Date: Tue, 26 Mar 1996 06:44:23 -0800 (PST) To: (Recipient list suppressed) From: "Tina M. Wood" (by way of jessea@uclink4.berkeley.edu (Jessea NR Greenman)) Subject: RI Youth Bill to be heard in House Weds. the 27th|| KY: bad amendment to otherwise good Health Education Bill [from the owner of the Rhode Island LGBT-news list comes the following...] "Okay, just found out that the hearing is in the House Special Legislation Committee. Please be there; call the Youth Bill Coalition (Youth Pride) at 421-5626 for more info. The members of the committee are Lopes, Ajello, Anzeveno, Bumpus, Carpenter, Giannini, Hetherington (chief sponsor of the bill), Kellner, Lanzi, C. Levesque, Lima, Palumbo, Winfield, McDevitt, and Salisbury. Their phone numbers and district numbers [are included below]. Thanks. Hope to see many of you on Wednesday. The hearing is scheduled to be in room 201 at the State House. Tina W." Legislative Alert An Act Relating to Schools Discrimination A bill is pending in the Special Legislation Committee of RI Legislature to add sexual orientation, religion, and national origin to the current law regarding discrimination in schools. (The current law protects students from discrimination on the basis of race, color, age and sex.) The Purpose of the Bill *It gives every student the right to attend school free from fear, harassment and discrimination. *It provides protection based on sexual orientation or perceived sexual orientation. Many students who are treated badly are not actually gay or lesbian. *It gives all students the right to bring action if they feel they have been discriminated against in public schools. *It provides an added incentive for schools to enforce existing harassment policies or develop effective ones. *It gives all students access to equal educational opportunities including extra-curricular activities within schools. What can you do? *Call, write and visit your Representative and Senator. Let them know that you support safety in schools for all students and that this bill can help. Call your local Board of Canvassers to find out the names of your elected officials. Tell three friends to do the same. Below are the members of the House Special Legislation Committee. They will be hearing the school discrimination bill. All phone numbers are area code 401. Maria Lopes, chair, district 83, East Providence, 434-8391 Edith Ajello, district 3, Providence, 274-7078 Frank Anzeveno, vice chair, district 70, North Providence, 231-4071 Marguerite Bumpus, district 52, Carolina, 364-7551 Marsha Carpenter, district 18, Providence, 467-4962 Joanne Giannini, district 7, Providence [cannot find phone number] Nancy Hetherington, district 28, Cranston, 461-4533 Ellen Kellner, district 15, Chepachet, 949-3128 Beatrice Lanzi, disctrict 22, Cranston, 946-7125 Charles Levesque, district 93, Portsmouth, 683-9194 Charlene Lima, district 13, Providence, 946-5707 Peter Palumbo, district 25, Cranston, 785-2882 Thomas Winfield, secretary, district 69, Smithfield, 949-0180 Charles McDevitt, district 59, Lincoln, 728-4518 Wayne Salisbury, district 54, N. Scituate, 647-5810 *Testify at the committee hearings which will be held March 27th. *Call the Youth bill Coalition at (401)421-5626 for more info. *Call or write Commissioner of Education State Department of Education 22 Hayes St. Providence RI 02908 401-277-2031 ---------------------------------- From: KyFairness@aol.com Date: Mon, 25 Mar 1996 17:55:32 -0500 Subject: KY Legislation Update House Bill 493 is a good Health and Education Bill, but an amendment has been added that would require teachers to emphaize that Homosexual Sodomy is the primary source of contracting the AIDS virus. Call Senators tomorrow (3-26-96) by 2pm est and ask him or her to oppose Senate Floor Amendment 5 to HB 493 1-800-372-7181. The fax number for all Senators is 502/564-6543. Good Luck Jim Bridges KY Fairness Allliance *+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+ YOU MAY RE-POST. Jessea Greenman The P.E.R.S.O.N. Project (Public Education Regarding Sexual Orientation Nationally) CHECK THIS OUT FOR TONS OF INFO - - http://www.youth.org/loco/PERSONProject/ Please cc us (for our files) on correspondence you send or receive re our action alerts. Date: Tue, 26 Mar 1996 19:53:40 -0800 (PST) From: jessea@uclink4.berkeley.edu (Jessea NR Greenman) Subject: Oral Argument in First Appeal Challenging Anti-Gay Violence in Schools || NEA Gold Card LAMBDA LEGAL DEFENSE AND EDUCATION FUND FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Tuesday, March 26, 1996 Contact: Patricia Logue 312- 759-8110 Margie Hanssens 212-995-8585 Oral Argument in First Appeal Challenging Anti-Gay Violence in Schools (CHICAGO, March 26, 1996) -- Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, Inc. presents oral argument this Thursday morning, March 28th, in the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago, in the first federal appeal challenging anti-gay violence in schools. Lambda's appeal on behalf of Jamie Nabozny seeks to hold his high school responsible