Subject: important: belated January meeting minutes and help needed requests
From: "Reis, Elizabeth" < http://www.safeschoolscoalition.org/contact/?id=1>
Date: Mon, 6 Mar 2006 14:09:52 -0800
To: "'SAFE SCHOOLS: post to main list'" , "'SAFE SCHOOLS: post to \"IMPORTANT NEWS\" list'"

Dear Safe Schools Coalition members and friends:

Minutes 1/17/06, 4-6 p.m. PDT
Safe Schools Coalition Meeting
Chairing, Frieda Takamura & Recording: Kathy Kaminski
Note: Help needed & action items are in RED

Present:  Martie Ovitt, Lake WA Technical Academy/College; Lana Tyson, UNR (Reno) Queer Student Union; Kyra Mirante, The Bush School GSA; Amber Joyce Whitcher, The Bush School GSA; Heather Murphy, SCC Intervention/Individual Member; Rob Thoms, Lambert House; Frieda Takamura; Amy Durning; Marsha Botzer, NGLTF, Ingersoll; Chris Johnson, King Co. Sexual Assault Resource Center; Gemma Wells, GLSEN Puget Sound; Robert Raketty, GLSEN Puget Sound; Rachel Smith-Mosel, Federal Way Parent; Kathy Kaminski; Lisa Confehr, Hate Free Zone Washington; Brett Niessen, UW MPH student

(1) Intros

(2)  Membership

(3)  Fundraising

(4)  StopKiss production
        Puget Sound Community School is applying to the Pride foundation for a grant to produce a play, StopKiss, about two women who fall in love and are the victims of a gay bashing at a park.  The location will be Theater off Jackson March 23 & 24 (7:30 p.m.).  It's open to the public and they would like to offer free admission to other high school students and have discussion after the show.  SCC could endorse and lend volunteer support.  YOUR HELP NEEDED: If anyone is interested in volunteering please email mc@pscs.org.  An email will be sent out to the speaker's bureau requesting facilitators for the discussion following the play.

(5) CA Safe Schools Coalition Textbook Impact Project
        Beth reported that textbooks are adopted differently around the country.  In Washington State each school district approves textbooks.  In California and Texas, textbooks are approved statewide and as a result most textbook manufactures produce the books that CA and TX approve.  CSSC is pulling together a group to try and impact textbook selection.  For example, they may recommend including sexual orientation in health discussions or that history includes discussion of the LGBT civil rights movement.  Beth has been sitting in on the discussions.  YOUR HELP NEEDED:  If anyone else is interested in looking at the proposals and providing input, the folks at California Safe Schools Coalition know.  The contact for the project is Meghan Elliott, ph:  415-626-1680, meghan@casafeschools.org

(6)  2006 Day of Silence
Unanimous vote to endorse GLSEN's 2006 Day of Silence (April 26th).  Note that the Breaking the Silence parties following the Day of Silence always generate a lot of SSC speaker requests.

(7) "Guidelines for identifying bias in curriculums" published by OSPI
        It used to not have any mention of sexual diversity. We asked a number of years ago if we could adapt and republish and it is on the SSC website.  They have revised the guidelines and they do include some LGBT issues.  However, they still use terms like "lifestyle".  We discussed writing to the equity office at OSPI to recommend changes.  If it comes from the entire SSC it might be more powerful than from any individual organization.  Rachael, Doris, Marsha, Frieda, and Robert all expressed interest in working with Beth to edit a letter before submitting.  The OSPI board is in the process of appointment/election.  Next steps - look at who is appointed and speak with board members.  The group will brainstorm "how to affect policy at the state level."  This was proposed as a possible future meeting topic.  Amber suggested a letter to the Governor before the board is appointed to show that we are concerned with the appointments and to influence the decision.  Beth will contact the state school board. The state school board decides broad curricula guidelines.  Each school board looks at the individual curricula to approve or reject.  If anyone else is interested in working on this, contact Beth, Beth .

(8)  Parental Rights Bill (HB2954) proposed on Jan. 17th-  Casey Trupin from Columbia Legal Services did analysis
NOTE: APOLOGIES FOR THIS NOT HAVING BEEN SENT IN A TIMELY WAY. The issue is now moot; it never got out of its original house committee.

        Beth reported that the bill requires that parents be notified of all health care decisions including abortion and STD testing and mental health services.  Essentially, youth could not consent for their own medical care of any kind.  It requires parental permission (opt in) for any discussion about sexuality, STDs, etc.  It also repeals the current age of 13 as the age of consent for chemical dependency treatment. 

        This could have [had] a profound impact on school nursing and counseling and on clinics inside schools and in the community.  WHAT YOU CAN DO:  If you would like a copy of the analysis, please contact Casey Trupin at casey.trupin@columbialegal.org.

