GLBTQ (12 page)

Nick Garafola.
In 2009, after surviving nearly relentless taunting that culminated in a physical altercation, Nick Garafola decided something needed to be done at his school. With the help of some interested peers and an adult advisor, Nick cofounded Spectrum, his school's gay-straight alliance. “We are currently working on a schoolwide beautification project, which will introduce GLBTQ-themed art into the building,” Nick wrote in a 2009 article. “Mostly, though, our GSA is a fun and safe place for a bunch of us like-minded students to chill out and talk about homophobia and the differences between tolerating and embracing diversity.”

Nick also created a Safe Zone program at his school. “The purpose of the Safe Zone program is to give all students—gay, lesbian, heterosexual, bisexual, questioning, or transgender—someone to talk to about sexual orientation and gender. . . . My mission is to create an environment of acceptance in which all students and teachers can take part.” At Nick's school, a pink triangle is placed on the classroom doors of faculty members who have designated themselves as “allies.” These allies are taught about the issues teens face regarding sexual orientation and gender.

Dylan Theno.
Dylan Theno isn't gay, but because he was perceived to be by some of his classmates, he was threatened and verbally harassed so much that he dropped out of school during his junior year. The harassment started when he was in seventh grade. Dylan brought a federal suit against the Tonganoxie School District in Kansas for failing to protect him. In 2005, he won a $440,000 settlement.

Joseph Ramelli and Megan Donovan
. Joseph Ramelli and Megan Donovan, both gay, were repeatedly threatened and harassed by students at Poway High School (near San Diego, California). During their senior year, Joseph and Megan had to be homeschooled because of the harassment. The students filed a lawsuit and, in 2005, were awarded $300,000. The jury found that, even though school officials were aware of the harassment, they failed to protect Joseph and Megan.

Pat Doe.
Fifteen-year-old transgender student known in court documents as Pat Doe took her school to court over her right to express her gender identity by wearing girls' clothing. According to GLBTQ magazine
The Advocate,
Pat's principal had deemed it “disruptive” for a biologically male student to wear “feminine” clothing. In 2000, a Massachusetts appellate court agreed with Pat and she returned to school able to dress as she felt comfortable.

Alana Flores.
In 1997, Alana Flores was regularly harassed at her school in Morgan Hill, California. She repeatedly received death threats written on her locker, including the words, “Die, dyke bitch” and “We'll kill you.” Alana took the threatening notes to the assistant principal, who dismissed her complaints and told her to go back to class.

In 1998, Alana and five other students sued the school district for repeatedly ignoring the reports they made about being harassed and bullied by others who thought they were gay. In 2004, the school district was ordered to pay $1.1 million in legal fees and damages. Schools in Morgan Hill also implemented a training program for teachers and administrators to try to eliminate anti-gay harassment. The case set the precedent by a federal court that schools aware of anti-gay harassment must take meaningful steps to stop it.

Jamie Nabozny.
Jamie Nabozny suffered such violent abuse and harassment that he was forced to drop out of his Ashland, Wisconsin, high school. Jamie brought a lawsuit against the school district, and in 1996, a federal court ruled in his favor, stating that the school had failed to provide him with a safe learning environment. The school agreed to pay nearly $1 million to settle the case. The landmark decision—that schools can be held liable for deliberately ignoring anti-gay harassment—set a precedent for similar cases and forced many schools to examine their own policies. Jamie's story is featured in the documentary
Bullied
(see
Resources
).

According to the ACLU, since 1996 courts have awarded more than $4 million to gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender students who filed lawsuits against schools for refusing to take adequate steps to stop anti-queer harassment.

Filing a lawsuit may not be the best solution for every situation, but it is an option. As Nick Garafola showed, you can create change without going to court. But the results of these and similar cases across the country have resulted in some schools voluntarily protecting GLBTQ students from harassment. Many teens see these rulings as evidence that they should not have to endure harassment, and they're right.

Teachers, administrators, and other school officials can be some of your greatest allies, or they can be some of your biggest headaches.

For some students, even worse than bullying and harassment from other students is dealing with prejudice from school officials. According to Human Rights Watch, an international organization working for the equality of all people, many students find discrimination by teachers even more demoralizing and difficult to deal with than anything their peers say or do.

Some school officials and teachers harass teens by making anti-GLBTQ remarks. Some turn a blind eye to harassment by students or other members of the school community. Others tell GLBTQ students that it's their own fault because they invite harassment by “flaunting” who they are.

However it occurs, mistreatment by school staff is unacceptable. There are actions you can take to help make your school safer for everyone.

Here are some ways you can confront harassment and discrimination by officials or teachers at your school:

Action: Approach the offending official or teacher.
Tell him how his speech or behavior makes you feel. Explain that when he ignores or participates in harassment, it sends a message to students that it's okay. Stay calm and rational as you talk to the person. This can be difficult, but it can help you make your point more effectively.

Action: Tell a parent, guardian, or another adult.
Parents or guardians can be helpful allies in standing up to bullies, especially if the bullies are other adults. Confronting an adult can be very intimidating, so it's a good idea to have the support of at least one adult you trust.

Action: Tell an administrator.
If the perpetrator of prejudice is a teacher or another staff member, report her to an administrator such as a principal or vice principal. If the perpetrator is an administrator herself, approach the school superintendent or the school board. If you're going that high up the chain of command, it's especially good to have an adult backup—a parent, a lawyer, someone from a national GLBTQ organization, or a combination of these.

Many teachers and administrators want to help protect queer students from bullying and harassment. Some might speak up when they hear anti-GLBTQ language or see physical harassment. If your school has a GSA, the group's faculty advisor could also be a good advocate for you. Enlist the help of any official who you know wants to support queer students at school.

Been There:

“I actually found out that my math teacher was a lesbian. After I graduated we ended up becoming friends.”
—Jennifer, 18

As with coming out, when it comes to bullying, it helps to be prepared before taking action. Get informed, know what your resources are, and get yourself in a solid, positive mindset.

1. Consult with a group such as GLSEN, the ACLU, or Lambda Legal to find out exactly what your legal rights are at school.

2. Research how students at other schools have had success in confronting issues with teachers or school administrators. You might be able to connect with some of these peers via email or an online social network.

3. Prepare your “case” with detailed notes, witnesses, and examples. Even if you're not going to court (at least,
not yet
) it's helpful to think of your situation as a case. Being detailed helps others see that you're serious.

4. Be calm and rational. If you're overly emotional, the authorities might try to dismiss you as overreacting.

5. Keep it simple. State your problem as briefly as you can and stick to the facts. Stay away from giving your personal opinions (unless you're asked), and provide a factual account of the events.

6. Listen. There are two sides to every story. It can be tough to listen to the person doing the bullying give his version of the story, but remember that acting calmly and rationally will help demonstrate your maturity and your seriousness about confronting the problem.

For more information on dealing with bullying, including cyberbullying, see “
Responding to Homophobia
.”

Gay-straight alliances are student-led groups that work to create a safe, welcoming, accepting school environment for all students.

GSAs have received a lot of coverage in the media. Some school districts have attempted to block their formation, but your right to form a GSA in your school is protected by the law. There are two laws that apply—the First Amendment (protecting freedom of speech and assembly) and the federal Equal Access Act (providing for equal treatment of all non-instructional, student-initiated clubs). All over the country, students are fighting back and standing up for their rights to form GSAs.