I’m staying after school tomorrow to talk to the Site Based Management Committee about establishing a Gay Straight Aliance/Support Group at our school. It should be an easy process, and the nice thing is that we don’t even need to have this group’s approval, because of the established practices and all of the language in the Federal Equal Access Act, and how the school has functioned in the past; all we need is the principals go ahead. We have faculty sponsors, and support from enough students to, at least in my mind make it work.
The ironic thing is that as of next year, I’m going to be the student representative to the committee for the 2003-2004 school years. How funny. Really I see this as ironic, because after trying to get on the student council and failing reputedly, I’m going to achieve something way more important than that, and I’ll get a vote (I assume) that really counts for something. How awesome is that? Not to mention the fact that collages especially schools like Antioch will jump over this kind of community leadership kinds of things. And the truth is that I think it would be nice to be a part of this kind of discussion, instead of just being affected by the implications of it.
But about the Metro High School Gay Straight Alliance/Support Group. It’s really a benign group that has the distinct possibility of being one of the most active groups in our little school of 236 (this year; normal capacity is about 260). It’s also going to be established with a minimum amount of hassle, and with all luck meetings will start next year. One thing I’m really proud of is that it’ll set a really good precedent: as the first school in the district to have a GSA, students in other schools within the district (there are 12 high schools in the district) should be able to establish groups without any real problem. Also, since Metro is the top performing school in the area, and ranks very high in the state as a whole, we’ll be noticed, and I hope some good will come of that.
We’re also fighting against a bill in the state legislature that would make it illegal for a school or school district to adopt non-discrimination language that is more accepting than existing state and federal laws. Basically, it would make it impossible for a school district to protect GLBT students, and staff even if they wanted to. Because of the way the Federal Equal Access Act is worded, this won’t impact the group but it’s a scary prospect in any case.
In any case it’ll be a big day, and hopefully a fairly easy one at that.