26
ruary 7.2QÛ3
C o u ra g e -.>-<■ c la s s ro o m
Continued from Page
25
are and talk about it,” she states. “If 1 d o n ’t try
to make a change, how can 1 expect others to?”
Learning to make change
he coalition will he trying a few changes, t<x),
when it presents the first of three annual safe
schtxtl training workshops later this m ontfyat
Lane Community College in Eugene.
For example, the training will he set up for 10
teams of four, rather than open to individuals.
Although this may reduce the number of commu
nities involved, organizers believe that multiple
advix;ates within the same community can better
sustain their momentum through mutual support.
“We’ve seen the difference even between just two
people doing work together and someone doing
the work by themselves,” Liljeholm says.
And, unlike the 2001 session, this year’s
i Hit
“Research evidence is
clear that gay, lesbian,
bisexual and trans youth §
are at a greater (suicide) I
risk than their
|
heterosexual peers.”
— Mon Blood worth
workshop is not limited to just
adults. “Kids will be doing a lot
of the facilitating and presenting
in order to nruxJel what we’re
hoping to encourage,” notes
Franks, citing the effectiveness
of youth speaking for themselves
and participating in decisions
that affect their future.
The agenda will include not
only material to present to stu
dents and faculty hack home,
hut also an opportunity to prac
tice basic public speaking skills.
Teams will identify local
resources to support their safe
schix)! plans and determine how
best to utilize those resources.
Finally, teams will learn how to
organize lcx:al support groups for Molly Franks believes the coalition will be more effective because
queer youth and allies, such as queer youth will be conducting many of the presentations
Gay Straight Alliances.
jeholm and Franks want to establish an infra
Ultimately, however, each team’s approach will
be unique. For iastance, some may develop train structure wherein members could share ideas,
plan events and learn from each other.
ing for teachers, such as effective ways to identify
Although still in its formative stage and await
and interrupt harassment.
ing funding, the network is expected to he
Others may work with administrators to
launched within three years.
implement safe schtxil guidelines, such as anti-
Matt H ackett, a gay 17-year-old senior, sup
discrimination and anti-bullying policies. Those
ports such a networking opportunity. H e’s con
with the basics already in place might chtxise to
address curriculum areas in which sexual minori cerned about the future of a G SA he helped
establish at Beaverton High Schtxil last Sep
ties are absent, such as health and history.
tember. He and a fellow student found a sup
portive teacher and an adm inistration that gave
immediate approval, hut with growing class-
rixmns and limited resources, the safe schtxd
message can he hard to hear among other seri
nother aspiration of the coalition is to link
together kx:al GSAs and similar types of ous problems.
In reality, it’s one of a million issues on a
organizations to create a statewide network. Lil
Working well with others
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