From: GLSTNAlert@aol.com Date: Fri, 6 Sep 1996 07:51:28 -0400 Subject: BACK TO SCHOOL CAMPAIGN EXCEEDS GOAL IN FIRST WEEK GLSTN News For Immediate Release BACK TO SCHOOL CAMPAIGN EXCEEDS GOAL IN FIRST WEEK OVER 5,000 LETTERS SENT TO EDUCATION LEADERS NATIONWIDE DEMANDING ACTION TO END ANTI-GAY BIAS IN SCHOOLS (Sept. 5, 1996) New York, NY -- The Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Teachers Network (GLSTN) announced today that it had exceeded the goals of its Annual "Back-to-School" Campaign during the Campaign's first week. "We hoped to send a total of 5,000 letters to school leaders asking them to take action to end homophobia in schools during the month of September," said Kevin Jennings, GLSTN's Executive Director, "and we went over the top before the Campaign even formally began on September 2!" The massive outpouring of letters is the result of organizing done over the summer by GLSTN's local chapters, who have been doing community outreach to generate support from both gay and straight people concerned about anti-gay bias in our schools. Leading the way has been GLSTN Chicago, which has gathered over 2,000 letters and postcards to date. "Whenever we've started collecting letters, people have lined up to take part," said Betty Lark-Ross, GLSTN Chicago's Co-Chair. "There are thousands of people who believe that we need to do something about homophobia in our schools, and the Campaign has finally given them a way to take action on that belief." Other chapters who have gathered hundreds of letters include Cleveland, Colorado, and Detroit. "We're delighted with the community support we've received this year," said Jennings, who noted that this is only the Campaign's second year. "But we still have a long way to go. There are approximately five million gay and lesbian kids in K-12 schools in the U.S., and almost half of them will be harassed because of their sexual orientation at some point in their school careers. In the face of that kind of abuse, 5,000 letters is just the start of the work we need to do to make our schools safe." -30- With over forty chapters, and a membership of over three thousand teachers, parents, and concerned citizens, GLSTN is the largest national organization working to insure that schools are places where all people are respected and valued, regardless of sexual orientation. Its Back-to-School Campaign is one of many programs it sponsors to raise awareness among teachers, students, and the community at large about the damaging impact anti-gay bias has on students and the learning process. For a Campaign press kit, or other information, please contact Deidre Cuffee-Gray at 212-727-0135. GLSTN 122 West 26th St., Ste. 1100 New York, NY 10001 Tel: 212.727.0135 Fax: 212.727.0254 Email: glstn@glstn.org Web: http://www.glstn.org/respect/ ======================================================== GLSTNAlert is a GLSTN news bulletin service of the The Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Teachers Network (GLSTN). ======================================================== To Unsubscribe from GLSTNAlert simply send an email to GLSTNAlert@aol.com with the words "Unsubscribe GLSTNAlert" in the subject line (no quotes and note the lack of space in GLSTNAlert). ======================================================== To Subscribe to GLSTNAlert simply send an email to GLSTNAlert@aol.com with the words "Subscribe GLSTNAlert" in the subject line (no quotes and note the lack of space in GLSTNAlert). Also: please write your name in the message portion of your email. ======================================================== From: GLSTNAlert@aol.com Date: Fri, 6 Sep 1996 18:14:26 -0400 Subject: Back to School Campaign Update (9.6.96) THE GLSTN BACK-TO-SCHOOL CAMPAIGN CAMPAIGN UPDATE #1 WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 6 GLSTN 122 West 26th St., Ste. 1100 New York, NY 10001 Tel: 212.727.0135 Fax: 212.727.0254 Email: glstn@glstn.org Web: http://www.glstn.org/respect/ Note: The Back-to-School Campaign is a national letter-writing and advocacy campaign in which GLSTN urges lesbian, gay, and bisexual adults and their friends to contact their former schools and school officials to demand action to end anti-gay bias in education. Staged each September, it is in its second year. Weekly updates will be made available throughout the month of September. CAMPAIGN EXCEEDS GOALS IN FIRST WEEK Over 5,000 Letters Demanding Action to End-Gay Bias in Schools Already Collected In the first week of its Second Annual Back-to-School Campaign, GLSTN has exceeded the goals of it set while planning for the Campaign during summer months. "We hoped to send a total of 5,000 letters to school leaders asking them to take action to end homophobia in schools during the month of September," said Kevin Jennings, GLSTN's Executive Director, "and we went over the top before the Campaign even formally began on September 2!" The massive outpouring of letters is the result of organizing done over the summer by GLSTN's local chapters, who have been doing community outreach to generate support from both gay and straight people concerned about anti-gay bias in our schools. Leading