Date: Thu, 30 Mar 2000 17:19:42 -0800 From: Jean Richter Subject: 3/30/2000 P.E.R.S.O.N. Project news 1. LA: Contact info for paper which published bad editorial on GSAs 2. NE: More opinions on struggle to change discrimination policy 3. UK: House of Lords defeats Section 28 repeal; Scottish ministers protest Section 28 repeal 4. Canada: Vancouver teachers' union backs gay/straight alliances 5. TX: Article on media's influence on school district policy posted to web ============================================================================== Here's contact info for the newspaper which published the nasty editorial on GSAs in yesterday's email: The News Banner P.O. Drawer 90, Covington, LA 70434 Telephone: (504) 892-7980 Fax: (504) 892-8242 E-mail: Floyd Burckel - Online Publisher publisher@newsbanner.com ========================================================================== Omaha World-Herald, March 22, 2000 World Herald Square, Omaha, NE, 68102 (Fax 402-345-4547 ) (E-MAIL: pulse@owh.com ) ( http://www.omaha.com/OWH ) Letter: Add Sex Orientation Add Sex Orientation The Millard School Board is resisting adding the words "sexual orientation" to its non-discrimination policy, claiming that the present policy includes "everyone." Its protestations that everyone is included would be a lot more convincing if the policy did not already contain eight other spelled-out criteria under which students may not be harassed. The board's refusal to include "sexual orientation" in the policy is a serious matter. If the board does not have the courage to even put the words "sexual orientation" in writing, where is it going to find the courage to protect the students being harassed because of it? ­ Aleta Fenceroy, Omaha [Fenceberry@aol.com] Omaha World-Herald, March 22, 2000 Editorial: Where Are the Leaders? Young people should graduate from high school knowing certain things that don't involve academics. How to be on time and ready to work, even if the work is listening to a teacher. How to learn, even if that requires taking notes and studying later. How to get along in this diverse, modern world, where not everyone is just like themselves. How to be a decent human being who doesn't use mindless slurs to taunt or hurt others who are different. It is how the latter two lessons are being taught that is the subject of a debate among the Millard school board, administrators, students and parents. A contingent of students, many from the Gay Straight Alliance in the district, asked the board to include sexual orientation in the district's nondiscrimination policy. Administrators have said that, while the policy does not specifically mention sexual orientation, it is already covered by more general language. But discrimination policy aside, the problem of taunting and harassment is important. It has been a particular focus of concern ever since two "misfits" who had been taunted by fellow students at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colo., last year opened fire, killing 12 students, a teacher and themselves. Children have always jeered at each other. Physical, mental and economic differences may be most often used as the basis for the harassment, but with children, anything is fair game. Many years ago, one young girl whose mother had died at her birth was ridiculed at school because no one made clothes for her, so she had to wear "store-bought." The subjects change, but the tone never does. Adults have a responsibility to teach youngsters that such "sport" is not fair, nor should it be fun, and people shouldn't do it to one another. By the time little kids grow up enough to reach high school, the message should have penetrated. With some young people, it does. People who are concerned about the use of bigoted language need to trust that their school administrators are passing on that knowledge, that value of how fair people treat each other. Of course, there are always immature twerps, apparently not raised very well, who refuse to exercise the civilities necessary to be considered a decent, compassionate adult. They have a handicap ­ even a pathology ­ that will make it difficult for them to get along with other people in a diverse, progressive society. Their attitude and their mouth will likely be their worst punishment. But those young people are in the minority and should have little effect on their fair-minded, more tolerant peers, who should refuse to listen to their bigotry. Or, better still, should say something to stop it. Where, indeed, are the real student leaders at Millard? This is, in part, a job for them. No one should try to hide behind God, either. While some Christian religions do teach that homosexuality is a sin, Christ did not tell His followers to belittle or ridicule others they suspect might be sinners. Good Christians should be among the first to speak out for the underdogs who are harassed, heckled, taunted, picked on and sent home in tears. It doesn't matter whether someone approves of homosexuality, hates it, tolerates it or is indifferent. Or whether the subject is race, gender, age, intelligence, eyesight, weight, athletic ability, sports team preference, hair color, appearance, clothing, spending money, parent's occupation or anything else. There are real differences among people. There always will be differences among people. That's the way the real world is. Get used to it. Get over it. Get on with your life. Omaha World-Herald, March 23, 2000 World Herald Square, Omaha, NE, 68102 (Fax 402-345-4547 ) (E-MAIL: pulse@owh.com ) ( http://www.omaha.com/OWH ) Letter: Stop Hate, Not Speech The Millard School Board heard from students and parents who are concerned that their schools be made safe for gay and lesbian students. This effort is commendable, and the school board should act to make the schools safe for all students. however, the students' demand for restrictions on speech as a part of that effort is shortsighted and in the end will hurt them more than the taunts of bigots. Bigoted language is only symptomatic of larger problems. Codes of conduct that restrict speech mask these problems rather than solve them. The answer to bigoted speech is in fact more free speech, such as student advocacy groups, counseling programs and educational efforts. Bigoted speech can be caused by hate, but some of it comes from fear or misunderstanding of what it is like to be gay or lesbian or out of a desire to fit into a culture that targets gay and lesbian students as undesirable. Millard Public Schools should punish all acts of harassment, violence and intimidation. The presence of bigoted speech within those acts does not and should not immunize the offending students from punishment. Words alone, however, should not create a violation of the student conduct code. Gay and lesbian students are not seeking anything not already afforded to other students. They simply want to attend school in peace. That is how it ought to be. ­ Timothy C. Butz, Lincoln, Executive Director, ACLU Nebraska ================================================================================ Reuters, March 23, 2000 Britain's Lords trip Blair on sex education By Dominic Evans LONDON (Reuters) ­ Britain's Labour government suffered defeat in the House of Lords on Thursday in its attempts to ease curbs on what schools can teach about homosexuality. [Deleted article. filemanager@qrd.org] ================================================================================ THE PROVINCE, March 23, 2000 200 Granville, Street, Ste.#1, Vancouver BC V6C 3N3, Canada (E-Mail: provletters@pacpress.southam.ca )( http://www.vancouverprovince.com/ ) Gay alliances OK'd Three-quarters of B.C. Teachers Fed delegates vote to back support clubs Jack Keating, Staff Reporter The Province Homophobia will not be tolerated in B.C. schools. That was the message sent by yesterday's strong vote by the B.C. Teachers Federation in favour of a resolution to back gay/ straight alliance support clubs in B.C. middle and secondary schools, say teachers. [Deleted article. filemanager@qrd.org] ================================================================================= I've posted an article on possible media influence on the relationship between Out Youth Austin and the Austin Unified School District to our web site at URL: http://www.youth.org/loco/PERSONProject/Alerts/States/Texas/media.html At over 25K, it's too long to post here, but if you can't access the web and would like to see it, please email me. ================================================================================= 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/