Francisco)
*  Bay Windows (Boston)
*  Curve magazine (National)
*  Et Cetera (Atlanta)
*  Frontiers (Los Angeles)
*  Houston Voice
*  HX (New York)
*  Metroline (Hartford)
*  National Council for the Social Studies (National Journal for 
    Social Studies Teachers)
*  Philadelphia Gay News,
*  Planet Weekly (National)
*  Query (Nashville)
*  Sojourner (Boston)
*  Tulsa Family News
*  Washington Blade (National)

                                  --30--

With over forty chapters, and a membership of over three thousand 
teachers, parents, and concerned citizens, GLSTN is the largest national 
organization working to insure that schools are places where all people 
are respected and valued, regardless of sexual orientation.   For more 
info. visit our web site at http://www.glstn.org/respect or call us at 
212-727-0135.

GLSTN
122 West 26th Street
Suite 1100
New York, NY 10001
Tel: 212.727.0135
Fax: 212.727.0254
Email: [email-masked]
Web: http://www.glstn.org/respect/

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