2 GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE August 14, 2009
www.GayPeoplesChronicle.com
Cleveland schools have a pioneering LGBT program
by Eric Resnick
Cleveland-The Cleveland Metropolitan School District is "at the forefront in addressing the needs of [the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning] population," said Jeff Poirier of the American Institutes for Research.
According to director of health and support services David Harrison, LGBT and questioning students and employees are beneficiaries of a program begun last year as a response to a shooting two years ago at the district's Success Tech Academy. In October 2007, 14-year-old suspended student Asa Coon shot two students and two teachers before killing himself.
The program is called Human Ware, a project of AIR. It is being instituted district wide, and it has an LGBTQ component.
The entire program has ten strategies. The LGBTQ initiative falls under school
climate; the goal being to make all schools safer.
The strategies involve putting student support teams in all buildings to improve the conditions for learning, and create better social and emotional environments.
An LGBTQ work group of about 20 members has been formed. Membership includes Cleveland GLSEN president Gene Ashley, LGBT Center program director Mika Major, teachers, nurses and principals. Equality Ohio is also a participant.
The LGBTQ work group will make recommendations in four areas: a reduction of harassment and bullying incidents by 10 percent annually, training health and social service personnel on LGBTQ competency, overall injury and violence reduction, and promoting responsible sexual behavior.
The work group will complete its recommendations in October or November.
70,000 protest killings at Tel Aviv LGBT youth center
by Anthony Glassman
WITH WIRE REPORTS
Tel Aviv-A gunman attacked an LGBT youth center in this city on the Mediterranean coast of Israel, killing two people and injuring ten others.
The August 1 attack drew immediate criticism from the country's right-wing government, the leader of the opposition, the mayor of Tel Aviv and other prominent figures.
A week later, 70,000 people from across the nation gathered in the city to protest the violence, bearing rainbow flags and signs reminding others of one of the Ten Commandments "Thou shalt not kill."
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the center on August 6, where five days earlier a man wearing a mask walked in and opened fire. The assailant then fled on foot through the busy streets of Tel Aviv.
"We'll bring him to justice and exercise the full extent of the law against him," the prime minister told his cabinet at their weekly meeting.
Israel is perhaps the most gay-friendly country in the Middle East, and gay and lesbian soldiers serve openly in the military, queer celebrities are popular and gay pride events occur each year.
The only real opposition to full equality for LGBT citizens in Israel comes from ultraOrthodox Jews, who are powerful in society and government.
However, even the ultra-Orthodox political party Shas issued a statement condemning the attack.
At the August 8 rally, Tel Aviv mayor Ron Huldai expressed a sense of failure over the killings.
"We must legislate and call out loudly: No more incitement," the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Aronoth quoted Huldai. "We would like today for the bullets that pierced Liz [Trubeshi] and Nir [Katz] to be the bullets that break through the walls of hatred and
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ignorance in our society."
Shimon Peres, the president of Israel, also spoke at the rally, noting, "We are the people of 'Thou shall not kill.'
""
"The gunshots that hit the community earlier this week hit us all. As people. As Jews. As Israelis," he continued. "The person who pointed the gun at Nir Katz and Liz Trubeshi pointed it at all of you as well, at all of us, at you, at me."
"There can be no gunmen within us," he urged.
In addition to Peres, whose function as president is largely ceremonial, Education Minister Gideon Sa'ar and Culture and Sports Minister Limor Livnat also attended the rally.
Despite the near-universal condemnation of the attacks, calls came in threatening the rally and the buses being used to shuttle people from the north and south to the central Israeli city.
A 20-year-old soldier admitted to posting threats online and was arrested. Hours before the rally, he posted, "Expect more victims among the gays, this time something bigger," and "A second attack on the community soon. Be ready. Don't say we didn't know."
The soldier, Shmuel Primark, is a member of the Netzah Yehuda Battalion, a wing of the Israeli Defense Force for very observant Jews.
Police cars were assigned to collection points for the buses shuttling in people after calls came in threatening grenade attacks on the buses. No attacks materialized, how-
ever.
✓
GLSEN, however, will then take on a larger role with the district, as Gay Straight Alliances are set up at all the district's high schools.
Currently, John Marshall High School has the only GSA in the district, though it is the largest one in Ohio.
Harrison said that immediately, GLSEN will be helping the district collect data to see if the GSA programs are improving academic improvement among participants.
"If we do, it will validate what's going on," said Harrison, "that there has been improvement in the overall environment."
Harrison believes that GSAs improve attendance and morale of participants. The program will give the district the chance to find out how much.
"We know that LGBT kids get bullied more," Harrison said. Also monitored will be the number of
Medalists
harassment investigations going through the Title IX office.
Harrison said that the Human Ware program involves all students, staff and faculty, including security personnel who will also be trained in LGBTQ competency.
This year, Harrison said, all employees will be trained, and new people will be trained every year after that.
The anti-bullying law passed by the Ohio general assembly in 2006 does not include LGBTQ students or require that school districts protect LGBTQ students from harassment or bullying.
School districts are free to set their own policies and programs.
Currently, very few Ohio high schools have gay-straight alliancess.
REDS
CHARLES HAWKINS
Julio Aponte of Cleveland, left, and Columbus' Julia Applegate pose with their World Outgames medals in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Applegate is a North American director of the Gay and Lesbian International Sport Association, as well as a board member of the Ohio Splash, the state's LGBT masters swim team.
Six Ohio Splash members attended the Outgames, from July 25 to August 2. Between them, they won 18 medals.
-Anthony Glassman
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