for failing to stop a four-year campaign of relentless physical and verbal assaults on Nabozny. "Violence against lesbian and gay teens is a serious problem that school officials cannot ignore," said Patricia M. Logue, Managing Attorney of Lambda's Midwest Regional Office, who will argue Nabozny's case. "With the federal government reporting that one-third of teen suicides are by lesbian and gay youth, schools must show zero tolerance for anti-gay attacks." During the four-year ordeal in an Ashland, Wisconsin school district, students trapped Nabozny in hallways and bathrooms and assaulted him. During one assault, ten students surrounded Nabozny while another student repeatedly kicked him in the stomach, resulting in internal bleeding which required surgery. Nabozny's parents repeatedly attempted to get the school to effectively discipline the boys who abused him. School officials scoffed, saying that "boys will be boys," and that their son had to expect such abuse because he is gay. "I hope my case will help other gay teens to escape this terror," said Nabozny, who attempted suicide several times. Nabozny seeks the right to attend a graduation and get his diploma, because the abuse in his school drove him out at age 16, leaving him only with his GED. "The issue of anti-gay violence against schoolchildren has moved to the front burner, with hearings in several states, including Kansas, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Texas," said David Buckel, a Lambda Staff Attorney also representing Nabozny. "We get so many calls from teens in trouble that we have drafted a booklet to help them fight against anti-gay abuse." Lambda's appeal seeks reversal of an October 5, 1995 ruling by a federal judge in Wisconsin. Lambda, which took the case on appeal, is arguing that Nabozny's school denied his constitutional rights by failing to protect him because he is gay. Along with other groups, the National Association of School Psychologists filed a friend-of-the-court brief in support of Nabozny's appeal. Oral argument is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, March 28, 1995 in Room 2721, Dirksen Federal Building, 209 S. Dearborn Street. Nabozny and his attorneys will be available to the press at the courthouse immediately after the argument. --30-- -------------------------- Date: Fri, 22 Mar 1996 16:37:02 -0700 To: jessea@uclink4.berkeley.edu From: JEANEILEEN@aol.com Subject: NEA Gold Card Dear Jessea, Thank you for the ongoing updates about the NEA resolution. I am on the mailing list (free, wouldn't pay) of the Concerned Women of America. They have just sent me a letter telling me about the wonderful credit card I can get through MBNA (bank) of Wilmington DE, the same one that NEA uses. This new offer is to have an affinity card marked with Concerned Women on it. No annual payment, for every purchase made the bank will contrtibute to the Concerned women and for every person who signs up and takes advantage of the offer they will get a further donation. The letter also said that Concerned Women has already received a bundle - 10s of thousands (don't have the letter at hand) becasue of this offere. They also have the usual offer of a low interest short term 6 mos. rate for paying off other credit cards. In case people are not aware, Concerned Women and Phyllis Schafly of the Eagle Forum work hand in glove in opposition to all aspects of the NEA. NEA could take its business elsewhere, which I realize is highly unlikely, but members who currently have NEA cards (like me) could take their business elsewhere as soon as possible and tell the MBNA why they are opting out. Eileen Durgin-Clinchard (retired Life Member of NEA) If you can post this for information purposes here is the scoop directly from the letter I received re: credit card offer to Concerned Women of America mailing list. This organization works hand in glove with Phyllis Schafly of the Eagle Forum in opposition to NEA.. The offer states: "And we'll come out ahead, because the issuing bank, MBNA, will make a contribution to Concerned Women of America (CWA) for every new card issued, and also -- on an ongoing basis-- every time you use the card, we get a contribution from the bank! And all contributions are made at no additional cost to you! "And the contributions add up fast! As of this writing, over 29,000 supporters have chosen to carry our cards -- and we've already raised over $527,000 from the program, at no extra cost to our supporters!" Well folks, as soon as I can get my NEA card from MBNA canceled I intend to do it and tell them why!!! I have no desire to contribute to CWA even indirectly. Eileen Durgin-Clinchard (retired Life Member of NEA) JEANEILEEN@aol.com *+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+ YOU MAY RE-POST. Jessea Greenman The P.E.R.S.O.N. Project (Public Education Regarding Sexual Orientation Nationally) CHECK THIS OUT FOR TONS OF INFO - - http://www.youth.org/loco/PERSONProject/ Please cc us (for our files) on correspondence you send or receive re our action alerts.