IT'S TIME We have an opportunity.
Last week I wrote to people at School HQ asking they
include the words "sexual orientation" in
the sexual harassment and discrimination statements
in the Student And Parent Handbook. Within an hour a
cautionary email reply was sent out asking nothing be
done before speaking to the legal people.
This resulted in a meeting this week to
just meet and say SOMETHING, to establish a face to
face. To present the concern.
The need to go slow was based on the
total coincidence of timing. Just such policy
statements had been written and sent out by the legal
people at the same time I made my request. When my
principal read the memo to us that explained the
newly revised language. Sexual harassment by its
nature includes everyone, but the non-discrimination
language was so pared down as to include only race,
color, religion or disability, implying that everyone
else, especially GLBT Kids, were on their own.
Long story short: the following is an
email that was sent within school HQ which resulted
in a committee being formed to deal with this:
Dr. Powell-
Although we have put
into place a discrimination policy, as it relates
to sex and disability, and a harassment policy,
we still need a policy on discrimination in
general ( e. g. race, religion, etc.).
Some concerns have
been raised about protections, or lack therof,
for gay students. Do we want to form some
type of a diversity task force to study issues
relating to discrimination and to come back with
recommendations to the Board? If we do, who
do you feel should chair such a committe?"
The
superintendent thought this was a great idea.
The attorney suggested what needs to be done is
learning what has been done elsewhere, and how
mainstream this could be.
However, regardless of the make up of the final
committee, there will be need for information. And,
let's face it, we as a community are a formidable
source of information. We have teachers, parents,
doctors, lawyers, experts in many field that are
applicable to the needs of GLBT kids. We have the
statistics. We have the national contacts who can get
us any information we might want at any given time.
We are a resource, and I would like to go to the
formation committee meeting knowing that with the
whole community working on this, we will have the
opportunity to educate people about US, and help the
GLBT Students.
As soon as I get more
information, I would love to find some way to
organize ourselves as a resource. They need info on
law, or education, or what has happened in other
cities, and when they are attacked by the usual
suspects (the right), we need to be there with the
counterpoints.
The district is going to need OUR community to
help them along and, let's be honest, if we really
want results we might have to help defend them.
Consider getting involved in this.
Joe Quigley
PARADE
COMMITTEE UNVEILS NEW LOGO Pride Network, Inc has announced the new
logo for this year's OKC Pride Parade. The logo will
be featured on all Parade advertising and, of course,
the T-shirts, which go on sale at the Great Plains
Rodeo during Memorial Day Weekend. It will also be
available for use by Parade sponsors. To discourage
unauthorized use of the logo, PNI is making it known
that any use of
the logo without the written permission of PNI will
be charged a of fee fifty dollars per use. Example:
print ten iron on transfers would cost $500. For
information on obtaining written permission, email PNI@okcpride.com.
Parade and Festival Registration Forms are now
available to download from the PNI website at www.OKCPride.com. The forms are also
available at The Center, 2135 N.W. 39th Street. Early
registration is strongly encouraged because rates
increase dramatically on June 1 and even more so the
day of the Parade - Sunday, June 22.
PNI's next meeting is Monday, May 19, 7:30PM at The
Center.
FAMILY
PRIDE GOES TO THE ZOO On Sunday, May 18th, Family Pride OKC will
be going to the zoo. We will receive a group rate if
we have 20 or more. The prices will be Adults $4.50,
Kids (3-11) $2.25, and children under 3 free. We will
meet at the gate at 1:00 pm, after we get in the gate
you may choose to break off into small groups or go
as one big group. We will reconvene at 4:00 pm at a
picnic area to relax and share a meal together (map
will be provided at the gate with picnic area circled).
The zoo has places to buy snacks and they have a
restaurant that closes at 5:00. A suggestion might be
to bring a picnic dinner. The gates and exhibit
buildings close at 4:45, but all visitors are welcome
to stay until dusk. There are many activities to
enjoy at the zoo: some include Morphis Virtual
Simulator, Cost: $3.00 per person, per movie, Rock-Climbing
Wall, Cost: $2.00 per person, Safari Tram, Cost: $2.00
per person good for unlimited rides all day, same day
only (Children 2 and under are FREE), The Endangered
Species Carousel, Cost: $1.00 per person, Children's
Train, Cost: $1.00 per person, the aquatics show,
Cost: $1.00 per person age 3 and under free, and
other activities. Info: familyprideokc@cox.net.
THANKS
FOR VISITING!
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ratings records for the WB - Lions Gate Films
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pitches making waves at Cannes - Fox picks up new
show from Mike White - Study: Many Americans think
HIV vaccine already exists - Arizona budget cuts
could affect people with HIV/AIDS - AmfAR to honor
Harvey Fierstein, other LGBT AIDS activists - IAPAC
to honor Elton John, Stephen Lewis - The Price Of
Discrimination - Click here for the
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