Date: Fri, 28 Apr 2000 16:57:33 -0700 From: Jean Richter Subject: 4/28/2000 P.E.R.S.O.N. Project news 1. ME: Good editorial on response to Christian Coalition's anti-gay letters 2. CA: More on teacher's appeal of discrimination case 3. PA: Letter: GLSEN teaches tolerance for all students & lifestyles 4. UK: Teachers denounce bullying of gay pupils ============================================================================== From: SARATOGANY@aol.com Date: Thu, 20 Apr 2000 07:34:14 EDT Subject: Editorial:Launching a response (on Christian Coalition's attack on gay teachers) 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" =================================================================== Lewiston Sun Journal, April 18, 2000 104 Park Street, Lewiston, ME, 04240 (Fax 207-784-5955 ) (E-MAIL: letters@sunjournal.com ) ( http://www.sunjournal.com ) Editorial: Launching a response Last week the Christian Coalition mailed hundreds of letters to school superintendents, board chairmen and legislators across Maine warning them that employing homosexual teachers places school districts at risk for legal action in cases of sexual misconduct. It's an appalling communication written to provoke fear and spread hate. [Deleted article. filemanager@qrd.org] ==================================================================== This message has been distributed as a free informational service for the expressed interest of non-profit research and educational purposes only. "The Actual or Perceived GLBT Student Protection Project" A project of: Coalition for Safer Schools of NYS John Myers Director of Operations and Programs PO Box 2345 Malta, NY 12020 (518) 587-0176 Email: saratogany@aol.com (To join the CSS-NYS Email List, send request to saratogany@aol.com) ============================================================================= From: JGrissom@lambdalegal.org Reply-To: lambdalegal@lambdalegal.org Subject: Lesbian Teacher, Under Siege For Years, Wins Her Day in Court Date: Thu, 20 Apr 2000 16:21:13 -0400 =========================================== LAMBDA LEGAL DEFENSE AND EDUCATION FUND www.lambdalegal.org News Advisory ============================================ FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, April 20, 2000 Contact: Myron Dean Quon 323-937-2728, ext. 229 Peg Byron 212-809-8585 x 230, 888-987-1984 (pager) ============================================ Lesbian Teacher, Under Siege For Years, Wins Her Day in Court Court rules California teachers are protected from anti-gay harassment (LOS ANGELES, April 20, 2000) - A California Court of Appeal has ruled that the award-winning high school teacher mercilessly harassed on the job for being a lesbian can sue the school district that turned a blind eye to her desperate pleas for help, Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund said Thursday. "This is the first appellate court in California to make clear that harassment of lesbian and gay school employees is wrong, illegal, and cannot be tolerated," said Lambda Staff Attorney Myron Dean Quon who argued the case on behalf of veteran teacher Dawn Murray. "Dawn now will have her day in court to challenge her school district's tolerance and encouragement of the cruel disrespect and abuse she suffered. Throughout California, it is clear that our schools should be teaching respect and not standing by while the reputations of fine teachers are trampled," he said. In the unanimous opinion issued late Wednesday for the three-judge appellate panel, Justice Richard D. Huffman firmly rebuked the lower court for dismissing Murray's complaint against Oceanside Unified School District in 1998. "Murray has alleged a number of instances in which she was allegedly treated differently than other employees might have been, chiefly or entirely because of her known or perceived sexual orientation," the court wrote. "Under a plain language reading of the Labor Code statutes, it was an error to... dismiss her action." The ruling noted that California case law and statutes prohibit in numerous ways the kind of harassment Murray continues to face. The trial court wrongly reasoned that California's nondiscrimination law applied only to instances of sexual orientation discrimination in hiring, firing or promotions, but not harassment. "I am relieved to know that I now can go into court and finally be vindicated. This has been a harrowing and sad experience," said Murray, a veteran Biology teacher who has worked for the district since 1983. "I love the teaching profession. More than anything I just hope that other teachers will not have to suffer this kind of harassment just for being gay or lesbian," Murray said. Murray's lawsuit against the school district is now set to go to trial on the merits. Murray was denied a promotion when a school