Dear Safe Schools Coalition Members and Friends:

(1) “Bullying Forces Michigan Lesbian Student to Drop Out of High School”
(2) “Gay Youth Rock, Despite Hardships”

(3) “The Department of Education Moves to Stop Bullying of LGBT Students”

(4) “Gay Student Teacher Reinstated by Oregon School District”

(5) “My Son is Gay”

(6) “Constance McMillen: Woman of the Year”

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(1) “Bullying Forces Michigan Lesbian Student to Drop Out of High School”
http://gayrights.change.org/blog/view/bullying_forces_michigan_lesbian_student_to_drop_out_of_high_school

Stories of anti-LGBT bullying have dominated the Fall semester, launching a national conversation about the dangerous side effects of homophobia and transphobia inside America's schools. The subject of anti-LGBT bullying has caught the eye of President Obama, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, pop stars ranging from Gloria Estefan to Adam Lambert, and company employees from Google ... just to name a few.

Some of the stories of those who have been bullied are enough to break your heart. The story of Cassandra Morris, a 17-year-old Michigan lesbian student at Ogemaw Heights High School, is no exception.

Morris came out in November 2009, and has a girlfriend in the school. Over the past year, she's watched as her classmates openly called her a "dyke," and as former friends started to disassociate from her. In July of this past year, Morris reported that her car was vandalized by anti-gay bullies. A rear tire on the vehicle was slashed, a derogatory name was scrawled on the side of the car, and ground-up sausage was strewn throughout the inside of the car. Police investigated some potential suspects, but no arrests were made. One cop went so far as to call what happened a "hate crime."

Then, earlier this month, Morris said that a student physically assaulted her for being a lesbian, on the day of homecoming no less. Morris fought back in self-defense, but when it came time for disciplinary action, the school decided to punish both students for fighting. School policy, apparently, is to suspend all students engaged in fighting, regardless of who is to blame.

It was that suspension which moved Morris and her mother, Corina, to decide that the right thing to do was drop out of Ogemaw Heights High School, and finish up high school by getting a GED at a local community college. Corina Morris did not want her daughter to have to go back into the closet in order for high school to become "safe" again.

“She’s a nicer kid, now because she is who she is. She’s not trying to be someone that she wasn’t,” Corina said.

Awesome mom. And proving that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, check out Cassandra's comment about her bullies.

“I just wish those kids that hurt me would open their eyes to everything they are doing,” Cassandra said. "They are ultimately hurting themselves by being so closed-minded. Someone needs to step in and explain to them that just because their parents might think one way, they don’t have to live their lives that way."

Infused with a touch of forgiveness and hope, which means that while Cassandra might graduate at the same pace as her classmates, she's light years beyond those that would stoop to bullying someone based on their sexual orientation.

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(2) “Gay Youth Rock, Despite Hardships”

http://www.youthtoday.org/view_blog.cfm?blog_id=412

LGBTQ [lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer] youth have been a rising topic in the media as of late and the circumstances have been devastating.

Bullying is a problem, suicide is a tragedy, and the solution will require us to take a look at the world that queer youth live in today. Even in a day and age that more resources exist for young people in the form of youth services, empowerment opportunities and support from adults and allies, there is more to be done. This issue is beyond bullying and it runs deeper than any social discourse can address. LGBTQ young people should be celebrated and valued as they are. There is an underlying idea that the problem lies within these young people who do not “fit in,” but really, the problem hangs in society’s struggle to expand and include LGBTQ youth.

For every negative story of bullying, self-harm and desperation, there are more stories of young queer people who start their own gay/straight alliances, graduate from high school, hold jobs, have dreams, create and re-invent themselves, love their bodies and change the world.  And there are amazing organizations, teachers, mentors, and parents that support them.  Places like the Youth Pride Center in Chicago, Illinois is nicknamed the “gay high school” for its creative model of being entirely youth-led in a mock government style. In the summer of 2009, a group of young people in Seattle, Washington organized the guerilla grassroots “We Need Queer Youth Space,” campaign to secure a place to create safety and visibility for LGBTQ youth. The Trevor Project hosts a national database where anyone can find local resources in their community specifically for LGBTQ young people. While the media discusses the “plight of LGBT youth,” there is also an overwhelming (and growing) amount of hope. LGBTQ people are a resilient bunch and queer youth are the spirit and inspiration for us all.

With this being LGBTQ Youth Awareness Week 2010, the National Youth Advocacy Coalition would like to put recent developments in perspective.

As queer youth and people who support them, it breaks our heart each time we lose another member of our community, our families and our world. We appreciate the message of “it gets better,” but worry that this message combined with the focus on LGBTQ youth as suicide risks continue to oversimplify and portray only negative realities.

