Monday, September 13th (yes, that's tomorrow) the Saline board of education is having a policy meeting where they will be discussing expanding the school district's non-discrimination policy to include sexual orientation and gender identity/expression. According to the facebook invitation I got,
The students are especially requesting that adults show up. If you ask me, expanding non-discrimination policies is a no-brainer--of course they should be expanded. Why should we discriminate based on a group characteristic? And, as the invitation notes, it is a safety issue. LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) youth are often harassed and discriminated against. By supporting a non-discrimination policy, the board would be saying that they will not tolerate harassment, discrimination, or queer bashing.
The Saline Board of Education is having a policy meeting to discuss whether sexual orientation and gender identity/expression should be added to the school's non-discrimination policy. The majority of the committee is reluctant to take any action, unofficially citing religious beliefs.
It is incredibly important that we support the LGBTQ and Ally youth in Saline, and create a presence at this meeting! Please help us fill the room! This is not a morality or a religious issue, it is a safety issue. (Emphases added.)
I have personal experience of this. One of my closest friends in 9th grade had a brother who could not go to our high school, because of harassment based on his gender identity and sexual orientation. (I didn't have the words for it then. I just knew that he was a boy, but dressed like a girl, but liked boys.) So this note is for Bobby.
I find it morally reprehensible that decades later schools would dither about putting an expanded non-discrimination policy on the books.
So, here are the details:
September 13th, 5-7 p.m.
Liberty School, Room 33
7265 Saline Ann Arbor Rd
Saline, MI
And if you can't go, you should still feel free to contact the Board of Education members and let them know what you think!
Thanks for the information.
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting, it's important the adults support these kids...the argument about the religion needs to be answered with WWJD.
ReplyDeleteI was surprised when my daughter's 8th grade friend was declaring herself a lesbian. My sense is that by high school and even before, a lot of gay students are becoming at least somewhat open about it. I hope they are not being harassed and intimidated at school.
ReplyDelete