In this issue of GSA Network News, you'll find:

1. Concert to Oppose Violence Against LGBT Youth - Today (Fri.)!
2. Queer Youth Beach Party - August 4

What: Concert to promote awareness around the report "Hatred in the Hallways." Co-sponsored by Human Rights Watch, GSA Network, and other LGBTQ Groups

Who: There will be thirteen GLBTQ groups cosponsoring the concert. The Band De'briah will play and there will be poets from the group "Youth Speaks"

When: Friday, July 27 5:00 - 7:00

Where: Justin Herman Plaza

(San Francisco, July 10, 2001) Gay teenagers are often subject to so much bullying in U.S. schools that they are not receiving an adequate education, Human Rights Watch charged in a new report released in May. The problem affects as many as two million school-age youth nationwide.

The report, Hatred in the Hallways:Discrimination and Violence Against Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Students in U.S. Public Schools, found that teachers and administrators frequently ignore bullying and even violence against these students. School officials often refuse to accept reports of harassment or to hold the perpetrators accountable; in some instances, they have encouraged or have themselves participated in such abuse. The 203-page report is based on in-depth interviews with 140 youth and 130 teachers, administrators, counselors, and parents in seven states: California, Georgia, Kansas, Massachusetts, New York, Texas, and Utah.

The harassment takes a serious toll on these students' emotional and physical health and on their academic studies. Some drop out of school. Others commit suicide. A growing number are demanding that school administrations ensure their safety and that they be allowed to organize gay-straight student groups.

Every state requires youth to attend school. Yet only four states have enacted legislation to protect students from harassment and violence based on gender identity. This leaves the vast majority of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender students vulnerable to abuse.

Human Rights Watch called for immediate action by school districts, the states, and the federal government to end these abuses:

All school district policies should explicitly prohibit harassment and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. School districts should also ensure that these policies are implemented fully; where gaps exist between policy and practice, they should take immediate measures to close the gap by training all staff and students.

State legislatures should enact laws to protect students from harassment and discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.

The U.S. Department of Education should monitor school districts for compliance with the principle of nondiscrimination, intervene where policies are failing, and include sexual orientation and gender identity in data collection tools measuring discrimination in education.

Federal and state government should enact legislation to protect administrators, teachers, counselors, other school staff, and all employees from discrimination in employment on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.

The full report is available online at http://www.hrw.org/reports/2001/uslgbt/.

For more information, please contact Kristin Kemnitzer at the northern California office of Human Rights Watch at (415) 362-3250 or through hrwsf@hrw.org

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2. Queer Youth Beach Party - August 4

Attention all Queer youth and allies. You are invited to attend the Empowerment Program's summer beach party.

What:Queer Youth Beach Party

When:Saturday, August 4 from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm.

Where:Marin Headlands.
(Directions:
From the East Bay, take 580 W across the Richmond/San Rafael bridge. Take 101 N to Sausolito. Take the second Sausolito exit, and turn right. Follow the road under the highway. Drive forward through the stop sign and take the first left. Drive through the tunnel. Continue on Bunker Rd and follow the signs to Rodeo Beach and Fort Cronkhite. After crossing a small bridge and driving around the lagoon, take the left fork in the road. The road ends in a parking lot on the right. Park there, and meet us at the picnic area at the end of the lot.

From San Francisco. Take 101 N across the Golden Gate Bridge. Take the Alexander Ave. exit. Merge right onto Alexander and then take the first left. Go forward to the tunnel entrance. Then, follow the directions above.

Who:For more information or the RSVP, contact Myriam Rahman or Adam Kahn at (925) 687-8844 x304 or 307. Send e-mail inquiries to empowerq@hotmail.com

Hope to see you there.

Myriam Rahman
Program Coordinator
Empowerment Project
Center for Human Development
391 Taylor Blvd., Suite 120
Pleasant Hill, CA 94523
925.687.8844 ext. 307

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empowering youth activists to fight homophobia in schools

Gay-Straight Alliance Network
160 14th Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
ph:415.552.4229
fax:415.552.4729
carolyn@gsanetwork.org
http://www.gsanetwork.org/
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