Date: Wed, 09 Feb 2000 16:43:06 -0800 From: Jean Richter Subject: 2/9/2000 P.E.R.S.O.N. Project news, pt. 2 1. NY: Article profiling safe schools bill sponsor ======================================================== From: SARATOGANY@aol.com Date: Thu, 3 Feb 2000 07:19:43 EST Subject: Sen. Tom Duane featured, exerpts regarding the Dignity for all Students Act To: SARATOGANY@aol.com, bdm3g@gateway.net Msg fwd by: 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" ========================================================= Albany, NY 2/3/00 Metroland (weekly) FEATURE Duane's World (NY Sen. Tom Duane) (complete article at www.metland.com) Sticking to his principles and fighting uphill battles against the conservative Senate majority, New York's only openly gay and openly HIV-positive legislator makes his mark on state politics By Erin Sullivan Sen. Tom Duane just had a birthday. On Jan. 30, the first-term New York state senator turned 45. His mother's birthday is very close to his, so he spent his weekend at home in New York City, surrounded by family and friends. excerpt "He's one of the brightest and hardest-working members of our Senate," lauds Sen. Neil Breslin (D-Albany). Breslin adds that although they've only worked together for one full session, he considers Duane an ally, a good friend and an inspiring example of a progressive politician. excerpt Last session, Breslin says, Duane championed "a very important piece of legislation - the hotly debated hate-crimes bill, which would create a legal distinction that would single out crimes committed against an individual based on race, ethnicity, religion or sexual orientation. Duane also introduced the Dignity for All Students Act, a bill that would demand action from schoolteachers and administrators when students are harassed or threatened. The bill specifically points out that in addition to race, religion and ethnicity, students must be protected from harassment based on real or perceived gender or sexual orientation. "We have students all over the state and country that are in post-traumatic syndrome," says John Myers, founder and director of operations and programs at the Coalition for Safer Schools. "They quit school, their grades drop dramatically. They may not even be gay. Many students who complain of anti-gay harassment, four out of five aren't gay. They still get harassed . . . these kids are ostracized, they turn to alcohol and drug abuse, and the attempted suicide rate is high." Myers says that when the Coalition approached Duane about taking up the cause, he was quick to act. Duane is not the first to address the issue of school safety, according to Myers, but he has fought adamantly for its passage. In the process, the bill has gained some attention - and hopefully, some support. "I've seen similar bills - they typically don't go anywhere," Myers comments. "The New York State Senate refuses to let any kind of legislative bill like this one out onto the floor for a hearing or vote, [but] I'm kind of hoping. We have a really drastic situation here, and people need to realize it's not just gay and lesbian kids. There's a lot of pain and suffering going on." Of course, neither bill was passed, but Duane won't be discouraged. "I don't feel frustrated yet," he says. "It's a challenge, and I like a challenge. Most of the issues I've been involved in have been uphill battles. This is a steeper uphill battle." excerpt Ask Duane why he chose to become a New York State senator, and chances are you'll get a pretty short answer. "To change the world," he says without a pause, as if there were no other logical answer. That's an ambitious goal for any man - never mind for a reform-minded progressive Democrat serving in a conservative, Republican-controlled Senate. But Duane scoffs at the thought of worrying about the obstacles he faces. ================================================================================ 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/