Date: Mon, 03 Aug 1998 15:23:25 -0700 From: Jean Richter Subject: 8/3/98 P.E.R.S.O.N. Project news 1. National Day of Silence seeks western regional coordinator 2. TX: Pro-active letters to politicians, and an anti-slur policy =================================================================== From: "Jessie Gilliam" Organization: Advocates for Youth Date: Mon, 3 Aug 1998 13:27:22 +1100, EST Subject: (Fwd) Day of Silence Project Seeks U.S. Western Regional Coord Can you suggest anything, or forward it on to people you might know? Thanks, Jessie Gilliam ---- Hey out West! In 1998, a team of 8 students from across the United States and Canada coordinated the Day of Silence Project(http://www.youth-guard.org/dayofsilence), an event in which students at over 200 colleges, universities, and high schools participated. This year, WE WANT YOU to be part of our team! We are looking for a U.S. WESTERN REGIONAL COORDINATOR. People can apply by sending a cover letter, a resume detailing your experience with activism/community service/leadership, the name of the position you are applying for, and the answer to the following question (500 words or less): What can I contribute to the Day of Silence Project? *regional applicants, focus on what you can bring to your region *high school applicants, focus on what you can bring to high schools to Jessie Gilliam, Co-Chair at jmg8r@virginia.edu (please e-mail because Jessie is moving back to college and doesn't have a mailing address right now!) by AUGUST 31, 1998. ------- The U.S. Western coordinator will work to recruit and inform schools (mainly colleges, but also high schools) in their region about the event. In the fall, coordinators will research how the Day of Silence Project can be presented best in their region: developing a specialized "how to" guide for their area which will be due by December. They will also research contact information and begin to recruit schools. In the spring, they will continue recruiting schools, and serve as advisors to participating schools in their area. Regional coordinators should live in the region they are working in. Anyone is eligible to apply for this position: preference will be given to youth applicants (25 and under). People of all sexual orientations are encouraged to apply. Coordinators should have the ability to work independently & be able to communicate well and consistently with others. They should show initiative, and they should be/have been involved in lgbt organizing on some level. They should be very reliable. Coordinators are required to keep daily e-mail contact with the Day of Silence Project team, and should expect to spend about 7 hours a week on the project in the fall, and 10-15 hours in the spring. Positions will be required to attend a Day of Silence Project organizing summit October 9, 10, and 11. Details of this event will be worked out as soon as possible.Coordinators will must fundraise to get themselves there. *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-* Jessie Gilliam Intern, Advocates for Youth jessie@advocatesforyouth.org 1025 Vermont Avenue, NW Suite 200 Washington, DC 20005 ph: 202-347-5700 fax: 202-347-2263 *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-* =============================================================================== Date: Fri, 31 Jul 1998 21:44:05 -0500 From: JLSE Organization: Mexican Border Web Projects Subject: Pro-active Subject: Fwd: Taking it to the Policy-makers Date: Fri, 31 Jul 98 17:06:13 -0700 From: GLSENTalk To: GLSEN-Talk Discussion List ............................................................ This message is from GLSEN-Talk, the list-serve of GLSEN's chapter leaders. TO SUBSCRIBE OR UNSUBSCRIBE You may add or remove yourself from this mailing list by going to: http://www.glsen.org/pages/sections/chapters/glsentalk/ ............................................................ ---------------- Begin Forwarded Message ---------------- Date: 07/30 9.32 PM Received: 07/31 5.00 PM From: Jennifer Parvin, JParvin596@aol.com To: glsentalk@glsen.org Hello everybody! I want to share a strategy that we used in Dallas with good success. We sent individually addessed letters to all of the school board members and superintendents of the Dallas Public Schools as well as two suburban districts. (Carrollton and Plano) These letters were Fed Exed to the individual members (courtesy of a generous GLSEN underwriter) and we followed up with individual telephone calls. We had good responses (the letters provide a rationale for their attendance at our July meeting, specifically and the need to be in legal compliance relative to anti-gay harassment at school, generally) from two Dallas School Board members and the Superintendent. The Superintendent of the Carrollton district sent two designees to the meeting. We have decided to go right to the policy makers and offer to educate them on issues of importance to LGBT youth, their families, and LGBT school staff. The letter we sent follows: The Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network P.O. Box 190179.284 Dallas, TX 75219 972 669-5777 July 14, 1998 'Title' 'First Name' 'Last Name' 'Address' 'City', 'State' 'Zip Code' Dear 'Title' 'Last Name': We want to invite you to our July GLSEN meeting where we will discuss several issues of importance to education policy-makers. Our meeting, on Wednesday, July 29, will address the issue of anti-gay harassment in school, as well as provide information on the Equal Access Act, which governs the formation of student clubs in school. GLSEN (the Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network) is a national organization with over 70 local chapters. Kevin Jennings, GLSEN's national Executive Director, is a Harvard graduate and a former U.S. History teacher. Kevin was named a member of Newsweek magazine's Century Club, one hundred leaders whose vision of America promises a more humane and productive 21st century. Kevin also recently addressed members of the National Education Association's Representative Assembly in New Orleans. In Dallas, GLSEN has existed for a little over a year. Our organizational mission is "to ensure that each member of every school community is respected and valued regardless of sexual orientation." We believe that professional educators subscribe to this mission and that quality schools--both public and independent--want to effectively respond to the needs of an ever-changing student population. Our July meeting will include several elements which will enable schools to better meet the needs of all of their students. These are: A 15 minute video entitled "I Just Want to Say," narrated by Martina Navratilova, which features a discussion among parents, students, and teachers about