Australia: Students out and proud

Melbourne Community Voice

A Melbourne rally against homophobia last Saturday, organised by National Union of Students (NUS) and supported by the queer departments at a range of tertiary institutions, “exceeded all expectations” according to NUS Queer Officer, James Vigus.

The event, protested against the Rudd government’s ban on same-sex marriage and its anti-student union stance.

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Gay Pride Allowed at Ponce de Leon High

by Alex Denis

WJHG TV

Florida - Yesterday U.S. District Judge Richard Smoak ruled the school board was wrong to enforce a ban on students expressing their support for gay rights.

For Heather Gillman it's been a long battle. She started the process of suing the Holmes County School Board almost eight months ago after Ponce De Leon administration banned her from wearing a t-shirt she had made supporting gay rights.

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Lance Bass out against bashing

Lance Bass doesn't want others to stay silent as he did.

So he's made a public service announcement for the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network. The spot available online today, debuts in advance of the 11th annual U.S. National Day of Silence on April 25, when students take a vow of silence to protest bullying, harassment and discrimination in schools.

"I think it's time for me to stand up ... and help educate, because I'm lucky enough to have been given a voice to be able to talk and grab the attention of people," said the 28-year-old singer, who's gay.

"Every day, thousands of students are silenced. They're silenced by fear, they're silenced for being who they are.... They're brothers, they're sisters, they're gay, they're straight, they're you, they're me.''

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Letter of the day: Make tolerance part of the curriculum

Minnesota: In response to the April 4 letter "School's inaction led to student's murder," in which the writer implies that if the school required young Larry King to suppress his identity at school, he'd be alive today: As a representative of the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and allied community, OutFront Minnesota believes the school should have stopped other students from tormenting Larry and taught respect for all students, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.

Schools are not just academic institutions but powerful social environments in which cultural beliefs are reinforced -- in this case -- at the expense of Larry King's life. Why was the cost of expressing his identity so high? And who gets to decide which identities are more valuable than others?

This is why OutFront Minnesota is at the forefront of the effort to eliminate homophobia and transform our culture into a dynamic, inclusive and humane place for all of us to live.

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Mount Si High School Principal defends DOS

WASHINGTON: Despite some parents' and students' objections to the Day of Silence, Mount Si High School Principal Randy Taylor told the Snoqualmie Valley School District board last week that the high school's Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) had begun planning this year's event, scheduled for April 25.

Taylor said organizers were working to set expectations of respect for all students - participants and non-participants - on the Day of Silence, which is part of a nationwide effort to raise awareness of gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans-gendered and questioning (LGBTQ) students and allies who do not feel safe enough to speak their true voice.

"The Day of Silence is just one [of many school activities] that sends a powerful message that all students are respected and have the right to learn regardless of the label they wear at school, at home or in the community. We are a better school because of activities like the Day of Silence," Taylor said at the standing-room-only meeting Thursday, March 6.

He said the GSA was working to address "the blatant misconception that participating or not participating in the Day of Silence is about choosing a side and drawing lines over GLBTQ rights."

Taylor added that staff members and students would be educated on expectations for the day, and communication with parents would remain open. Aune said that participating in the Day of Silence is within students' right to free expression, and that "any form of bullying will not be tolerated."

Mount Si parents and other community members belonging to a group called the Coalition to Defend Education (CoDE) wrote in a letter to the school board and Mount Si administration that the Day of Silence creates an unsafe environment for non-participating students, whom they claim are labeled as anti-gay. They also wrote that the Day of Silence is a distraction to learning, and shapes a school environment where school employees feel emboldened to advocate their personal opinions.

Tom's personal opinion:

I find it very telling how the anti-gay community is screaming and yelling about their children having to feel offended if they are non-supportive of DOS.

GLBTQIA's are asking the non-supportive community to feel, for one single day, what the GLBTQIA community feels EVERYDAY!

It seems the non-supportive community can't handle it for even one day. Now who are the weak and pathetic?

CMU: What's that smell?

There's an attempt to quell students at Central Michigan University.

One of the professors (Gary Peters) is running for congress.

A student organization has been formed which doesn't support Mr. Peters. They claim he is biased and breaking the law. It seems, public employees who receive federal funds are in violation if they run for office.

As if this isn't enough of a mess at CMU, a student was assaulted by the Dean (see video below) and students were punished for passing out printed flyers.

Whatever is going on at CMU, it really smells!

Palmdale HS security breaks female students wrist

Preparations for Pride Week underway

Pride Week at the University of Utah is just more than a month away and students and staff at the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Resource Center are working to finalize the week's events.

http://media.www.dailyutahchronicle.com/media/storage/paper244/news/2007/08/30/News/Preparations.For.Pride.Week.Underway-2943716.shtml