Date: Wed, 30 Jul 1997 16:47:27 -0700 From: richter@eecs.berkeley.edu (Jean Richter) Subject: 7/30/97 P.E.R.S.O.N. Project news 1. MA: Job openings at the Department of Education 2. CA: Letter supporting Pacifica student's lawsuit 3. WA: Methodist church supports UW domestic partner benefits 4. Canada: Oasis Magazine under fire in British Columbia 5. Paper on counseling issues for LGB teens posted to web site ================================================================ Date: Wed, 30 Jul 1997 11:49:56 -0400 From: kwestheimer@doe.mass.edu (Kim S Westheimer) Subject: MA: Dept of Ed job openings To: richter@eecs.berkeley.edu Two job opportunities at the Massachusetts Department of Education: Safe Schools Program for Gay and Lesbian Students/Full Time Consultant One full-time consultant to assist Massachusetts Public Schools in developing programs and policies that implement the Board of Education Recommendations on the Support and Safety of Gay and Lesbian Students and comply with the student anti-discrimination law. Consultant will plan and coordinate faculty training, provide in-service and technical assistance to schools, manage grants and contracts and coordinate student speakers bureau. The consultant will also participate in health-related grant development and review and provide technical assistance to assigned districts in comprehensive and health education. The consultant will collaborate with other state and local agencies, professional organizations and grassroots organizations as necessary. Preferred qualifications include experience in grassroots organizing, program development, and training. Experience working in multicultural settings and at least four years working in school environment preferred. AIDS/HIV Prevention and Education Specialist One full-time consultant to provide focused assistance to schools on AIDS/HIV and STD prevention programs in the context of comprehensive school health education, including AIDS/HIV and STD training and policy development. Consultant will plan and coordinate training programs, provide in-service and technical assistance to department staff and local education agency staff, participate in program planning and evaluation, review and evaluate AIDS/HIV and health education materials, oversee Educator with AIDS/HIV in the classroom contracts, assist in developing Department policies, and design and implement strategies for promoting policy development in local education agencies. The consultant will also participate in health-related grant development and review and provide technical assistance to assigned districts in comprehensive health education. The consultant will collaborate with the Department of Public Health and/or agencies as necessary on related AIDS/HIV or comprehensive health initiatives. Preferred qualifications include, experience with health education and curriculum development, especially sexuality education; experience and sensitivity to multicultural environments; experience with AIDS/HIV prevention programs. For both positions: Salary is $22.32 per hour. Please forward resume with cover letter by August 22 to Human Resources, 350 Main Street, Malden MA 02148 =================================================================== From: Laursiegel@aol.com Date: Wed, 30 Jul 1997 12:37:17 -0400 (EDT) To: richter@eecs.berkeley.edu Subject: letter to the editor My letter was printed in the Pacifica Tribune today, 7/30/97, regarding a lawsuit in the Laguna Salada School district. Laura Siegel Protecting Our Sons I'm grateful that a parent is finally taking action to create change for boys in the Laguna Salada School District ("Laguna Salada facing a sexual harassment suit, 7/23/97). And I'm grateful that a young boy has the courage to speak up and demand his right to learn and grow in a safe environment. The women's movement has pushed issues for girls to the forefront. When a girl says she's inappropriately touched or harassed, we listen. But we still seem to think that "boys can handle it," that "boys will be boys," that "boys should tough it out," that "boys should be strong, that "boys should hold their head up," that "boys should "take it like a man." Where is the acknowledgment that boys are children and should be allowed to be children in a safe environment. Many mothers tell me they are afraid to send their sons to middle school. Many mothers say their sons are sweet or gentle, not into sports and they worry for their son's safety. Some home school their children. Some send their children to private schools where a greater effort is made to acknowledge differences. I know one family who moved to Hawaii; another who moved to New Zealand. We speak very little about this issue. If boys are sensitive, gentle, vulnerable, artistic, they are "like girls." They are verbally harassed - called "faggot," "girl," "sissy," "pervert," "homo." They are pushed, cornered, beaten up. And we expect them to "handle it." My own boys suffered this abuse in the Laguna Salada School district. Our older son was afraid to wait at the bus stop for fear he would be beaten up. Why? Because he was sweet, gentle, non-athletic, and wore glasses. Kids would call him faggot. There were many days he would be too "sick" to go to school.That was more than 20 years ago and it's still happening. This son is now a first grade teacher in Contra Costa County. He makes a concerted effort to gather his children into a circle at least once a month and discuss feelings. The children acknowledge that all feelings are valid. They "validate" (little 6 year-olds actually take this word home) each others feelings. One day one of the children was sucking his thumb and another little boy laughed and called him a baby. My son was about to intervene, when another little girl piped up, "That is inappropriate behavior. We do not make fun of other people." These children learn to value differences. This process also helps the children who harass to become more compassionate human beings. Why is that not happening here in our school district? This is an ongoing learning process all our children should be participating in. Maybe the schools are afraid to take on