(9) HB2661 (Anderson-Murray Anti-discrimination Bill)
NOTE: APOLOGIES FOR THIS NOT HAVING BEEN SENT IN A TIMELY WAY. The bill was signed into law by Gov. Gregoire on Jan 31st.

Marsha reported that she was in Olympia today testifying in support of the bill, which would protect LGBT people from discrimination in housing, work, and public accommodation.  There was more opposition today than any other year in 10 years.  There was also a lot of support.  We need to make sure we are heard in Olympia.  Currently, the bill is in front of the operations committee.  Reverend Ken Hutcherson is calling for a boycott of all of the companies that signed on in support, including Microsoft, Boeing, HP, and others.  WHAT YOU CAN DO: (1) Make sure those companies know that you appreciated their support and will patronize them and ask your friends and family to, as well. (2) Learn more about Tim Eyman's group "Permanent Offense," which filed two ballot measures aimed at overturning the new law by initiative [http://www.permanent-offense.org] and about those "who have come together to protect the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Washingtonians," Washington Won't Discriminate [http://washingtonwontdiscriminate.org].

(10)  "Bully" videogame
This is a videogame that is pending distribution by RockStar, who also produced Grand Theft Auto.  The videogame essentially simulates Columbine with characters opening fire in schools on students and teachers.  Jack Thompson wrote a column about working nationally to try and stop the release of the game.  We could contact Microsoft about making it compatible to Xbox.  It was noted that some of our historical adversaries might be allies in this.  Aida, Kiera, Robert, Kathy, Doris, Lisa, and Amy are interested in working on this.  Kathy said she would contact her friend who works at Microsoft to find out more.

(11)  Website Report
We had almost 1.8 million hits (1,774,430) in 2005, including 298,000 visitors, from 50 different countries: United States (with 230,861 visitors in 2005), Netherlands, Canada, Spain, United Kingdom, Australia, China, Germany, Italy, France, Sweden, Nigeria, Romania, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Japan, Belgium, United Arab Emirates, Republic of Korea, Republic of India, Brazil, Mexico, Indonesia, Philippines, Ghana, Malaysia, Cote d'Ivoire, Thailand, Czech Republic, Poland, Singapore, Israel, New Zealand, Norway, Austria, Turkey, Taiwan, Iran, Ireland, Switzerland, Hong Kong, Benin, Argentina, Russian Federation, Denmark, Senegal, Portugal, Pakistan, and Greece (Greece had the fewest visitors: 140 visitors who used the web site 925 times in 2005). Congratulations to our wonderful web spinner, Gabi Clayton and thank you to the web site's host, Youth Guardian Services.

(12)  Federal Way Schools
Rachel reported that a couple of books with LGBT themes are now in her child's school library.  The WA State Principal Association is holding a conference soon and a couple of SSC people will attend in hopes of building bridges.  Rachel met with the FW superintendent.  There is [was] a meeting on Jan. 24th at the WA EA building in Federal Way.  More info is on the ERW website.   Amber noted that in her school library they had students read all of the books so that they could testify as to how the book affected their life. 

(13) Technical Assistance Update
Beth has been consulting with Minnesota Schools Outreach Coalition (a SSC-type organization).

(14)    Upcoming meetings ... contact the chair if you have agenda items to suggest or if you need instructions about attending (in person) or calling in (by conference call)

Feb 21, 4-6 p.m. Beth chairs and Chris records
Beth: 206-296-4970; http://www.safeschoolscoalition.org/contact/?id=1
Chris: 206-744-9481; http://www.safeschoolscoalition.org/contact/?id=14

Mar 21, 4-6 pm. Marsha chairs and Lisa records
Marsha: 206-601-8942; mbotzer@botzerconsulting.com
Lisa: 206-723-2203; lisa@hatefreezone.org

Apr 18, 4-6 pm. Frieda chairs and Kathy records
Frieda: 253-765-7062; http://www.safeschoolscoalition.org/contact/?id=13
Kathy: 206-767-0760, 847-421-7009; kathykaminski@yahoo.com

Sharing
(15) A PhD Student in BC sent a copy of his/her master's thesis on "including sexual orientation in violence and bias policy.  If you would like a copy, email http://www.safeschoolscoalition.org/contact/?id=1 .

(16)  Take a Stand poster is on the SSC website.  Go to "resources by type", then posters. 

(17)  We shared an article entitled, "Chalk Talk: Inclusion of Transgender Athletes on Sports Teams" by Pat Griffin http://www.womenssportsfoundation.org/cgi-bin/iowa/issues/itat/news/?record=1076

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