This diary first appeared last Friday. Due to its impact, GLBT and Friends at Daily Kos felt it was worthy of rerunning this diary so those who were at Netroots Nation would have the ability to see and comment on this diary.
Being a teenager is tough. Being a teenager that identifies or is even perceived to be GLBTQ can be a living hell...especially at school. A hell that leads to destructive behavior: drug abuse, alcohol abuse, promiscuity, running away from home to escape abusive families, suicide and an alarming drop out rate in school.
"No Child Left Behind"? In many instances, the first to be left behind are GLBTQ children. Schools and administrators are all too frequently a part of the problem and rarely a vocal advocate at solving the problems a GLBTQ student experiences...both from their peers and, sadly, many of their teachers.
Can anything be done to help? At least to provide a safe space for GLBTQ kids to learn? Why, thanks for asking and discover the who, what, where, when and why...
after the jump.
Human Rights Watch has an exhaustive piece available online titled: "Hatred In the Hallways" and it can be found here: http://www.hrw.org/...
I highly recommend reading the entire report. The opening paragraph of the introduction (emphasis added):
To the more than two million lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth of school age living in the United States and to those who are questioning their sexual orientation or gender identity, Dylan N.'s story is all too familiar. It is a story of harassment, abuse, and violence; a story of deliberate indifference by school officials who disclaim any responsibility for protecting Dylan or ensuring his right to an education; a story of escalating violence; a story of the failure of legal protection; and finally, a story of a young man denied an education because of his sexual orientation. In this report, Human Rights Watch documents attacks on the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth who are subjected to abuse on a daily basis by their peers and in some cases by teachers and school administrators. These violations are compounded by the failure of federal, state, and local governments to enact laws providing students with express protection from discrimination and violence based on their sexual orientation and gender identity, effectively allowing school officials to ignore violations of these students' rights. Gay youth spend an inordinate amount of energy plotting how to get safely to and from school, how to avoid the hallways when other students are present so they can avoid slurs and shoves, how to cut gym class to escape being beaten up-in short, how to become invisible so they will not be verbally and physically attacked. Too often, students have little energy left to learn. In interviews, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth explained how teachers and administrators turned their backs, refusing to take reports of harassment, refusing to condemn the harassment, and failing to hold accountable students who harass and abuse. Some school officials blame the students being abused of provoking the attacks because they "flaunt" their identity. Other school officials justify their inaction by arguing that students who "insist" on being gay must "get used to it." And finally, some school officials encourage or participate in the abuse by publicly taunting or condemning the students for not being "normal." For gay youth who survive by carefully concealing their sexual orientation or gender identity, they learn that they will be protected only if they deny who they are-a message that too often leads to self-hatred and a fractured sense of identity.
I’m a voracious reader of political news. More specifically, new that’s of particular importance to the GLBT community. So when I read about the prospect of an "Online GLBT High School" at joe.my.god. I immediately started following hyperlinks to this exciting education opportunity’s web presence.
http://www.glbtqonlinehighschool.com/
The school’s Mission Statement:
The GLBTQ Online High School will provide a safe and welcoming educational community that provides a high quality, comprehensive college-preparatory online high school experience for students who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or questioning their sexual orientation or gender using the best technology and techniques of distance education.
The goal is to have the virtual school ready for its inaugural school year early in 2010.
The time to help, however, is NOW! Do you know of any at-risk GLBTQ youth that might be considering dropping out of school? If you live in an urban area that has a GLBTQ community center or more specifically a GLBTQ Youth Center, would you please download the GLBTQ Online High School’s brochure and post it accordingly? You can find that brochure here: http://www.glbtqonlinehighschool.com...
The school aims to be a college preparatory high school. In addition to "core" requirements, a variety of elective classes will also be available to create a well-rounded student with the goal of college/university acceptance. In addition to "reading, writing and arithmetic, some examples of course offerings are: Social Sciences, Anthropology, Life Management Skills, Religions of the World As Practiced in the US, Art, Music Appreciation, Digital Arts, Financial Literacy, Business Communications and Ethics are but a few!
Learn more here:
http://www.glbtqonlinehighschool.com...
Graduation Requirements
GLBTQ works with both part-time and full-time students. Some students will want to take just a few classes, while others will want to take a full load and earn their diploma from us. We offer a full high school diploma and guarantee our credits and our diploma will be accepted by colleges and universities (although of course we can’t guarantee that any particular student will be accepted!).
For those that wish to earn their diploma students are required to complete 24 credits for graduation, including transfer credits. A student must earn a minimum of 6.0 credits from GLBTQ Online High School in order to earn a GLBTQ Online High School diploma. This work may be completed according to the pace set by the student’s Individualized Learning Plan.
Anticipating how detached learning on-line can be, the organizers of the GLBTQ Online High School have anticipated that problem. As a result, there will opportunities for fellow students to get together and interact if they are in the same city. Alternately, there will be online opportunities to share interests, just like the clubs and organizations we enjoy in our virtual schools:
http://www.glbtqonlinehighschool.com...
Clubs and Activities
Our learning management system provides not only courses, but also the means to interact for many other purposes. We will have numerous clubs and interest groups in which all full-time and part-time students can participate.
