Denver's Board of Education can be reached at
900 Grant Street, Denver, CO 80203,
tel. 303-764-3211, fax 303-764-3216.

Also, readers are urged to write to the State Education officials to encourage them to implement policies and procedures THROUGHOUT Colorado to protect students from harassment and discrimination based on perceived gender or sexual orientation and identification.
State Department of Education
Dept. of Ed., State Office Bldg.
201 E. Colfax Ave.
Denver CO 80203
phone= 303-866-6600
http://www.cde.state.co.us/

COLORADO STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION
EMAIL= State.Board@cde.state.co.us

Rocky Mountain News, January 7, 1999
400 W. Colfax Avenue,Denver,CO,80204
(Fax 303-892-2568 ) (E-MAIL: talktous@insidedenver.com )
( http://insidedenver.com )

Boys in dresses would be protected under proposed DPS policy

By Brian Weber, News Education Writer

Girls who dress as boys and boys who dress as girls would be protected from harassment and discrimination under a proposed change to Denver Public Schools' equal rights policy.

The change would protect teachers and other employees as well, though advocates admit it hasn't been much of a problem so far.

"This is more an anticipation that this issue is going to come up among younger and younger kids," said Dr. Sara Winter, a member of DPS' gay and lesbian task force, which is recommending the change. "Kids feel freer now to express what they feel."

School board member Bennie Milliner opposes the idea, saying it's a solution in search of a problem.

"I know the trend in our culture is that it's the politically correct thing to do but where does it stop?" Milliner said.

He also questions whether people really doubt their gender.

"Sometimes you just have to stand for what is natural inside of you," he said. "My point is we don't need to codify sexual confusion that's not a problem.

"If you've got male parts, you're male."

School districts around the country are paying more attention to gay rights. That movement was spurred by a 1996 U.S. Supreme Court ruling in favor of a Wisconsin high school student. He won $900,000 in damages because his district did not protect him from harassment and assault.

Milliner said he worries that some boys may come to school wearing dresses or other obvious female clothing. That's disruptive and unacceptable, he said.

Winter said such cross-dressing is possible but not likely. Few people would tempt ridicule or danger that way, she said. But they deserve protection if they do, she added.

The task force also is recommending language banning disruptive dress. That subjective description would probably be up to a school principal.

"We're not sure of this territory but we think it's time," she said.

Milliner said he will listen when the issue comes up at today's meeting.

DPS has been ranked as a leader in recognition of gay rights. The Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network gave Denver an A-minus for written protections against harassment and discrimination in a report last fall.

Out of 42 large districts, only five earned an A: Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Dade County, Fla., and Philadelphia. Seattle and Boston joined Denver with the next highest scores.

O+O+ O+O+ O+O+ O+O+ O+O+ O+O+
Jessea NR Greenman, jessea@uclink4.berkeley.edu
"Talk does not cook rice." Chinese proverb.

Denver Post, January 7, 1999
650 15th Street,Denver,CO,80202
(Fax 303-820-1369 ) (E-MAIL: Letters@denverpost.com )
( http://www.denverpost.com )

DPS eyes gay-rights measure

By Carlos Illescas, Denver Post Education Writer

Denver Public Schools is considering a measure that would prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity in hiring or educational practices. The school board will hold a public hearing tonight and several guest speakers are signed up to discuss the issue. The board will vote on the proposal at its Jan. 21 meeting.

If passed, Denver would join Boulder and Jefferson County as the only school districts in the state with similar policies on the books, according to Sue Anderson, executive director of Equality Colorado, a statewide advocacy group for gays, lesbians and bisexuals.

School board member Laura Lefkowits helped create a committee of parents, students and DPS officials to identify policies that excluded gays and lesbians.

"I had some concerns about the general quality of life in DPS for members of the gay and lesbian community,'' Lefkowits said. "We have more and more gay and lesbian kids probably who are open about it. More and more are coming out in high school.''

Anderson praised the move, saying antigay behavior typically starts during adolescence - or younger.

She said the recent slaying of a gay University of Wyoming student might have been avoided if schools had written policies in place addressing anti-gay violence and discrimination.

"This is extremely important,'' Anderson said. "As an employer, DPS needs to ensure protection for all of their employees, regardless of sexual orientation, as much as they can. It also sends a message to students that behaving badly toward any population is not OK.''

Officials from the Colorado Springs-based Colorado for Family Values, which sponsored a constitutional amendment that would have banned laws that provided protection against discrimination based on sexual orientation, were unavailable Wednesday for comment. The amendment was approved by voters but struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court.

The DPS proposal adds sexual orientation and gender identity to a policy that already prohibits discrimination because of race, color, religion, national origin, marital status, sex, age and disability. The changes cover the district's equal employment opportunity and equal educational opportunity policies.

If approved, the changes would protect both students and teachers from discrimination, Anderson said.

DPS lawyer Pat Mooney said he had not seen the proposal, but said the issue isn't a legal one because the city and county of Denver already has laws banning discrimination against gays.

Lefkowits said more changes geared toward protecting gays and lesbians may be up for consideration in the near future, including a students' rights and responsibility code.

"This is really about treating everyone the way you want to be treated,'' Lefkowits said.

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