Date: Fri, 14 Jan 2000 16:27:08 -0800 From: Jean Richter Subject: 1/14/2000 P.E.R.S.O.N. Project news 1. FL: Editorial misconstrues intent of anti-harassment policy change 2. NY: Tips on writing to legislators 3. OR: Letter supports college's antigay discrimination ========================================================================= Naples Daily News, January 11, 2000 Box 7009, Naples, FL, 33941 (Fax 941-263-4816 ) (E-MAIL: letters@naplesnews.com ) ( http://www.naplesnews.com/ ) Brent Batten: Moral questions spring from harassment prevention code By BRENT BATTEN, Daily News Everyone agrees that kids need values. Why is it then that we make it so hard for kids to have values? The question comes to mind in light of a recent exchange among members of the Collier County School Board, their staff and a parent who also happens to be a Christian minister. [Deleted article. filemanager@qrd.org] ================================================================================= From: SARATOGANY@aol.com Date: Thu, 13 Jan 2000 08:26:38 EST Subject: Tips for Writing lawmakers with Rochester church group's approach To: SARATOGANY@aol.com, bdm3g@gateway.net Msg from: The Coalition for Safer Schools of NYS, PO Box 2345, Malta, NY 12020 Email to: saratogany@aol.com "The Actual or Perceived GLBT Student Protection Project" Orlando Sentinel Tip for writing lawmaker 1. Use personal or corporate stationary (DO NOT WRITE FORM LETTER) 2. If your writing is clear, write your letter by hand, it adds a personal touch. 3. Be organized and brief. State the issue that concerns you and explain why. Cover only one issue per letter. 4. Refer to bills and proposals specifically by name and number, if known. ========================================================== Letter Writing Group (letters to legislators) The First Unitarian Church of Rochester has undertaken a letter writing campaign in support of the Dignity for All Students Act (in the NY Assembly and Senate). Recommend other groups and individuals do same. Also recommend that letters be cc'd to Senator Tom Daune and Assemblyperson Steve Sanders (bill initial sponsors in their respective houses) John Myers Director of Operations and Programs ======================================================= About the letter writing group: John, This is how it works after our church services on a Sunday: Some groups/committees prepare letters for people to sign --but we encourage people to write their own (which means they are handwritten and I doubt that we can get them to do more than the one or two.). We prepare copies of short "ideas" to have them sit down and write it (or whatever they want to) right there at our table. We supply the paper, envelopes & stamps - though donations for postage usually more than covers this expense. People genuinely seem appreciative that we are there "pushing" for letters, saying that they always mean to, but never get around to it. We call it the "Committees of Correspondence" (see the following): THE COMMITTEES OF CORRESPONDENCE The Committees of Correspondence were created by the Boston town council in 1774 to protest the domination of the colonies by Great Britain. Samuel Adams, James Otis, Thomas Jefferson, Patrick Henry, and Richard Henry Lee were early members of a network that spread throughout the colonies and led to the success of the Revolutionary War. The Committees of Correspondence at the First Unitarian Church of Rochester encourage the active participation of citizens. We need to inform and educate our legislators. They are unable to be experts on all of the legislation introduced. Even though they may not have encouraging voting records on things that may matter to us, it is important that they know how their constituents feel about them. We often provide a letter-writing table after church services and provide maps of legislative districts, background materials, sample letters, paper, envelopes and stamps. Different people staff the table. Participation and suggestions from the congregation are encouraged. An announcement from the pulpit tells of the subject. Obviously, people are free to express their own opinions. IDEAS FOR LETTERS FOR SUNDAY, JANUARY 9 (BILL # IN SENATE: S-5775; IN ASSEMBLY: A-9244) In light of some tragic events in schools recently, many states are seeing the need to prevent bullying within the school systems, and for teachers and administrators to take steps to enforce policies that spell this out. Proposed legislation for our state such as DIGNITY FOR ALL STUDENTS ACT (# --) will be helpful in protecting all students, including gays and lesbians, from harassment by their fellow students and faculties. We (I) urge you to support this. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ An Act to amend the education law - "The Dignity for All Students # ---- would afford "all persons in public schools, regardless of their real or perceived gender, sex, sexual orientation, ethnic group identification, race, national origin, religion, or mental or physical ability,-- equal rights and opportunities in the educational institutions of this state. I strongly encourage your support of this legislation that is also being proposed by several other states. Let New Yorkers be proud of taking this step. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ The proposed act to amend the education law - THE DIGNITY FOR ALL STUDENTS ACT (#---) would help protect ALL students, including gays and lesbians from harassment by their fellow students and faculties. Schools should provide a safe and encouraging learning environment for it all to work to benefit all of us! Please support this legislation. ============================================================ CSS-NYS Note: Assemblyperson Steve Sanders (chair, Education Committee) introduced the "Dignity for All Students Act" in the NY Assembly (A9244) on January 5, 2000. This Act was introduced in the NY Senate (S5775) on June 4, 1999 by Senator Tom Duane. Legislator support is needed in both houses. Organization groups and individuals are urged to "write" legislators (each house) and Gov. Pataki requesting their support of the Act. See NY Assembly directory at http://www.assembly.state.ny.us/ See NY Senate directory at http://www.senate.state.ny.us/ Review the Dignity for All Students Act at http://www.assembly.state.ny.us/ALIS/ Statewide distribution of this message is urged. John Myers Director of Operations and Programs ================================================ Summary of Bill Assembly Bill A09244 BILL NO A09244 SPONSOR Sanders COSPNSR MLTSPNSR Add Art 2 SS10 - 14, Ed L Enacts the "dignity for all students act"; affords all persons in public schools, regardless of their real or perceived gender, sex, sexual orientation, ethnic group identification, race, national origin, religion, or mental or physical disability, equal rights and opportunities in the educational institutions of this state. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ -- Actions on Bill A09244 BILL NO A09244 01/05/2000referred to education ================================================================================== Eugene Register-Guard, January 11, 2000 P. O. Box 10188, Eugene, OR, 97401 (Fax 541-683-7631 ) (E-MAIL: rgletters@guardnet.com ) ( http://www.registerguard.com ) Letter: Counselors need values (January 10, 2000) Let's support Northwest Christian College's right to maintain its honest values and our own right to not give them money. NCC students must sign a code that finds extramarital sex unacceptable. NCC is not a public institution and has the right to support its standards. But NCC teaches that counselors "don't impose (their values) on those they counsel," says NCC President James Womack. Such a counselor is an ethical professional. [Deleted article. filemanager@qrd.org] ================================================================================= Jean Richter -- richter@eecs.berkeley.edu The P.E.R.S.O.N. Project (Public Education Regarding Sexual Orientation Nationally) These messages are archived by state on our information-loaded free web site: http://www.youth.org/loco/PERSONProject/