ELECTION RESULTS
Statewide
www.ok.gov/~elections/06gen.html
Oklahoma County Commissioner District
1
www.newsok.com/features/electionresults/
race396-1.htm
OKC SCHOOL BOARD UPDATE
Reverend Scott Jones of Cathedral of Hope
OKC has posted an entry on his blog about the School
Board meeting. It includes the text of a letter he
submitted to the Board regarding the Handbook.
escottjones.typepad.com/myquest/2006/11/
last_nights_sch.html
The following is an email from Joe
Quigley:
Are you ready for this?
First, someone in the OKC School District, and NOT,
if the spokesperson for the district is to be
believed, the Board, decided that the words "sexual
orientation" were inconsistent with the district's
policies on Nondiscrimination, Bullying, and
Harassment.
In spite of the Handbook Revision Committee's
proposed language that said they were, and the two
letters from the former superintendent that also said
they were, someone exercised his or her own bias and
removed those two important words.
According to their own spokesperson it was not the
Board, whose job it is to set policy.
At last night's meeting besides the two students from
Capitol Hill High School, two students from NWClassen
had signed up to speak, but were not in the room when
their names were called.
Further investigation found that they had been called
from the auditorium into the foyer where an
administrator, not a Board member, asked that they
speak to her as it was equal to speaking to the Board.
These two students were denied their right to speak,
and the audience was denied its right to hear what
they had to say.
There should have been FOUR students addressing the
Board, but an administrator prevented this.
So we have someone at 900 NKlein making decisions
about the inclusion of "sexual orientation"
in the handbook in spite of the Revision Committee's
unanimous decision that the words should be included,
and an administrator taking it upon herself to
prevent students from addressing the board by making
herself equal to the Board.
WHO IS IN CHARGE OF THE DISTRICT, AND WHAT SORT OF
"CULTURE" AT 900 NKLEIN ALLOWS PEOPLE TO
USURP THE POWERS AND AUTHORITY OF THE BOARD.
Who is in charge down there, the Board, or any
administrator who wants to be?
Again, the Handbook was un-revised by a person or
persons unknown, and an administrator presents
herself as the equivalent to the Board and prevents
two students from talking to it.
She could have stayed in the auditorium and heard
what these two students had to say and allowing
everyone there to hear them.
This is censorship at its most insidious.
How much is being done by individuals in the district
without the knowledge of the Board, and how can the
public WHO ELECTS THEM have faith in the Board if
administrators are doing this?
AND THE BOARD DOESN'T THINK THERE'S A PROBLEM???!!!
Doesn't this bother anyone?
Joseph Quigley
NWClassen HS
OKC SCHOOL BOARD MEETING
The following are emails from Joe
Quigley:
Here are some highlights from
tonight’s (11/06/06) School Board meeting:
A student from Capitol Hill High School pointed out
that not only was he straight, but he has chosen to
remain a virgin until marriage. For his sexual
orientation he faces ridicule and harassment.
Inclusive language could protect him.
Another student from Capitol Hill HS mentioned two
friends who committed suicide, suicides that might
have been prevented with inclusive language that
would have given them some security.
A teacher from Classen School for Advanced Studies
pointed out that as she travels the halls of the
school she has often found herself with a choice;
address a violation of the rules and end it, or say
nothing for convenience and tacitly condone the
violation, something the Board does on a regular
basis with vague wording.
The teacher from Capitol Hill HS, Ms Trail, pointed
out that if the district responded to a complaint (or
the fear of one) they fell short as these are the
very people they should be protecting students from,
not going along with.
Rev Scott Jones pointed out and asked about a
procedural error. If the district received the
inclusive language at the October 2 meeting and said
nothing in opposition to that language at that time,
when did they change it as they did not hold any
public meetings, and acted secretly. If they did not
approve the language in at least one section that was
new, where and when did they decide on the language
that was included.
Dr. Miller suggested they write an addendum to the
handbook as they have done on other issues in the
past.
Emily Shurley of (Central Oklahoma Human Rights
Alliance) spoke as Batch (Nathaniel
Batchelder) handed out important information.
Jim Nimmo mentioned the MLK quote about injustice
toward anyone is injustice to everyone.
Rev Johnstone from the Universalist Church also spoke
from the heart about how inclusive language
influences all students and teachers for the better.
There were, in all, about 11 to 12 people speaking,
and each either brought up a new point, or backed up
what has been said before
Sadly many "leaders of the community" and
the organizations that claim to be were conspicuous
by their absence.
Apparently what is forgotten is that the youth of
today are the voters of tomorrow, and being young,
their memories will stay good for a long time.