LGBTQ youth kick ass, everyday throughout this world. They do so while dealing with coming out, being misunderstood for their gender expression, getting harassed by police, while being told they are too loud, too flamboyant and too much. Many of them do this while experiencing layers of marginalization on account of their race, class, immigration status and gender. And still, they dance, they create, they form community, they change the world, they give strength to others and grow stronger themselves. Yet, they are only shown as bullied, suicide risks, criminals; a drain on systems, as something to be dealt with.

To read the rest of this blog, please visit this link:

http://www.youthtoday.org/view_blog.cfm?blog_id=412

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(3) “The Department of Education Moves to Stop Bullying of LGBT Students”

http://gayrights.change.org/blog/view/the_department_of_education_moves_to_stop_bullying_of_lgbt_students

It's about time. The United States Education Department has responded to the recent slew of highly-publicized suicides by bullied LGBT youth.

Mr. Change himself, President Obama, and his administration have launched a campaign aimed at eradicating anti-gay harassment in schools by reminding educators that federal law dictates protection from discrimination. The Education Department's Office of Civil Rights unleashed an advisory Tuesday that outlines how civil rights law relates to the recent gay teen suicides.

This news comes only a week after President Obama released his own "It Gets Better" video for LGBT youth.

"Our goal here is to provide school districts, colleges and universities with details about when harassment can rise to the level of a civil rights violation and what they should be doing about it," said Assistant Education Secretary for Civil Rights Russlynn H. Ali, who wrote the advisory.

Ali used specific examples and scenarios on gay bullying as well as other types of discrimination, such as anti-Semitic sentiments and graffiti. It might all seem like a lot of talk, but the Department has warned that schools that do not comply with the civil rights law to protect gay students may miss out on funding dollars from the government.

While these laws explicitly state that students are protected from discrimination on race, gender, religion, national origin and disability, they do not mention sexual orientation. However, the advisory clearly mentions that these protections extend to LGBT students who are harassed for "failing to conform to sex stereotypes."

From now on, elementary schools, secondary schools and colleges must establish a plan for dealing with anti-discrimination when an incident occurs. Otherwise, they can face the loss of federal aid or suffer a visit from the Department of Justice. The Education Department used precedent to craft the advisory, as well as guidance from the George W. Bush administration's policies on gender and religious discrimination. I wonder how good 'ole George W. would feel about that!

The Gay-Straight Alliance Network, which works inside schools to combat homophobia and transphobia, celebrated the advisory by the Department of Education, saying that the "letter sends a clear message to schools that they must take action to stop anti-LGBT bullying when it is based on gender expression. Short of Congress passing the federal Student Non-Discrimination Act, which will protect students from harassment based on their sexual orientation and gender identity and expression, this is a key step in addressing the epidemic of anti-LGBT bullying that has led to a tragic number of teen suicides in recent months."

It's a small step forward — a very small one! — but one that I'm hopeful can help to keep this conversation going. Now how about the federal government walk and chew gum at the same time with some other pressing LGBT issues. Today, gay bullying. Tomorrow, "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." Or the Defense of Marriage Act. You choose.

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(4) “Gay Student Teacher Reinstated by Oregon School District”

http://gayrights.change.org/blog/view/gay_student_teacher_reinstated_by_oregon_school_district

What a month it's been for Seth Stambaugh, the 23-year-old graduate student at Lewis & Clark College in Oregon. In mid-September, Stambaugh was removed from his student teaching assignment at the Beaverton School District outside of Portland, after he answered a student's question about same-sex marriage. The student, a fourth-grader, asked Stambaugh if he was married, to which Stambaugh replied "No," saying that gay marriage was illegal in the state of Oregon because of a constitutional amendment.

That answer made its way back to a parent of another child in the district, who blew a gasket. The parent contacted the school, and urged them to kick Stambaugh out of the classroom. And that's exactly what the school district did, punishing Stambaugh for essentially answering a fourth grader's question with .... the truth. (Their official reason, for what it's worth, was that Stambaugh fostered inappropriate discussion inside the classroom.)

The district's action drew a strong rebuke, however, both from administrators at Lewis & Clark College, as well as students and parents in the district. The district's decision to remove Stambaugh also drew significant national attention, with more than 5,000 people contacting the Beaverton District to express outrage that a teacher could be removed from the classroom simply for answering a question about marriage.

Well, after a solid month of back and forth, this story has a happy ending. The Superintendent of the Beaverton School District announced yesterday that the district was wrong to remove Stambaugh from the classroom, and that by the end of the month, Stambaugh would be allowed to student teach again in the district. Talk about a solid victory in the face of injustice.

Stambaugh's lawyer, Luke Perriguey, told a local NBC television station that Stambaugh was happy that the school district had come around on this issue.

"Mr. Stambaugh is joyous beyond belief. He is celebrating privately with friends and family and will make a public statement to all media in the next few days," Perriguey said.

