Submitted by Bill Maginnis (not verified) on February 25, 2008 - 00:00.
I have been co-sponsor of my school's GSA for 11 years and we have seen a marked difference in attitudes and feelings of safety for all students on the high school campus. Clearly, a GSA on a school campus with the full support of school (and district) administration makes a huge difference.
GSA members (mostly straight kids, mind you) still report hearing "that's so gay", faggot, dyke on a daily basis along with occasional physical and verbal assaults. If this still happens on a high school campus after 11 years, imagine what things are like at a high school where there is no GSA! Worse, imagine what life is like for students in middle schools (6,7,8 grades). There should be open discussion and information about bullying and harassment in middle schools so that all kids feel safe going to school.
Please view my blog entry for additional comments:
http://glbteen.frenchwithsubtitles.com/blog/?p=52
The most important thing you can do is listen to what kids are saying in your classroom and take time out for those important "teaching moments" when you hear or students report homophobic epithets. Support the students and their right to feel safe in your room!
Lawrence King Murder -- Safety for all students
Submitted by Bill Maginnis (not verified) on February 25, 2008 - 00:00.
I have been co-sponsor of my school's GSA for 11 years and we have seen a marked difference in attitudes and feelings of safety for all students on the high school campus. Clearly, a GSA on a school campus with the full support of school (and district) administration makes a huge difference.
GSA members (mostly straight kids, mind you) still report hearing "that's so gay", faggot, dyke on a daily basis along with occasional physical and verbal assaults. If this still happens on a high school campus after 11 years, imagine what things are like at a high school where there is no GSA! Worse, imagine what life is like for students in middle schools (6,7,8 grades). There should be open discussion and information about bullying and harassment in middle schools so that all kids feel safe going to school.
Please view my blog entry for additional comments:
http://glbteen.frenchwithsubtitles.com/blog/?p=52
The most important thing you can do is listen to what kids are saying in your classroom and take time out for those important "teaching moments" when you hear or students report homophobic epithets. Support the students and their right to feel safe in your room!
-*-Bill