Date: Thu, 20 Feb 1997 15:28:09 -0800 From: richter@eecs.berkeley.edu (Jean Richter) Subject: YOUTH email lists || Info on GSAs needed || AZ: Letter on proposed school club ban || PA: Editorial on Elizabethtown controversy || New NYAC staff || MI: Wayne-Westland board approves antidiscrimination rules Date: Fri, 31 Jan 1997 23:06:45 -0500 (EST) From: Jason Hungerford *** PLEASE POST FAR AND WIDE *** January 31, 1997 Today the long-awaited and much-anticipated YOUTH lists officially opened. The premise for the YOUTH lists is to establish an outlet for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered, questioning, and supportive youth ages 21 and under to talk with each other concerning such issues as coming out, schools, parents, friends, relationships, and other gay-related and non-gay-related youth issues. These two new email lists (YOUTH13-17 & YOUTH17-21) is the first of its kind to offer a conversational/chat/support youth group in an email form. The email lists solve some problems that newsgroups, IRC, and chat rooms have. Email is quick, easy, convienent, and the most accessible. Not everyone knows how to subscribe to newsgroups, or to enter chat rooms, or even have the access capability to do so. But anyone with an email address can have access to this new list, and since it is through email, you won't have to wait for several days for a moderator to post your message. The YOUTH13-17 list is for youth 17 and under ONLY. Subscribers under 13 are permitted on the list. Subscribers who are older than 17 are NOT allowed on this list; however, if they are between the ages of 17 and 21 they may subscribe to the YOUTH17-21 list. Seventeen-year-olds are given the choice of subscribing to either the younger 13-17 list, or the older 17-21 list, or to both lists. The YOUTH lists have a strict age guideline in order to hopefully solve the problem of older people hanging around in supposed youth forums. The age policy will be strictly enforced on the list. The list will try its best to remain youth ONLY. SUBSCRIPTION: YOUTH13-17 Send mail to: listproc@critpath.org In the body of your message type: subscribe youth13-17 [YourName] YOUTH17-21 Send mail to: listproc@critpath.org In the body of your message type: subscribe youth17-21 [YourName] Without the brackets, YourName can be your real name, an alias name, or your email address. Subscription requests are then sent to the List Owner for approval. After sending a subscription request, the List Owner will send a copy of the list's general rules and guidelines. Upon notification of your agreement to the rules and guidelines established for the list, you will be subscribed to the list. Again, this may seem like a lot of red-tape, but is for the protection of the subscribers and for the integrity of the list to remain YOUTH ONLY. FOR MORE INFO: YOUTH13-17 Send mail to: listproc@critpath.org With message: info youth13-17 YOUTH17-21 Send mail to: listproc@critpath.org With message: info youth17-21 Or contact a YOUTH List staff member: Jason Hungerford (age 19), YOUTH13-17 & YOUTH17-21 List Owner James Miller (age 16), YOUTH13-17 List Manager Katherine Lund (age 19), YOUTH17-21 List Manager Mike Malecki (age 15), YOUTH13-17 Assistant List Manager Gavin Malette (age 20), YOUTH17-21 Assistant List Manager Visit the YOUTH Web Site at http://www.critpath.org/youth ================================================================= Date: Sat, 1 Feb 1997 02:28:34 -0500 From: al715@yfn.ysu.edu (Tina M. Wood) Subject: Re: Help Needed re: Gay/Straight Alliances This was on soc.motss. I have no further information but thought you'd want to know if you didn't already. -T In a previous article, sumanc@princeton.edu (Suman Chakraborty) says: > >Hi everybody, > >I'm a senior in college writing my senior thesis on the role, challenges >and impact of Gay/Straight Alliances in high schools. Although I have >been visiting GSAs in my area, I was also hoping to get input from people >on the 'net about their experiences in high schools. > >The kind of information which will be helpful include: > > -The obstacles in getting GSAs established > -How GSAs are received by the high school > -How having a GSA has helped/not helped your school > -How having a GSA would help your coming out process > >Any and all personal stories/anecdotes/memories are more than welcome. >All stories will be kept confidential and names changed if used in my >thesis (unless you state you don't mind having your name used.) >Anonymous submissions are also fine. > >Thanks for your help. > >Suman >sumanc@Princeton.edu > > > -- Tina M. Wood ____ |"Our lives begin to end the day we become al715@yfn.ysu.edu \ / | silent about things that matter." --MLK \/ |____________________________________________ Visit my homepage at http://drycas.club.cc.cmu.edu/~maire/home.html ========================================================================= THE ARIZONA DAILY STAR February 1, 1997 P. O. Box 26887,Tucscon,AZ,85726 (Fax 602-573-4141, print run 88,413) (E-MAIL: auslande@azstarnet.com OR E-Mail: letters@azstarnet.com) Letter: Shameful discrimination I have been reading with disbelief and disgust the various articles since the Dec. 25 story, ``Gay groups may face school ban,'' that have stated that some legislators, working along with Traditional Values Coalition Chairman Frank Meliti, intend to push for legislation that will ban schools (public and university) from allowing gay/lesbian/bisexual students a place to meet, banning any discussion of sexuality, etc. I find it somewhat ironic that the same types of religious organizations that pushed for the Equal Access Amendment in the early 1980s so that their children could have a place to meet, pray, discuss religion, etc., are the same groups that would now deny the same equal access right to students who wish to meet and discuss their difficulties with normal adolescent development, sexuality, etc. I continue to be amazed, embarrassed and ashamed that such overt hatred and discrimination is still rampant in this state. Alan L. Storm ========================================================================== The following editorial appeared on page 4 of the Elizabethtown Chronicle on Thursday, January 30th, 1997. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dear Editor, The Elizabethtown Area School Board now appears to be on the verge of a final reading of the policy generated from its now notorious Pro-Family Resolution". This final version states that the curriculum of our schools will not promote or endorse homosexuality. It does not seem to me that the policy, in any way, changes our curriculum or the school board's ability to censure our curriculum. As Tom Bowen editorialized in most of our local papers in October of 1996, "...locally elected school boards have been given wide latitude over curriculum and other policies." Additionally, the policy lends itself to a wide range of interpretations. Does the mere acknowledgment that homosexuality exists constitute promotion? Does allowing our school band to play music that was also performed by homosexuals signify endorsement? Judging from past performance, I would have to say that this board does not need a policy nor public input nor even official board discussion to render a rather narrow interpretation. Since this policy neither increases nor diminishes the boards control over curriculum content, we are simply left with a discriminatory statement of values. Nothing more and nothing less. And one that has no place in a public school. Public education is designed to provide an equal opportunity education for all children. I, personally, believe that the faculty and administration have done a commendable job of providing that education without offending the religious or moral beliefs of a diverse community. For that, I thank our educational community. The latest version of this policy contains substantial verbal back-pedaling when compared to the amended version introduced by directors Parsons and Bowen. This is the apparent result of legal counsel, not from the board's solicitor, but instead from an out-of-state religious legal group with documented ties to a movement of dubious values. This counsel was sought without public action by the board, once again allowing no public comment. The Rutherford Institute has reportedly offered to provide some degree of legal defense for this policy. So here we stand. One out-of-town group threatening legal action against our community and another offering legal support. Did the board ask if this community wanted to ally itself with either? The school board is in the process of drawing the battle lines. One can only speculate as to which out-of-town group will win this battle, but there is no doubt in my mind as to who will lose... Elizabethtown. I was somewhat surprised to hear several board members insist that they have the support of our community. All indications that I have seen are to the contrary. Tom Bowen further editorialized last October that "...this has politicized the school system, with local boards subject to the will of the people." I implore this school board to let the will of the people be heard. The upcoming elections offer the seats of four of the "Pro-Family Resolution's " strongest supporters, including Tom Bowen and Gary Parsons. I ask that the board table this policy until after the Primary Election. Let that election