I read a series of quotes from people throughout the
years that supported “sexual orientation”
as included language.
Board policy states that the superintendent must
respond within a set number of days to questions and
concerns.
It will be interesting to see what comes from this.
quigley
Here is the article about last night's
school board meeting that was in today's (11/07/06) Oklahoman.
www.newsok.com/article/2967822
It is good not only to see new names
mentioned, but students as well.
BIG CONCERN though is this quote:
Board members are not required to approve the
student handbook each year, since it is a reflection
of district policy, district spokeswoman Sherry Fair
said.
If that is the case, who made the decision to take
out the words "sexual orientation"as it not
only goes against previous statements by the former
superintendent, but it also went against what was
submitted by the revision committee?
Is there an unknown, faceless person who wields such
power?
Joe Quigley
NWClassen HS
OKLAHOMA
HIV CONFERENCE
The following is an email from Kay
Holladay:
Dear Friends,
The Oklahoma HIV/STD Conference will be held
Wednesday, November 29th at the Cox Convention Center
in Bricktown/OKC. Please help us distribute
registration information to your friends and
colleagues who might be interested. Early
registration, by November 10, is $50 and includes
parking. Scholarships are available to people
living with HIV/AIDS. Please call or email me
with any questions. And thanks so much for
helping us spread the word to the community.
Kay Holladay, M.P.H.
Director, Surveillance and Care Delivery
HIV/STD Service
Oklahoma State Department of Health
(405) 271-9444 x56618
kholladay@health.ok.gov
8:00 a.m.
Registration
9:00 a.m. Welcome
Michael Harmon, Chief, HIV/STD Service, Oklahoma
State Department of Health
9:15 – 10:15a.m.
Plenary Session
Syphilis and HIV Co-Infection: Complicating the
Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of an Already
Complex STD
Bruce Furness, MD, MPH, STD Control Program,
Washington, DC
10:30 – 11:30a.m.
Breakout Sessions
- Living with HIV
and/or Co-Infections including TB, Hepatitis
B and Hepatitis C
Linda Machado, MD; Michelle Salvaggio, MD;
Staci Lockhart, PharmD
OU Health Sciences Center
- Did You Take
syPHILis Home Last Night? A campaign focusing
on reducing syphilis rates.
Melissa VanDyne and Lesha Dennis, Missouri
Dept. of Health and Senior Services
- Methamphetamine
Abuse
Agent Allen Lane, II, Oklahoma Bureau of
Narcotics
- Homophobia and
Stigma
Tommy Chesbro, MHR, Planned Parenthood of
Arkansas and Eastern Oklahoma, Inc.
- Hepatitis B, Co-Infection
with Hepatitis C and/or HIV (part 1)
Jan Fox, MPH, RN and Debbie Purton, RN,
Oklahoma State Department of Health, HIV/STD
Service
11:30a.m. – 1:15p.m.
Luncheon and Plenary Session
At the Crossroads: New Realities, New Directions
Kandy Feree, CEO, National AIDS Fund of Washington,
DC
1:30 – 2:30p.m.
Breakout Sessions
- How To Navigate
the System
A panel of long term HIV survivors and those
living with co-infection share tips on how to
navigate the system
- Unlocking the
Doors to Asset Building: STD/HIV Education
for Youths
Jana Knol, MEd, OU Health Sciences Center,
Comprehensive HIV/AIDS Resources and
Treatment Services
- A Clinic
Perspective: Strategies for Linking and
Sustaining African American Women in Care
Rodney Goodie, St. Hope Clinics, Houston, TX
- Hepatitis B, Co-Infection
with Hepatitis C and/or HIV (part 2)
Jan Fox, MPH, RN and Debbie Purton, RN
Oklahoma State Department of Health, HIV/STD
Service
2:45 – 3:45p.m.
Plenary Session
A Sharpened Perspective on Improving Access to
Testing and Treatment for African Americans
Rodney Goodie, St. Hope Clinics, Houston, Texas
WORLD AIDS
DAY IS DECEMBER 1ST
GAY
OKLAHOMA MYSPACE GROUP HITS 1000!
The Gay Oklahoma group on MySpace - which I
moderate - now has over 1030 members! Check it out at
groups.myspace.com/gayoklahoma!
THE
STATE OF OUR COMMUNITY 2006
It's 2006. Do you know where your Gay Rights
are?
state2006.gayokc.com
KING
AND KING
I have created an archive page for
items regarding the ongoing King and King
controversy.
www.gayokc.com/kingandking.htm
