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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (April 4, 1997)
16 ▼ aprii 4 . 1 0 9 7 ▼ ju st o u t local news ■' / ' mu mm», mm Mi CITY SOFTMU O Teaching respect , Oregon educators note progress but seek to broaden message that schools must be safe and equitable for all * *> * : • * ' : F ^toci kVt^ PORTIAMO, OREGON ASSOCIATION! JO IN IN AND TAKE PART IN THE FUN AND SUN! M EET NEW PEOPLE ENJOY THE GREAT OUTDOORS!! SPRING TRAINING FOR PLAYERS NOT YET AFFILIATED WITH TEAMS: SUN. APRIL 13 AND SUN. APRIL 20 ALBERTA PARK, N EI9THAND AINSWORTH, t:OOPM FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL: OPEN D IVISIO N : ROY: (503) 246-7678 JIM : (503) 281-7637 WOMEN'S DIVISION: KIM : (360) 834-0629 TONI: 0 5 ( 73 6-9733 OR WRITE TO: RCSA, P.O. BOX22322, MILWAUKIE,OR 97269 DON'T STRIKE OUT1,1 JOIN TODAY!! €o<M PROUDLY SPONSORED 8Y LIGHT . -a -* * * ▼ by Inga Sorensen More plans are on tap. regon voters very well could be asked In conjunction with the upcoming Fourth Re to consider the issue of same-sex marriages come November, due to a gional Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual Youth Confer ence, to be held April 25 and 26, GLSTN Oregon bill pending before state lawmakers will host “An Evening with Kevin Jennings.” that strives to ban equal marriage Jennings, who will deliver a Friday night rights for same-sex couples. The measure, Senate keynote address at the conference, will speak Joint Resolution 17, is a proposed constitutional about GLSTN ’ s efforts in combating homophobia amendment and includes a referendum clause, meaning it circumvents a gubernatorial veto. in K-12 schools nationwide. In addition a new video, Teaching Respect for “We’ve been through painful ballot measures here before,” says Ron Bloodworth, a counselor All, will be viewed. Last fall the Modesto, Calif., school board voted 6-1 to use the video in teacher with Portland Public Schools. “We know what an incredibly negative experience it can be.” trainings despite a move by some to ban its showing. Talk to educators and many will tell you that Admittedly, great gains have occurred in some when the political climate gets volatile—particu places during the past few years: More schools are larly around lesbian and gay rights—young people sponsoring support groups for sexual minority often bear the brunt of the highly charged envi youth; gay and lesbian parents are working with ronment, becoming targets of anti-gay slurs and educators and parent groups to create dialogue taunts, as well as violence. and understanding about sexual orientation is That, says Bloodworth, is simply unaccept sues; more local governments are approving legal able. He, along with the estimated 100 members protections based on sexual orientation that may of the Oregon chapter of the Gay, Lesbian and prompt lesbian and gay educators (and their sup Straight Teachers Network, are working to counter portive colleagues) to feel more secure about that harsh reality. publicly addressing sexual minority youth issues. GLSTN (pronounced “glisten”) Oregon, which The regional conference is now held regularly held its first organizational meeting last May, in the Portland area, but it remains just one of a promotes safe and few in the nation equitable school en that explicitly aims vironments so that to improve services all stu d en ts— as for lesbian, gay and well as teachers, bisexual youth. counselors and par Other symbols ents— can enjoy a of acceptance in positive learning clude the Portland and growth experi School B oard’s ence. Bloodworth vote two years ago co-chairs the group to bar recruiters with Jan Donald. from school “Right now grounds because of w e’re the only the military’s ban GLSTN chapter in on openly lesbian Oregon, and we are Jan Donald ( left) and Ron Bloodworth and gay service based in Portland,” says Bloodworth. “We’re members, as well as the district’s backing of a hoping to plant the seeds for the establishment of plan to provide broad-based sensitivity trainings other chapters around the state.” for educators and administrators. National GLSTN was started by teachers in Nonetheless, plenty of work is left to be done. the Boston area in 1990, and according to organi According to a 1991 Oregon study, there are at zational materials was instrumental in the work least 50,000 sexual minority youth statewide, that led to Massachusetts becoming the first state many of whom face hardship and discrimination. in the country to prohibit discrimination on the The report, which included several interviews basis of sexual orientation in its public schools. with young people, found that support systems In response to growing interest in GLSTN, the for sexual minority youth were woefully defi group and its founder, Kevin Jennings, a teacher cient, primarily due to a lack of relevant education and author of Becoming Visible and One Teacher among service providers. in 10, incorporated in 1994, hired staff, and devel The study concluded that many service pro oped what is believed to be the first national viders brought their prejudices with them to work, network whose purpose is to weed out homophobia or simply overlooked the needs of sexual minor in the schools. ity youth because their professional training had By the end of the 1995 school year, GLSTN’s never addressed the subject. It also found that work had expanded to include a push to establish many gay, lesbian and bisexual youth experi October as National Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual enced severe ostracism and harassment within a History Month. (Gov. John Kitzhaber has issued school setting. proclamations recognizing the event in Oregon “We’re very encouraged by what we’re seeing during the past two years.) with respect to Portland Public Schools,” says GLSTN Oregon has had a presence at a Bloodworth. “But this is just the beginning.” multicultural conference with Salem-Keizer schools in March and at the “Opening Doors” ‘‘An Evening with Kevin Jennings ” is set fo r sexual minority youth conference in Corvallis a April 24 from 7 to 9 pm at Peace House, 2116 month earlier. NE 18th Ave., in Portland. In September, the group hosted a showing of The event is a fund raiser designed to help send It's Elementary: Talking About Gay Issues in Oregonians to National GLSTN’s Summer School, a documentary by Helen Cohen and Debra Leadership Institute. Tickets are $10 and are Chasnoff. The film explores what happens when available by calling 282-9394, or by e-mailing educators utilize age-appropriate and creative GLSTNOR@aol.com. Tickets may also be ways to confront homophobia in the classroom obtained by mail by writing to GLSTN Oregon, and counter gay and lesbian invisibility. PO Box 20565, Portland, OR 97294-0565.