measure the degree of support that Elizabethtown offers them. It would surprise me to see this board respond to my request simply out of civic responsibility. But perhaps they might at least take notice if every member of our community who believes that the Elizabethtown Area School Board does have a duty to serve the community would send a postcard to them by way of the superintendent's office (600 East High Street). A plain postcard with the words "LET US VOTE FIRST" would suffice. Remember, Elizabethtown, they caught us sleeping during the last election. Let's not let it happen again. Keith Siemon ========================================================================= From: NYouthAC@aol.com Date: Sat, 1 Feb 1997 14:12:21 -0500 (EST) Subject: National GLBT Youth Coalition Hires New Staff Please see attached. PRESS STATEMENT 1711 Connecticut Avenue, NW Suite 206 Washington, DC 20009 Contact: Rea Carey, Director 202-319-7596 (phone) NYouthAC@aol.com (email) ________________________________________________________ FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Saturday, February 1, 1997 Washington, DC NATIONAL YOUTH ADVOCACY COALITION EXPANDS STAFF The following statement is attributable to Rea Carey, Director, National Youth Advocacy Coalition. The National Youth Advocacy Coalition is pleased to announce the addition of two new staff members to its Washington, DC office. Ken Carl has joined the Coalition as the Bridges Project Associate and will be responsible for responding to requests for information; providing assistance to NYAC's Participating Organizations and other youth advocates; maintaining the nation's largest database of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender youth organizations; and supporting youth organizing and involvement in advocacy efforts. Ken brings with him the experience of establishing Lambda Youth for Change in Philadelphia and working with the Bridges Project when it was housed at the American Friends Service Committee in Philadelphia. Ken's encyclopedic knowledge of youth activism and community-based organizations will be an invaluable asset to the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender youth movement. Andres (Andy) Garcia has been hired as the Coalition's Outreach and Education Coordinator. Andy will conduct outreach efforts to national and community-based organizations interested in advocating for and with GLBT youth; work with NYAC's Participating Organizations to build and support the Coalition's regional structure; participate in the implementation of NYAC's 1997 Summit to be held in Washington, DC; and oversee the development of NYAC's educational materials. Formerly, Andy was the Administrative Assistant for the National Lesbian and Gay Health Association and managed the National Ryan White Title III Coalition. Ken and Andy are important additions to the Coalition as we continue our growth as this country's only national organization focused on gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender youth advocacy, information, and education. The National Youth Advocacy Coalition, sponsored by the Hetrick-Martin Institute, was established in 1993 to address the need for a national organization dedicated to improving the lives of young people facing discrimination based on their sexual orientation and gender identity. Originally named the National Advocacy Coalition on Youth and Sexual Orientation, the Coalition has represented the concerns of national organizations and youth-serving agencies to government agencies, researchers, media, and educators. In 1996, the American Friends Service Committee's Bridges Project, providing information, resources, and referrals to gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender youth and their allies nationwide, merged with NYAC. ======================================================================= From: TBBH@aol.com Date: Sun, 2 Feb 1997 00:19:28 -0500 (EST) As President of the Wayne-Westland Board of Education, the seventh largest school district in the State of Michigan, I am interested in information concerning this effort and the individual who is responsible for such a wonderful program. On Jan. 21, 1997, our board voted unanimously to approve several harrassment and discriminatory policies to protect students, staff, board members, and allindividuals who deal with the district who may be of a different sexual orientation. Trish Brown ======================================================================= Jean Richter -- richter@eecs.berkeley.edu The P.E.R.S.O.N. Project (Public Education Regarding Sexual Orientation Nationally) CHECK OUT OUR INFO-LOADED WEB PAGE AT: http://www.youth.org/loco/PERSONProject/