Activities include:
• Digital Photography/Video Club
• Chess Club
• Scuba Diving Club
• Movies & Music Club
• Drama Club
• Art Club
• Social Action/Human Rights Club
• And many more, depending on the interests of our students!
Summer and other activities
Online communities are great, but we understand that opportunities to connect in person are important too! We have already begun planning face-to-face activities for the summer of 2010 that will give students the opportunity to get to know each other through recreational outdoor activities.
Plans may include:
• Canoe trips
• Scuba lessons and trips
• Hiking trips
• City tours
...And parents, you can be involved in your child’s school, too! The GLBTQ Online High School will have opportunities for parents to interact with both faculty and other student’s parents, through a number of virtual programs and support group. Learn more about parental involvement here: http://www.glbtqonlinehighschool.com...
Although the online school will be fully accredited, some parents may wish to have their parents remain "enrolled" (at least technically) in their local school district. That can be accomplished by coordinating the GLBTQ Online High School Curriculum with a "Memorandum of Understanding" with the child’s local school to ensure that all local education requirements are met by the GLBTQ Online High School.
The Memorandum of Understanding can be found here:
http://www.glbtqonlinehighschool.com...
If you have more questions or would like more information, please feel free to contact the following (I am including these e-mail addresses because they are readily available at the school’s web site):
David Glick, Executive Director: dave@glbtqonlinehighschool.com
Doug Bright, Dean of Operations: doug@glbtqonlinehighschool.com
c.j. rock, Youth Outreach Coordinator: cjrock@glbtqonlinehighschool.com
The school is currently in the process of hiring faculty. If you are an educator with both a passion for teaching and a compassion for the unique issues of GLBTQ Youth (particularly as it relates to education), you might be right for the faculty! Learn more here: http://www.glbtqonlinehighschool.com...
This is truly a nation-wide effort. Nothing makes that more clear than the diversity of the Advisory Board:
Matt Bernardo, Senior Vice President, Housing Works, NY
Doug Bright, Dean of Operations, GLBTQ Online High School, MN
Jenn Burleton, Executive Director, TransActive, OR
David Lee Carlson, Arizona State University, AZ
Lea Dahl, Intermediate District 287, MN
Katherine Dean, Business Management Consultant and former Executive Director, Golden Gate Business Association, CA
Jasper Faolan, Artist, Activist & Author, "a raw hummingbird," Executive Director, www.DIYBisexuality.com, NY
Clair Farley, TEEI Economic Development Coordinator, San Francisco LGBT Community Center, CA
Christopher Gentile, CEO, FYIOnline, FL
David Glick, Executive Director, GLBTQ Online High School, MN
Ellen Greenblatt, Associate Professor, University of CO
Adam Greteman, Michigan State University, MI
Kelly Huegel, author, "The Survival Guide for Queer and Questioning Teens"
Shelley Janiczek Woodson, Licensed psychologist serving LGBT youth, MA
Sarah Johnston, Social Worker, Minneapolis, MN
Emily Kornblut, Global education consultant, NY
Morva McDonald, Asst. Professor of Teacher Education, University of Washington, WA
Nancy McDonald, former President, PFLAG, OK
Brian McNaught, Corporate Trainer & Author, MA
Gene Meier, Superintendent, Fort Washakie High School, WY
Andrew Miller, Teacher, Researcher on the heteronormativity of adolescent males, Tacoma, WA
Reverend Irene Monroe, Author and Activist, MA
Ramona Pierson, CEO, SynapticMash, WA
c.j. rock, Youth Outreach Coordinator, GLBTQ Online High School, MD
Kristi Rudelius-Palmer, Co-Director, Human Rights Center, University of Minnesota Law School, MN
Ian Turner, Student activist, College Park, MD
Rebecca Waggoner-Kloek, Anti-violence Program Manager, OutFront Minnesota, MN
John Watson, Evergreen Associates, CO
Dennis Williams, Manager of Multicultural Marketing, HBO, NY
Susan Williams, Professional Development Coordinator, Atomic Learning, MN
Laura Zelle, Executive Director, Tolerance MN
A great list of FAQ’s can be found at the "Getting Started page, found here: http://www.glbtqonlinehighschool.com...
Finally, how can you help? I thought you would never ask!:
We are currently seeking donations for start-up costs and student scholarships. GLBTQ Online High School is a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation functioning under the laws of the State of Minnesota. All donations are tax deductible to the full extent of the law.
We welcome your donations by credit card or check. For secure credit card donations, click the "donate now" button below. You can also send checks payable to GLBTQ Online High School to:
GLBTQ Online High School
540 Dorland Road South
Maplewood, MN 55119
Have you "been there"? I know I have many personal stories to tell, some humorous and many tragic from that very difficult period of my life. Feel free to express your experiences as a GLBTQ Youth in the comments.
UPDATE: The GLBTQ Online High School has been receiving media coverage in Minneapolis/St. Paul. Of course, groups like "Tim Prichard of MN Family Council" don't want "homosekshuls in the skools".
The Toxic Tim Prichard gets more face time to spread his disinformation in this clip: