We’re gathering pictures of GSA clubs across California and around the country, with messages of what you give ‘em hope for. Is it a safer school? An end to transphobia? A campus free of slurs? Representation in history textbooks?
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LGBTQ students and students with disabilities face some of the highest rates of bullying. They’re also disproportionately suspended and expelled from school, along with students of color, showing that punitive discipline is not the solution to bullying and often hurts the youth it seeks to protect. Excluded from history, tormented by classmates and disproportionately kicked out of school, LGBT students and people with disabilities are often taught at school to feel worthless.
With the enactment of California’s FAIR Education Act, students can learn that these marginalized groups have actually made incredible contributions to this country’s history. They can learn that an openly gay man, Bayard Rustin, played a key role in the African-American Civil Rights movement—but that because of his identity, he was kept out of the spotlight and out of the history books. Students can learn that Americans with disabilities courageously fought for rights and protections under U.S. law, marking an important chapter in legislative history.
The FAIR Education Act gives California a tremendous advantage in the struggle to curb bullying. We just need to use it.
Study after study has shown that students feel safer when their school has a Gay-Straight Alliance club. Want to make it better? Follow Lexi’s example! Start a GSA:
Bullying about sexual orientation often can create tougher problems than traditional bullying, Anderson and Dewhirst said, because students hesitate much more to discuss their problems, especially with parents. They fear being rejected because of their sexual orientation.
The effects of such bullying can linger for years.
While Lexi wants to protect her friends, school officials see the Gay-Straight Alliance as another arrow in their quiver to combat bullying.
Prompted by state legislation, the Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp. created a bullying prevention task force about seven years ago to adopt rules to prevent bullying.
The schools have done great work in making sure that they value diversity and make different student populations feel welcome, Dewhirst said. However, members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning community still often feel marginalized and are more likely to drop out of school.
“We don’t want any of our kids to feel that way,” Anderson said.
“We have to address it. We have to stop it,” Dewhirst said.
Fierce queer youth and GSA activists are creating change everywhere, and tumblr’s no exception. Spread the word and join us in making it better!
(Source: gsanetwork.org)
