Date: Thu, 09 Apr 1998 15:47:37 -0700 From: Jean Richter Subject: 4/9/98 P.E.R.S.O.N. Project news 1. NY: Coalition for Safer Schools' 97-98 activity report 2. People for the American Way Foundation's Threats to Democracy Conference 3. OH: Support bill to form youth and suicide commission ============================================================================= From: SARATOGANY Date: Thu, 9 Apr 1998 07:17:21 EDT To: jjmyers@skidmore.edu Subject: CSS-NYS: 1997 - 1998 Activity Report Coalition for Safer Schools of NYS: 1997 - 1998 Activity Report CSS-NYS is a core group working in collaboration with organizations with similar concerns for students and is an information resource clearinghouse. CSS-NYS maintains a focus on stopping anti-gay abuses of students in schools, the most pervasive of student abuses. Student anti-gay abuses not only adversely effect GLBT and non-gay students with GLBT family and friends, but also non-gay students who are rumored and or perceived as GLBT. There are indications that the number of non-gay students suffering from anti-gay abuses are significantly higher than GLBT students. CSS-NYS has been making small but positive in-roads over the past year: Attended five Ballston Spa United Methodist Church reconciliation training sessions Present a 4 night education video series at Saratoga Springs Public Library Facilitated SPAHA youth sexuality discussion group Addressed high school seniors and faculty Addressed GLBA students at SCCC Facilitated high school teacher in-service training Attended and spoke (not featured) at two Christian Coalition meetings Spoke at Saratoga Springs District Wide Parents Association meeting (information packet provided) Mailed letter and large information package to Saratoga Springs School Board Provided Gay Straight Alliance information package to SSHS GSA founding student Faxed an information paper to 250 capital region schools Sent requested information package to school principals Addressed a large school psychology doctorate student group at U. Albany Attended three conferences in the northeast Had newspapers publish three guest columns and six letters to the editor Sent a protest letter and information package to City of Mechanicville School Board (regarding numerous anti-gay remarks in the 1997 yearbook) Arranged and collaborated with PFLAG and met with the National Education Association of NY NEA-NY arranged for an article in their state newsletter (40,000 subscribers) Spearheading push for NYS Assembly Bill 1998, Harassment (includes GLB student protection) Provided "This Is A safe Place To Talk About..." poster to some school counselors Received recent program series approval from Skidmore's Diversity and Affirmative Action Committee Accepted United Methodist Woman's invitation to speak Developed and developing relationships with non-gay activist organization Arranging a meeting with a large area high school principal (at hand) Accepted invitation from SPAHA Youth Organization to facilitate summer sexuality discussion group sessions Adopted PFLAG's Professional Development Program ( five hour course) Occasionally provide WRPI Homoradio with production materials Discussed GLBT student issues, face to face, with Congressman McNulty Discussed GLBT student issues, face to face, with Eliot Spitzer (Democrat NY- AG candidate) Contributor and recipient of numerous Internet GLBT news feed services Maintain a large information distribution e-mail list Providing CDGLCC Newsletter, Community, with " Websites for GLBT's and Their Family and Friends" Presented the video "It's Elementary" at public libraries in Albany, Troy and Schenectady (Co-sponsored by Troy's Safety Zone and Unity House, these video showings created radio, TV and newspaper news coverage and a three quarter page article "Anti-Gay Prejudice Rampant in Schools" in the Troy Record) April 8, 1998 Submitted by: John Myers Operations and Programs Coalition for Safer Schools of NYS PO Box 2345 Malta, NY 12020 tel: (518) 587-0176 email: saratogany@aol.com (We will work with any group or organization to break the silence about student anti-gay abuse) "Being safe in school shouldn't be a radical concept."........Jamie Nabozny "That's so Gay" second most frequent putdown by second graders ============================================================================= Date: Thu, 09 Apr 1998 10:55:19 -0700 From: Judge Plummer Organization: People For the American Way Foundation Please pass around the info to interested persons. PEOPLE FOR THE AMERICAN WAY FOUNDATION'S THREATS TO DEMOCRACY CONFERENCE MAY 15-18! DON'T MISS IT! Join People For the American Way Foundation May 15-18 for Threats to Democracy, a skills-building conference designed to give activists and organizations the tools to more effectively fight the Right. WORKSHOPS, PLENARIES, AND PRIVATE CONSULTATIONS Workshops and plenary sessions will focus on attacks on separation of church and state, public education, civil rights, abortion rights, labor unions, the independence of the judiciary, arts and free speech on the Internet. In addition to issues-oriented sessions, participants will be able to choose workshop tracks on fundraising, organizing, communications, and electoral work, and will have the opportunity to schedule one-on-one consultations with experts in media, finance, working the web, and more. GREAT SPEAKERS!: The fantastic group of speakers and workshop presenters will include Cecile Richards, Mandy Carter, Bob Borosage, Stan Greenberg, Frank Greer, Rabbi David Saperstein, Buzz Thomas, Rev. Tim McDonald, Dawn Laguens, Hilary Shelton, Kim Mills, and many more. Other highlights include a Sunday evening champagne and conversation with Norman Lear, television producer, activist, and founder of People For the American Way Foundation; and a Monday morning Capitol Hill briefing with Senator Barbara Boxer, Senator Bob