Date: Tue, 30 May 2000 17:02:10 -0700 From: Jean Richter Subject: 5/30/2000 P.E.R.S.O.N. Project news 1. UK: Private referendum on Clause 28 deemed a farce 2. NE: Wishy-washy editorial on harassment of gay students 3. IL: Education professionals respond to GSA query 4. CA: Santa Rosa board may change sexuality forum policy ============================================================ 1. UK: Private referendum on Clause 28 deemed a farce BBC Online News, May 6, 2000 http://www.bbc.co.uk Section 28 vote dubbed a farce The running of a private vote testing pubic opinion on the repeal of Section 28 has been condemned as farcical. Critics say thousands of people have received no ballot papers while others have been posted dozens. Campaign group Keep the Clause ­ which is in favour of retaining the law banning the promotion of homosexuality as an accepted family relationship ­ has spent 1m pounds on the mass canvass. [Deleted article. filemanager@qrd.org] ================================================================================= 2. NE: Wishy-washy editorial on harassment of gay students Omaha World-Herald, May 5, 2000 World Herald Square, Omaha, NE, 68102 (Fax 402-345-4547 ) (E-MAIL: pulse@owh.com ) ( http://www.omaha.com/OWH ) Editorial: Find Out Why and Fix it A Millard School District investigation into alleged student harassment is the right course in the wake of allegations by homosexual students that they are being persecuted. If something is poisoning the schools' climate for teaching and learning, it ought to be identified and rooted out. Gays and lesbians told the school board they have been subjected to taunts and harassment. When they asked to be added to a list of groups receiving special protection from mistreatment on the basis of personal characteristics, school officials hesitated. An existing rule prohibits "disparaging or demeaning language of any kind." Superintendent Keith Lutz said that's sufficient to cover the complaints. A board member said the addition hadn't been ruled out, however. [Deleted article. filemanager@qrd.org] ================================================================================= 3. IL: Education professionals respond to GSA query CHICAGO TRIBUNE, May 7, 2000 435 N. Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL, 60611 (Fax 312-222-2598 ) (E-MAIL: ctc-tribletter@tribune.com ) ( http://www.chicagotribune.com ) MAKING LIFE EASIER Editor's note: The April 23 Readers Forum question, "Do you think clubs that promote education and tolerance of homosexuality should be established in high schools?" drew a large response--all of it in support of such clubs. Here are responses from professionals who are close to the issue. As a dean of students, I have professionally witnessed countless students who struggle with their identity, regardless of their sexual orientation. A Gay-Straight Alliance is an outlet for students who come from a variety of backgrounds--they are dealing with their own homosexuality, they are dealing with one of their parents, they are dealing with their siblings and/or their best friends. Educating about the topic of homosexuality in and of itself is morally neutral and it can make a difference in several hundred student lives. -- Patrick Finnessy, dean of students, Stevenson High School, Lincolnshire Of course schools should be allowed to have organizations that promote tolerance and understanding of homosexuality, and individuals can choose whether they wish to belong. Maybe such organizations can help gay and lesbian youth lead lives where they aren't subject to teasing and more serious forms of abuse. Can you imagine even asking if organizations that foster tolerance and understanding of different ethnic groups should be allowed? -- Joseph P. Stokes, Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Chicago This is a no brainer, folks. The mission of the education system is to educate. Learning about the lives of Europeans who lived 300 years ago or the future evolving on the wings of the Internet doesn't even approach the importance of learning about the many different people with whom we share the present. The presence of gay-straight clubs and alliances is an important avenue for our children to learn about the broad spectrum of humanity and to grow a bit themselves. -- Lee M. Faver, psychologist, Buffalo The suicide/attempted suicide rate of gay and lesbian teens is many times that of heterosexual kids. This is due, in large part, to the isolation, lack of positive role models and non-existent support that gay and lesbian adolescents experience. This period of adolescence can be a horribly difficult transition for kids in general; at a time of life when the most socially isolating and destructive thing is to "be different," gay/straight alliances provide an invaluable network of support and caring for young people who are often just discovering that they're going to be thought of as "different" for the rest of their lives. -- Kate Geiser, counselor Next week: letters from parents and students. ================================================================================= 4. CA: Santa Rosa board may change sexuality forum policy From: SARATOGANY@aol.com Date: Sun, 7 May 2000 23:19:53 EDT Subject: CA: Protest leads SR schools to study policy on sexuality forums 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" =================================================================== Press-Democrat P. O. Box 569, Santa Rosa, CA, 95402 (Fax 707-546-2437 ) (E-MAIL: letters@pressdemo.com ) April 17, 2000 Protest leads SR schools to study policy on sexuality forums Carrillo flap delays event at SR High By ROBERT DIGITALE, Press Democrat Staff Writer Following a parent protest at Maria Carrillo High, school administrators in Santa Rosa have proposed changing the way that parents are notified when outside speakers discuss homosexuality or human sexuality. As a result, Santa Rosa High School has postponed its Week of Dialogue, an event originally scheduled for this week that would have had outside speakers as did the "Day of Dialogue" that drew the parent protests at Carrillo. [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 New York State John Myers Director of Operations and Programs PO Box 2345 Malta, NY 12020 (518) 587-0176 Email: saratogany@aol.com (To subscribe or unsubscribe (CSS-NYS Email List) send request to saratogany@aol.com) ============================================================================== 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/