anti-gay bias in school. This video is especially timely considering the recent agreement between the Fayetteville, Arkansas school district and the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights. The case in question involved a student, William Wagner, who had been repeatedly harassed and physically attacked at his school because he is gay. This is the first case in the nation under the new Title IX guidelines which explicitly prohibits sexual harassment of gay and lesbian students. The video and the following discussion will help you identify and implement policies and procedures for your school district which will help to make school a safe place for all students to learn. In addition to the video, Edward Ishmael, a Dallas attorney and Chair of the Dallas chapter of the Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, will speak on the Arkansas case. (a Lambda attorney represented William Wagner) Mr. Ishmael will also speak on the Equal Access Act, which governs the formation of student clubs--such as Gay / Straight Alliances--in school. We--the GLSEN Dallas Co-Chairs--are both longtime educators who strongly believe in the power of education to create respect where intolerance formerly existed. Education--perhaps more than any other institution--serves the goals of democracy and pluralism in our country. We know that you, as education leaders, desire a school district which celebrates the diversity of its students and their families and guarantees that all young people will be fully included in all aspects of the school community. We are available to consult with you as you move toward legal compliance and toward inclusion of all students and their families. To begin this process, we invite you to attend this informative and important meeting. Sincerely, Jennifer Parvin, GLSEN Dallas Co-Chair Richard Hobbs, GLSEN Dallas Co-Chair Enclosures ----------------- End Forwarded Message ----------------- Subject: Re: Re Taking it to the Policy-makers GLSENTalk wrote: > ............................................................ > This message is from GLSEN-Talk, the list-serve of GLSEN's chapter > leaders. > > TO SUBSCRIBE OR UNSUBSCRIBE > You may add or remove yourself from this mailing list by going to: > http://www.glsen.org/pages/sections/chapters/glsentalk/ > ............................................................ > > ---------------- Begin Forwarded Message ---------------- > Date: 08/01 12.45 AM > Received: 08/01 5.09 PM > From: Amy Goldman, devon@creative.net > To: GLSEN-Talk Discussion List, glsentalk@glsen.org > > Here's a copy of our school's anti-slur policy. It's really improved our > school climate. > Amy Goldman > > All students at Alta Loma are expected to respect others in word, deed > and action. We do not tolerate language that insults any person on the > basis of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability or > appearance. > > The following are a series of questions which you are expected to answer > with honesty and sincerity. These need to be turned in to the Vice > Principal immediately after you have completed them. > > What did you say that brought you to the office today? > > Why did you say it? What did you hope to accomplish by saying this? > > What does this statement mean or imply? > > Why is what you said hurtful? It is not acceptable to say "I didn't mean > anything by it." > > How would you feel if someone made a comment that insulted you based on > your race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or > appearance? > > How do you think others felt when you made this comment? > > How does it hurt our school when students put each other down? > > What will you do differently in the future to make sure you don't hurt > people? > > On a separate sheet of paper, write a letter to your parent/guardian > explaining why you have spent this period in the attendance office > instead of in your regular learning environment. This letter needs to be > signed by your parent/guardian, initialed by an administrator and > returned to the teacher before you will be admitted back to class. > > And a lesson on name calling too. > > Lesson on Slurs > > Objective: Students will develop empathy for others, through personal > identification, and realize how devastating words can be when they are > used as weapons. This is part of the education component of our > Anti-Slur Policy. > > Activity I: Brainstorm (10 to 15 minutes) > Students will generate a list of categories covering all of the aspects > of a person's identity and appearance. For example a person's race, > gender, sexual orientation, disabilities, religion etc. > Then students give examples of specific put downs and list those under > the correct category. For instance "four eyes" would go under the > disability column. > > Activity II: Reflective Writing Assignment 3 choices (10 minutes) > a. Students will write about a time when they were personally put down > or slurred. Explain what happened, how they responded, and what they > felt. > b. Students write about a time when they harassed another person for one > or more of the above reasons. Explain what happened, why they did it, > and how they felt. > c. (If they can't do a or b) Students write about a time when they > witnessed someone else being put down and say what they saw, how they > responded, what they wish they could have done/will do next time, and > how they felt. > > Optional: Whole Class or Small Group Discussion (varies) > You may want to give students a chance to read their incidence out loud > as part of an extended discussion. Also the group can decide some > appropriate ways to respond to slurs in the future if they occur. > > Activity III: Group Anti-Slur Poster Project (20 minutes or more) > In small groups students will design a poster showing that slurs are a > form of violence that must be stopped. > > Videos Available: ask Amy Goldman > Teaching Respect for All gay & lesbian issues in education > It's Elementary gay & lesbian issues in education > Sticks, Stones & Stereotypes all name calling, 6th & 7th grade > Shadows of Hate historical racism > > Suggested Short Story "Wilshire Bus" racism, slurs 8th grade > > ----------------- End Forwarded Message ----------------- ............................................................ Visit the GLSEN Blackboard online: http://www.glsen.org/ Past GLSENTalk posts are archived on the GLSEN Blackboard: http://www.glsen.org/pages/sections/chapters/glsentalk/archive/ ............................................................ 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Project (Public Education Regarding Sexual Orientation Nationally) CHECK OUT OUR INFO-LOADED WEB PAGE AT: http://www.youth.org/loco/PERSONProject/