the way has been GLSTN/Chicago, which has gathered over 2,000 letters and postcards to date. "Whenever we've started collecting letters, people have lined up to take part," said Betty Lark-Ross, GLSTN/Chicago's Co-Chair. "There are thousands of people who believe that we need to do something about homophobia in our schools, and the Campaign has finally given them a way to take action on that belief." Other chapters who have gathered hundreds of letters include Cleveland, Colorado, and Detroit. "We're delighted with the community support we've received this year," said Jennings, who noted that this is only the Campaign's second year. "But we still have a long way to go. There are approximately five million gay and lesbian kids in K-12 schools in the U.S., and almost half of them will be harassed because of their sexual orientation at some point in their school careers. In the face of that kind of abuse, 5,000 letters is just the start of the work we need to do to make our schools safe." GINGRICH WOWS THEM IN CHICAGO Over one hundred people turned out for GLSTN/Chicago's Back-to-School Campaign kick-off on August 26. Lesbian activist (and famous sister) Candace Gingrich spoke to the audience in support of the Campaign. Not that Chicago seems to need much support: with over 2,000 letters in hand, GLSTN/Chicago is off and running with its Campaign. Hundreds of letters were collected by the chapter at the Human Rights Campaign "Outvote" Convention in August, where the GLSTN table set up by Chicago members was mobbed by a steady stream of enthusiastic Campaign participants. "Everywhere we've gone, people just want to sign up," say Betty-Lark-Ross, Chicago Co-Chair. WISCONSIN STARTS OFF IN STYLE GLSTN South-Central Wisconsin kicked their Back-to-School Campaign off ins style with a September 4th reception featuring a keynote by GLSTN Executive Director Kevin Jennings. Over 100 people gathered in Madison's First Unitarian Church to hear Jennings, and stayed for over two hour in 90 degree-plus heat. "The enthusiasm was incredible," said Jennings, "and I'd move to Madison any time!" GLSTN South-Central Wisconsin, one of GLSTN's youngest chapters, nevertheless has made some of the most ambitious plans for the Campaign, scheduling a second event with Campaign spokesperson Jamie Nabozny and lesbian State Representative Tammy Baldwin on Sept. 28. GLSTN/ST. LOUIS STARTS THE CAMPAIGN WITH PRIDE GLSTN/St. Louis took advantage of their late-August Pride parade to canvass the hometown crowd for support for their Campaign. Utilizing the new "I'm Part of the Back-to-School Campaign" stickers, chapter members collected hundreds of letters from Pride marchers. WHAT SOME CHAPTERS DID WITH THEIR SUMMER VACATIONS... GLSTN/Detroit set up a bank of Macintosh computers s at their Pride event in June, collecting hundreds of personalized letters from passers-by to school officials in communities in greater Detroit. GLSTN/Cleveland and GLSTN/Colorado worked the crowds at their Pride Marches, collecting hundreds of letters to their respective Sate Superintendents of Schools demanding action to end homophobia when school resumed in the fall. NEW PUBLICATIONS CATALOGUE OFFER RESOURCES TO SCHOOLS GLSTN has released first Publications Catalogue, offering over 50 resources to teachers, administrators, students, parents, and others who are interested in creating change in their community's schools. "We've tried to provide a 'how-to' kit for just about anything you'd want to do," said Kevin Jennings. Development of the catalogue was motivated by a desire to provide schools with concrete support should they be moved to act as a result of the Campaign. "We figured that, if we were going to ask people to take action, we'd better be ready with something that would tell them what to do if they said 'Yes'!" said Jennings. Catalogues were mailed in late August to all four thousand GLSTN members, and are available by calling the GLSTN office at 212-727-0135 or e-mailing GLSTNDGray@aol.com. ## With over forty chapters, and a membership of over three thousand teachers, parents, and concerned citizens, GLSTN is the largest national organization working to insure that schools are places where all people are respected and valued, regardless of sexual orientation. For more info visit our web site at http://www.glstn.org/respect or call us at 212-727-0135. ======================================================== GLSTNAlert is a GLSTN news bulletin service of the The Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Teachers Network (GLSTN). ======================================================== To Unsubscribe from GLSTNAlert simply send an email to GLSTNAlert@aol.com with the words "Unsubscribe GLSTNAlert" in the subject line (no quotes and note the lack of space in GLSTNAlert). ======================================================== To Subscribe to GLSTNAlert simply send an email to GLSTNAlert@aol.com with the words "Subscribe GLSTNAlert" in the subject line (no quotes and note the lack of space in GLSTNAlert). Also: please write your name in the message portion of your email. ========================================================