this issue because if they do, they might have to address homosexuality and the homosexual stereotype of boys being "sissies." But really we are speaking here about acknowledging and honoring differences - about people learning to respect each other. Like one counselor in The San Francisco Unified School District says," You don't have to agree with someone or even like him, but you MUST show him respect." This issue of safety for our children is not unique to Laguna Salada. Lawsuits are emerging in other districts as well. Michele Garside, Laguna Salada's new superintendent, says, "My goal with Laguna Salada is to make it the district of choice in five years." She also says, "I like to believe every single student should have an equal chance. This is what democracy is built on." How about making this school district safe and respectful of all children? How about introducing an ongoing program in the classroom to teach respect for differences? Words on paper are not enough. How about creating a safe learning environment for our children by taking action steps? I urge parents to encourage their sons to speak up. I urge you to fight for your sons. Treat this as seriously as you would a daughter being touched inappropriately. My own boys told me to keep quiet, and I foolishly listened. The children who bully others also need guidance. We do not want our children victimized, but neither do we want them to grow up disrespectful and hurtful. These are our children. They are innocent, growing and they need our help. I am proud of this mom and son who are not standing quiet any longer. Urge the school district to implement concrete programs to protect all our children. ========================================================================== Date: Tue, 22 Jul 1997 19:28:08 -0700 (PDT) From: "S. Holleman" Reply-To: campusq@u.washington.edu To: University of Washington Queer Interest Group Subject: Support from local church Just for everyone's information, shortly after the decision to extend recognition of domestic partnership on campus, the Ravenna United Methodist Church sent President McCormick a letter of support which was cc'd to the CDPE. That letter is reproduced here: Ravenna United Methodist Church 5751 33rd Avenue NE Seattle, WA 98105 (Rev. Jan Bolerjack) June 21, 1997 Richard L. McCormick President 301 Gerberding Hall University of Washington Seattle, WA 98105 Dear Dr. McCormick: We, the members and friends of Ravenna United Methodist Church, are writing to you in support of your decision to extend health-insurance and family-housing benefits to same-sex domestic partners on your campus. Our church is located just 3 miles north of the University of Washington. Your university and our church are a part of the same community. And like the university, we are committed to ensuring the fair treatment of all people within our community regardless of their sexual orientation. We are a church who supports and affirms all committed relationships. We wholeheartedly approve of the steps you are taking to allow same-sex couples equal benefits to housing and health-care. Thank you for taking a leadership role on this issue. Scott Oki was correct. It was "the right thing to do." =================================================================== [The P.E.R.S.O.N. Project web site is also housed at YAO, so this could hurt us as well...] Date: Wed, 30 Jul 1997 17:05:54 -0400 To: webmaster@youth.org From: John Reddy Subject: Troubles in Canada Hello to a good bunch of people. I'd like to give a little notification about something wrong in Canada. The webmaster@youth.org account received email today (Wednesday, July 30) regarding the YAO web site, and its relation to Oasis Magazine. It seems that a right wing christian group in Victoria, British Columbia, has started an investigation of Oasis Magazine. It seems that they claim that Oasis Magazine provides a vehicle for pedophilia. While they can't take any action against Oasis directly, they have pressured the Premier's Youth Office of BC (http://www.youth.gov.bc.ca/) to remove their link to YAO. I know that not all of you put a YAO in high regard, but we do provide information that is useful to a good number of people. And in addition, this group is mounting a motion against Oasis. They've already succeeded in getting some books banned in the school district of Victoria, BC. Suffice to say, I think this is something that needs to be publicized. I don't like to use slogans, but it's true that silence equals death. If we don't speak up, and make ourselves known, we and those that come after us will not want to live in the world we leave behind. I don't know who to contact to get things publicized, so I'm letting the people with the biggest mouths I know know about this. (That's a compliment, by the way...) -John Reddy -- My public PGP key may be found at http://www.lightning.net/~jreddy John Patrick Reddy System Administrator Lightning Internet Services, LLC. Tel.(516)248-8400x123 327 Sagamore Ave Pag.(888)935-2700 Mineola, NY 11501 Fax.(516)248-8897 From: "Jeff Walsh" Date: Wed, 30 Jul 1997 15:15:30 -0700 Subject: Oasis stuff... As you may have expected, several newspapers and radio folks have been contacting me today regarding the controversy, so it is definitely not an unchallenged attack on Oasis. :) The person who reported it is known as a right-wing anti-gay nut, according to the media people I've talked to. I'm going on the radio live at 5:30 p.m. to talk about it as well... ====================================================================== I've put a paper on counseling issues for LGB adolescents on our web page at: http://www.youth.org/loco/PERSONProject/Resources/OrganizingResources/counseling.html Unfortunately I only have this document in html form, so it'd be a real pain to send to someone via email (unless they didn't mind html commands in the document). Nevertheless, if you can't access the web and you'd really like to see this, let me know and I'll bite the bullet, de-html it, and send it to you. ====================================================================== 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/