Today is Iowa Gay-Straight Alliance Day

Even in today’s world, coming out can be a huge risk, especially for our LGBT youth. Many gay and lesbian teens who do come out can find themselves ostracized by teachers, peers and even family. However one state is being proactive in helping their LGBT youth.

Iowa’s Governor Chet Culver has proclaimed today, Wednesday, January 27 “Iowa Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) Day.”

The state’s Lieutenant Governor, Patty Judge, read Culver’s official proclamation Tuesday night during Iowa Pride Network’s GSA Kick-Off Party held in downtown Des Moines.

The day’s events are planned by the Iowa Pride Network, a state-wide non-profit that assists students in starting and enhancing GSA’s in high schools and colleges, offering them a statewide network of support including mentoring, advocacy and networking opportunities.

The Iowa Pride Network also helps to fight intolerance against LGBT students in by educating both law makers and teachers on issues that LGBT students face. The group also provides advocacy for LGBT students at the state and local levels.

The proclamation has been viewed by many LGBT equality advocates as a small, yet important victory in the struggle for equality as Democrats in Iowa are feeling added pressure from conservatives who want to put the Iowa Supreme Court’s recent ruling in favor of marriage equality up for a vote. Republicans have been using the court’s decision to build their campaign, promising that if elected in 2010, they will allow the public to decide the issue by popular vote. State Democrats however, including Culver, have not backed down under the pressure and continue to support the court’s decision to legalize marriage equality.

This is the fourth year Iowa GSA Day has been observed.

More about the Iowa Pride Network by CLICKING HERE!

Iowa Pride Network from BARK-BARK on Vimeo.

Update: Florida School Gets OK for Gay-Straight Alliance

Judge Henry Lee Adams, Jr. issued a preliminary injunction yesterday in a lawsuit filed by the ACLU of Florida, which states the officials of the Nassau County school board violated the First Amendment and the Federal Equal Access Act by denying school access and official recognition of a student run Gay Straight Alliance (GSA).

As reported on February 11, 2009:

A federal law suit has been filed by two Florida high school students and the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida after the school refused the students request to start a gay-straight alliance..

Hannah Page, a freshman, and Jacob Brock, a junior at Yulee High School claim the school has violated their First Amendment rights and the Federal Equal Access Act, which requires schools grant access and recognition to a Gay-Straight Alliance and other groups if the school allows any extracurricular group to meet on school property.

ACLU attorney Robert F. Rosenwald is also seeking a preliminary injunction which would allow the club to meet on campus as the case awaits trial.

Hanna Page stated the group wants to have meetings as other clubs are permitted.

“We just want the club so that straight and gay kids can get together to talk about harassment and discrimination against gay kids in an open environment. The school is discriminating against us and that’s exactly the kind of thing we want to prevent.”

However, Nassau county’s homophobic superintendent, John L. Ruis, stated in a letter he wrote to the ACLU attorney that,

“A club highlighting sexual orientations will not be permitted as it would violate school board policy.”

The school board refused comment about how the club would violate policy and I was unable to locate anywhere on the school board’s website that such a group would be against policy, or better yet, how it would violate policy, but the site did however include the following:

NASSAU COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT
MISSION AND VALUES

OUR MISSION:
Our mission is to develop each student as an inspired
life-long learner and problem-solver
with the strength of character
to serve as a productive member of society.

OUR CORE VALUES:
We believe that:
• all people have intrinsic worth.

• all people are responsible for their actions.

• effective relationships are developed and maintained
through mutual respect, trust, and communication.

• the higher the expectations, the higher the performance.

• everyone can learn and that life-long learning is essential
for individuals and communities to thrive.

• the role of family is critical
in the moral development of an individual.
• strength of  character is essential
to making quality life choices.

• the community is strengthened
when the potential of each person is developed.

A similar law suit, that cost the Okeechobee County School Board over $325,000 in legal fees , the students won as the judge in that case ruled schools must provide for the well-being all students, including gay students and not allowing a Gay-Straight Alliance is discrimination.

Pennsylvania School OK’s Gay-Straight Alliance

Weeks after the controversy began, the Waynesboro Area School District school board, in Waynesboro Pennsylvania voted 6 to 3 to approve a Gay-Straight Alliance Club at High School, after 3 hours of heated debate.

Tuesday night dozens of community members showed up at the board meeting to to voice their opinions about the club, reportedly most of them were against allowing the club, stating “moral” and “religious” concerns.

Five of the board members who supported the club cited the Equal Access Act as the reason behind their decision. The Equal Access Act states that any school that allows a group to meet on campus can’t deny access to another group.

Nebraska High School Finally Gets Gay-Straight Alliance

Bellevue East High School in Bellevue, Nebraska has decided to recognize a student organization based on the principle of fostering and understanding and acceptance of homosexuality.

The decision wasn’t made easily however, as it took almost two years of negotiations between school officials and the ACLU of Nebraska who was acting on behalf of the Gay Straight Alliance.

According to a press release from ACLU Nebraska, the school will now acknowledge the Alliance as it does other student groups which means it will included the organization’s announcements on the school’s message board and a photo of the group will appear in the annual yearbook.

The students of the high school originally contacted ACLU Nebraska after they were told by school administrators that such a club would be too controversial.

Gay Student Groups Increase Suicide Risk

“Quoting a recent study, Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays & Gays (PFOX) is warning of the increased risk of suicide that is linked with young people who identify themselves as homosexuals before achieving full maturity – a process encouraged by many homosexual high school clubs.”

Next Page »