Kerrey, Rita Lewis, and others. PEOPLE FOR THE AMERICAN WAY DEFENDER OF DEMOCRACY LUNCHEON WITH MOLLY IVINS, SENATOR TED KENNEDY, KWEISI MFUME, AND OTHERS: Also on Monday May 18, join Molly Ivins at a People For the American Way benefit luncheon featuring the presentation of the first annual Defender of Democracy Awards to U.S. Senator Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA), NAACP Presentation and CEO Kweisi Mfume, and the Founders Award to People For the American Way founding President Tony Podesta. REGISTRATION INFORMATION To receive more information and a registration packet for the first annual People For the American Way Foundation Threats to Democracy Conference, please contact the conference registrar via e-mail at balcomgrp@aol.com, by phone at 202/234-3880 or by fax at 202/234-3884. Please be sure to include your name, mailing address and phone number in all correspondence. Thanks, Judge Plummer Special Projects Coordinator People For the American Way Foundation / Los Angeles ======================================================================== Subject: Ohio commission on youth and suicide Date: Wed, 8 Apr 98 14:36:40 -0500 x-sender: kfrankfurt@trudy.digitopia.com From: kfrankfurt To: News from GLSEN Sender: ............................................................ An important message from GLSEN-Alert, the electronic news service of GLSEN. The Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network -- GLSEN 121 West 27th Street, Suite 804 New York, NY 10001 212-717-0135 -- 212-727-0254 - fax glsen@glsen.org Visit the GLSEN Blackboard online: http://www.glsen.org/ ............................................................ Hey GLSEN FOLKS! Here's another opportunity to stand up and be counted. Ohio Representative Cheryl Winkler is the chair of the Human Services committee. They have H.B. 700 before them.This bill calls for the creation of a commission on Youth and Suicide in Ohio. We need this commission. We also need a FLOOD of support.If you live in Ohio please call and or write. If you live outside of Ohio please call and/or write. here is the information. THANK YOU!! Please Call and/or mail letters of support for this bill, TO BE PASSED this year. If Rep Winkler does not hear from those who support the passage of this bill it will not get to the hearing phase. WE CAN do this!! NEWS FLASH!!! Hearings might happen May 12 or 19 but we must get letters of support to Winkler from all over Ohio if possible. PLEASE PASS ON TO ANYONE CONCERNED ABOUT YOUTH AND SUICIDE. see info below for new letter. PASS House Bill 700 Commission on Youth and Suicide NOW! Date: 4/2/98 From: the Committee to Pass H.B. 700 Nickie Antonio and Leslie Sadasivan ,GLSEN Community Education committee, with support from Cheryl George from the Survivors of Suicide Support Group. Subj: House Bill 700, Commission on Youth and Suicide SUPPORT THE COMMISSION ON YOUTH AND SUICIDE Please contact:CALL AND/OR WRITE 1) Cheryl Winkler, Committee Chair (614-466-8258) 2) Jo Ann Davidson, Speaker of the House (614-466-4384) 3) Your Ohio Representative to urge them to: a) pass H.B.700 NOW before Summer Recess b) voice your support of H.B. 700, a bill to create the Ohio Commission on Youth and Suicide introduced in February of 1998, by State Representative Jack Ford (D-Toledo). The Commission would investigate problems and suggest solutions for youth at risk of suicide. The targeted groups include, but are not limited to, gay and lesbian youth, youth with serious eating disorders and youth with drug and alcohol addiction. The Commission would also investigate the phenomenon of serial suicides in schools. According to an article in the Akron Beacon Journal (February 15, 1998), Ford said that the inclusion of gay and lesbian youth is in response to the ABJ's recent Suffering in Silence series about glbt youth in the Akron-Canton area, many of whom tried to commit suicide. To date, the bill has bipartisan support with approximately 25 co-sponsors. Please write or call the above Ohio House Representatives urging her/him to support the creation of the Commission on Youth and Suicide. Use the following letter template or create your own letter, and send it to: The Honorable _______________ Ohio House of Representatives 77 South High Street Columbus, Ohio 43266-0603 House of Reps Phone# 614-466-3357 SAMPLE LETTER Dear___________________: I urge you to Please support and pass H.B.700 this session of the 123rd General Assembly, to create the Commission on Youth and Suicide introduced to the Ohio House by Representative Jack Ford. This legislation is especially important for the children of Ohio at risk for suicide. It currently has the bipartisan support of over 25 Ohio Representatives. As you may know, adolescent suicides have quadrupled in the last four decades. In addition, suicide among our youth is the third leading cause of death. Your support of this bill can help to stem the tide of increasing youth suicide. On behalf of the youth of Ohio, I urge you to support the bill to create the Commission on Youth and Suicide by all means available to you. Please pass this bill NOW! Next year may be too late for some troubled child. Sincerely, ............................................................ Visit the GLSEN Blackboard online: http://www.glsen.org/ Past GLSENAlert posts are archived on the GLSEN Blackboard: http://www.glsen.org/pages/sections/news/glsenalert/ ............................................................ For information about subscribing and unsubscribing to GLSENAlert, send an email to: with the subject of body: help If you have problems using these commands, you can contact the list server administrator at: ............................................................ ============================================================================= 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/