Earlier this week, Stambaugh did speak with reporters about his case, saying that his intention was never to provoke controversy in the classroom. All he wanted to do was be a good teacher, and pursue his lifelong dream of education children.

"It's the energy I get when I walk into a classroom.  It's joyous beyond belief," said Stambaugh, about his desire to become a teacher, and why it was so painful to be removed from his student teaching assignment.

Looks like he'll get the chance to continue that dream. Given his passion for teaching, that can only mean wonderful things for the lucky fourth graders in the Beaverton School District.

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(5) “My Son is Gay”

http://nerdyapplebottom.com/2010/11/02/my-son-is-gay/

Or he’s not. I don’t care. He is still my son. And he is 5. And I am his mother. And if you have a problem with anything mentioned above, I don’t want to know you.

I have gone back and forth on whether I wanted to post something more in-depth about my sweet boy and his choice of Halloween costume. Or more specifically, the reactions to it. I figure if I’m still irked by it a few days later, I may as well go ahead and post my thoughts.

Here are the facts that lead up to my rant:

My son is 5 and goes to a church preschool.

He has loved Scooby Doo since developing the ability and attention span to sit still long enough to watch it.

Halloween is a holiday and its main focus is wearing a costume.

My son’s school had the kids dress up, do a little parade, and then change out of costumes for the rest of the party.

Boo’s best friend is a little girl

Boo has an older sister

Boo spends most of his time with me.

I am a woman.

I am Boo’s mother, not you.

So a few weeks before Halloween, Boo decides he wants to be Daphne from Scooby Doo, along with his best friend E. He had dressed as Scooby a couple of years ago.  I was hesitant to make the purchase, not because it was a cross gendered situation, but because 5 year olds have a tendency to change their minds. After requesting a couple of more times, I said sure and placed the order. He flipped out when it arrived. It was perfect.

Then as we got closer to the actual day, he stared to hem and haw about it. After some discussion it comes out that he is afraid people will laugh at him. I pointed out that some people will because it is a cute and clever costume. He insists their laughter would be of the ‘making fun’ kind. I blow it off. Seriously, who would make fun of a child in costume?

And then the big day arrives. We get dressed up. We drop Squirt at his preschool and head over to his. Boo doesn’t want to get out of the car. He’s afraid of what people will say and do to him. I convince him to go inside. He halts at the door. He’s visibly nervous. I chalk it up to him being a bit of a worrier in general. Seriously, WHO WOULD MAKE FUN OF A CHILD IN A  COSTUME ON HALLOWEEN? So he walks in. And there were several friends of mine that knew what he was wearing that smiled and waved and gave him high-fives. We walk down the hall to where his classroom is.

And that’s where things went wrong. Two mothers went wide-eyed and made faces as if they smelled decomp. And I realize that my son is seeing the same thing I am. So I say, “Doesn’t he look great?” And Mom A says in disgust, “Did he ask to be that?!” I say that he sure did as Halloween is the time of year that you can be whatever it is that you want to be. They continue with their nosy, probing questions as to how that was an option and didn’t I try to talk him out of it. Mom B mostly just stood there in shock and dismay.

To read the rest of this story, visit this link

http://nerdyapplebottom.com/2010/11/02/my-son-is-gay/

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(6) “Constance McMillen: Woman of the Year”

http://gayrights.change.org/blog/view/constance_mcmillen_woman_of_the_year

She's the 18-year-old that worked her way into the hearts of millions of Americans this year, when she stood up and demanded the right to take her girlfriend to her senior prom. Now, Constance McMillen is closing out 2010 as one of Glamour Magazine's Women of the Year.

Kind of a great story for someone who one year ago didn't have activism on her radar.

McMillen, in challenging the Itawamba Agricultural High School's ban on her attending prom with a same-sex date, became in large part the face of the safe schools movement this year. Told by administrators that same-sex couples weren't welcome at prom, McMillen enlisted the help of the American Civil Liberties Union to fight her case. After months of legal wrangling -- not to mention nationwide outrage directed at school officials -- McMillen reached a settlement with the district that saw her get $35,000 in cash. Perhaps more important, the school district decided to enact a comprehensive non-discrimination policy, so that no more students have to go through what McMillen went through.

McMillen shows no signs of letting the activist bug slip away. Last week she filmed a video clip on behalf of GetEqual, where she challenged President Obama to work harder for LGBT equality.

"There are people who don't feel safe in their schools, there are people who are discriminated against, there are people who lose their jobs, there are people that can't fight for our country, there are people that can't get married just because they're a part of the LGBT community," McMillen said in the video message to Obama. "People are in desperation because you promised so many things when you started running, and you're not coming through with these things."

Tough words from an even tougher messenger. Woman of the year? Heck yeah. And when safe schools become a reality in every district in this country, McMillen will have laid the pavement.

You may read the Glamour article about Constance here: http://www.glamour.com/women-of-the-year/2010/constance-mcmillen

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