Date: Wed, 22 Jul 1998 14:47:53 -0700 From: Jean Richter Subject: 7/22/98 P.E.R.S.O.N. Project news 1. Web site by gay teen 2. VA: Charlottesville school board refuses to add LGBT antidiscrimination clause 3. NH: Student seeks Youth Leadership Institute funding ================================================================================== Date: Fri, 17 Jul 1998 01:09:17 -0600 >From: cory valdez > >Hello: >I am 15 and gay.I have put together a web site for teeners and their >families.It is my hope that a strong network of links can assist in >helping teeners my age and families. >Thank you >Cory Adam Valdez >http://members.delphi.com/coryshouse/index.html ================================================================================== Date: Wed, 22 Jul 1998 08:37:32 -0400 From: Michel Alain King Subject: VA: Discrimination Policy Splits Charlottesville School Board ---------------------------------------------------------------------- [Charlottesville, Virginia] Daily Progress Friday, July 17, 1998 Discrimination policy splits board School panel refuses to grant specific protection to homosexuals By DANIEL M. NONTE Daily Progress staff writer The Charlottesville School Board on Thursday declined to specifically prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation despite objections from two members and a citizen. The revision of school policies that underpin the school system's Code of Conduct that was approved Thursday provides adequate protection for homosexuals and against discrimination of any stripe, according to several board members who voted for the measure. Charlottesville resident Mitch King disagreed, saying the board should spell out its intention not to discriminate against gays. "Clearly, it helps to have a policy in writing," King said after the meeting. King has become a fixture at board meetings, advocating the adoption of the sexual orientation provision. In his remarks to the board, he cited a story in a Paducah, Ky. newspaper linking a fatal school shooting spree to homophobic taunting of the accused student. Two board members [Linda Bowen and Richard Merriwether] agreed that a sexual-orientation provision should be included and they voted against the policies. "We may not be legally obligated to include that language, but I think we might have a moral obligation to protect our students," said Linda Bowen before voting against the policy. Richard Merriwether, attending his first meeting as a board member, also cast a dissenting voice. The other five members of the board all voted for the policies without the specific sexual orientation provision. The policies clearly state that discrimination in any form, including sexuality, will not be tolerated," said Olivia Boykin, the board's vice chairman (sic). [Additional paragraphs concerning unrelated school board business have been intentionally deleted.] ------------------ end of Daily Progress article ------------------ Note: As you can see from text which follows, the nondiscrimination policies that were approved by the Charlottesville School Board on Thursday, July 16 ban discrimination on the basis of "sex", as well as a list of other specifically identified personal attributes, but--Ms. Boykin's claim to the contrary notwithstanding--they certainly do *not* clearly state that "discrimination in any form, including sexuality, will not be tolerated". According to the new policy, the *only* forms of discrimination that are prohibited are those specifically mentioned by name...and neither sexuality nor sexual orientation are among the prohibited forms of discrimination. That's one of the many unfortunate things about homophobia: It causes good people to imagine things that really aren't there. If you live in Adelphia Cable's Central Virginia viewing area, you will have two opportunities to get an even clearer picture of Ms. Boykin's position on sexual orientation-based discrimination within Charlottesville's public schools by watching the delayed broadcasts of the July 16 school board meeting, which can be seen on Adelphia's Channel 13 on July 24 at 8 PM and on July 25 at 4 PM. Note the number of times that Ms. Boykin claims that her religious background, which teaches that homosexuality is a sin, had no bearing on her vote in this matter. Ms. Boykin made similar comments at a February school board meeting. To borrow a phrase from Shakespeare, "The lady doth protest too much, methinks." Mitch King. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Charlottesville City Schools Policy 01-2, NONDISCRIMINATION (approved by a 5 to 2 School Board vote on July 16, 1998): "This Board is committed to a policy of nondiscrimination in relation to race, color, sex, age, religion, disability, national origin, or marital status. This attitude will prevail in all of its policies concerning staff, students, educational programs and services, and individuals with whom the Board does business." [The remaining three paragraphs of this policy statement, which have been deleted to conserve space, describe who is responsible for implementing the nondiscrimination policy, and how they shall go about doing that task, but do not increase the policy's scope.] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- =================================================================================== Date: 22 Jul 98 10:39:22 EDT From: Susanne.M.Kandel@Dartmouth.EDU (Susanne M. Kandel) Reply-To: Susanne.M.Kandel@Dartmouth.EDU (Susi) ------- Hi, my name is Susi Kandel and I'm a junior at Dartmouth College in Hanover, NH. I was recently accepted into the NGLTF's Youth Leadership Insitute which will be held in Washington D.C. August 5-9. The program will train us in the fundamentals of organizing and creating change within our communities. After graduating from the program I will spend the following year working on an "Equality Begins at Home" project in New Hampshire. The cost of the program is $2000, most of which is provided by NGLTF. However, I need to fundraise a portion of this amount myself. I am looking for groups or individuals interested in sponsoring me for any amount. If you can help, please e-mail me at susi@dartmouth.edu. Thank 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/