Date: Wed, 5 Jun 1996 08:32:44 -0700 From: jessea@uclink4.berkeley.edu (Jessea NR Greenman) Subject: News Advisory: Premiere of "It's Elementary: Talking About Gay Issues in School It's Elementary Talking About Gay Issues in School A New Film by Debra Chasnoff and Helen Cohen Press Contact: Robin Stevens Women's Educational Media 415/641-4616 Ticket Information: City Box Office 415/392-4400 Media Advisory World Premiere It's Elementary: Talking About Gay Issues in School Wednesday, June 5, 7 and 9 p.m., Herbst Theater, 401 Van Ness at McAllister, San Francisco School Board President, Superintendent join forces to launch film response to right-wing censorship efforts In an unusual alliance, leaders of San Francisco's education community will join with leaders of the City's major gay rights organizations to endorse a documentary film expected to have a major impact on high-profile, right wing efforts to censor discussion of gay issues in elementary and middle schools across the country. San Francisco Unified School District Superintendent of Schools Bill Rojas and Board of Education President Steve Phillips will announce their support for the film at the June 5 World Premiere at San Francisco's Herbst Theater. "School boards across the country have been banning discussion of lesbian and gay people in the classroom based on misinformation from anti-gay activists," said San Francisco Board of Education President Steve Phillips. "This film puts a human face on classroom discussions that are crucial to preparing our children for the diverse communities of the 1990s. I urge my counterparts across the country to screen this extremely moving and powerful film for the educators in their districts-to inspire them to integrate responsible, appropriate education about gay issues into their classrooms." It's Elementary was shot in six public and private schools around the country. Students, teachers and the former principal at San Francisco's Luther Burbank Middle school featured in one segment of the documentary will be attending the World premiere. "This film is so significant to American educators, and the premiere is very important to us here in the Bay Area," said National Education Association leader and San Francisco public elementary school first grade teacher Winnie Porter. "The support coming from the School Board President and the Superintendent indicates a sea change on public thinking about education that is crucial to preventing anti-gay violence and preparing children for the future. Even for San Francisco, this is an unusual and heartening turn of events." It's Elementary is Debra Chasnoff's first film since Deadly Deception: General Electric, Nuclear Weapons and our Environment, for which she won a 1992 Academy Award. The documentary explores what happens when teachers find creative, appropriate ways to confront anti-gay prejudice and counter gay invisibility in their classrooms. Response to the film has already been overwhelming. A second show has been added to the sold-out first screening. Preview footage shown at educators' conferences in Los Angeles and Boston have elicited standing ovations for the filmmakers. It's Elementary "could become one of the most important films ever devoted to lesbian and gay issues," wrote San Francisco Examiner Staff Critic Barry Walters after viewing the film.