official objected that someone with her "lifestyle" would be "that close to the kids." Murray was, thereafter, subject to rumors spread by district employees and utterly false accusations that she had sexual encounters on campus with a co-worker. Murray also endured an obsessive focus on her sexual orientation from school administrators, teachers, and other school personnel, and her classroom was repeatedly vandalized. When she pressed for action to stop this harassment, Murray was threatened with loss of her job. Murray first filed suit in 1996. "This ruling gives hope that California courts will be as dedicated to eradicating harassment of lesbian and gay employees as it has been in eliminating harassment against other minority groups," said Darin L. Wessel, who co-authored a fried-of-the-court brief in support of Murray on behalf of Tom Homann Law Association, San Diego's lesbian and gay bar association. San Francisco's Bay Area Lawyers for Individual Freedom also filed as amicus on behalf of Murray. Despite hostile work conditions, Murray has been a top teacher of high school Biology, earning honors such as a prestigious Princeton University fellowship for teaching biotechnology to high school students and an award from the National Association of Biology Teachers as an Outstanding Biology Teacher of the Year. Lambda Cooperating Attorney Paula Brantner of the National Employment Lawyers Association in San Francisco assisted in the drafting of Murray's brief. Lambda, the nation's oldest and largest gay legal organization, is headquartered in New York with offices in Los Angeles, Chicago and Atlanta. (Murray v. Oceanside Unified School District, No. D031662) - 30 - Click here to view Lambda's news release online. http://www.lambdalegal.org/cgi-bin/pages/documents/record?record=626 =================================== Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund www.lambdalegal.org Western Regional Office 6030 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 200 Los Angeles, CA 90036-3617 323-937-2728 phone 323-937-0601 fax lambdalegal@lambdalegal.org ================================================================================= Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, April 19, 2000 Box 947, Pittsburgh, PA, 15230 (Fax 412-263-2014 ) (E-MAIL: letters@post-gazette.com ) ( http://www.post-gazette.com/ ) Letter: Safety for all students I am writing, first, to thank the Post-Gazette for publishing the April 5 article "Learning in Safety," which showed a rare understanding and compassion for the circumstances of gays and lesbians in our schools. Second, I would like to respond to the April 14 letter from Devin A. Winklosky of Point Breeze ("The Wrong Approach"), who praises the Gay Lesbian and Straight Education Network for promoting tolerance while mistrusting the organization for a "partisan promotion of any one lifestyle." In the hope that Mr. Winklosky and others who share his mistrust remain in the educable middle of our society, I would note that GLSEN does not promote one lifestyle, alternative or not. Our purpose is to make our schools safer for all, regardless of sexual orientation. My own conversations with students and their parents have persuaded me that our schools are particularly unsafe for those who may be gay or lesbian ­ or even misperceived to be so. Credible studies have shown that such students are at a higher risk for suicide, probably as a result of the verbal and physical attacks that they suffer and the social isolation they experience. GLSEN supports students who initiate alliances between gays and nongays, alliances that promote a better understanding of sexual orientation. GLSEN also offers to reduce the attacks on such students through education for faculty and staff. In doing so, we argue that these attacks are no more acceptable against gays or lesbians than they would be against women or against racial, ethnic and religious minorities. While I commend Mr. Winklosky for his readiness "to teach tolerance and nonviolence" in our schools, I would ask him to recognize why GLSEN emphasizes that such teaching must include tolerance for sexual minorities. ­ JOSEPH MARCHESANI, Wilkins ================================================================================ BBC Online News, April 19, 2000 http://www.bbc.co.uk Teachers denounce bullying of gay pupils By Gary Eason at the ATL conference in Belfast Teachers have deplored homophobic bullying by schoolchildren and say few schools acknowledge it or have policies to tackle it. At the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) annual conference, being held in Belfast, parents were also criticised for condoning or even encouraging their children's bullying of homosexual pupils. [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/