Msg fwd by:
The Coalition for Safer Schools of NYS, PO Box 2345, Malta, NY 12020
Email to:saratogany@aol.com

"The Actual or Perceived GLBT Student Protection Project"
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In a message dated 03/04/2000 9:23:58 AM Eastern Standard Time, vgbme@earthlink.net writes:

Subj: Fw:Baton Rouge GSA okayed!!!! IT WAS NOT THAT EASY!!!!
Date: 03/04/2000 9:23:58 AM Eastern Standard Time
From: vgbme@earthlink.net (vg bucu)
To: glsenmetro@egroups.com (listnymetro)

below is an email from the mother of marty pfieffer who is co-chair of glsen baton rouge louisiana and he has succeeded in getting a GSA at his school. marty I met a year ago at the LTI, his mom at California for the LTI refresher courses...what marty has not been telling us are his travails and what he went thru to get this done. My prayers and support to marty and his mom......
hugz&luvz,

vg
Sent:Friday, March 03, 2000 10:08 PM
Subject:Baton Rouge GSA okayed!!!!

HALLELUJAH! I suspect that Marty already dropped y'all a note about the GSA - but I am going to drop one, too!

Today Marty's principal announced that she was allowing the GSA to form at McKinley. Not a moment too soon! Also, three other schools have been given a green light to form GSA's (and one is also a primarily Black school like McKinley where Marty attends). Some members of the Black community have been VERY verbal about a GSA at McKinley being an INSULT to the school, that a Black school does not need or want a GSA.

Marty and some of the club members have been meeting off school campus to get things rolling.

This has been an interesting, exciting, and frightening trip with highs and LOWS. I am so thankful for the faux School Board exercise that we did in Orange County. I really believe that without that experience I would have spent the evening in the bathroom hysterical and hyperventilating during the 2 meetings once the religious WRONG got up to the mike, and especially after the School Board member Jay DuVall went off on God, the Bible and homosexuals. It was difficult listening to the opposition and 3 or 4 of the Board members that rattled on about Jesus, and "What Would Jesus Do?" and they decided that Jesus would NOT abide the sinner. (I thought that there was a division of Church and State - but I must be mistaken.) The worst was the 2nd meeting when the School Board failed to pass the EAA Policy by ONE vote. ONE VOTE.

I want to thank Brenda for calling us the next morning offering support. It was a BAD morning at Hard Rock. She was very understanding and offered hope.
Needless to say, both Marty and I were DEVASTATED and we were DROWNING in grief (and tears). Brenda - you were a big help. Thank you.

For those that don't know, the School Board didn't pass ANY motion concerning the GSA that night. (There were 3 motions before the Board:1) End all extra circular clubs to prevent formation of the GSA, 2) EAA Policy, 3) Table the whole thing and consult with the lawyers some more.) Friday evening Gary Matthews, the Superintendent, released a memo putting the EAA Policy into effect on the following Monday so that the Parish ("county" in every other State in the USA), would be in compliance with the EAA. So, for the last two weeks Marty has been tweaking the GSA constitution and by-laws per Principal Warren's request.

Two weeks ago there was a "demonstration" at Marty's school against the GSA.

Marty's English teacher locked him in the classroom and kept him away from the windows. The seventy or so kids ran up and down the halls banging on lockers and doors, chanting and also demanding that the gay kids better come out in the hall NOW. That same week a rock was thrown at his head and missed. Yesterday a piece of banana was thrown at his head. Please keep Marty in your prayers and thoughts. Send some SAFETY vibes his way!

Thirty-two kids (I believe that is the correct number), were suspended for NOT RETURNING TO CLASS after the "demonstration" (Marty refers to it as riot). The students were all Black and that didn't sit well with the Black community. Enter a group of about 5 Black preachers who jumped on the band wagon against the GSA and homosexuality, quoting the Bible, etc. You know how it goes.... GLSEN could never get an appointment to meet with Gary Matthews but they got one without a moment's hesitation.

The preachers showed up at the last School Board meeting and were not placed on the Board agenda by the Board. I heard on the radio tonight that they plan on being at the Board meeting again next week. They had a sound bite and they didn't say anything nice.

Last year's Spanish teacher agreed to monitor the GSA without hesitation. Marty was turned down by several teachers.

Marty needs a respite so I hope that all the hoopla dies down. I know that attending school is very stressful for him and he doesn't feel safe.
Frankly, I don't know how he does it. Marty told me that his grades are slipping. I told him today that he just needs to pass (his Dad would KILL me if he heard me say that).

After the "demonstration" Marty's Dad took him to school the following Monday morning and met with the principal to discuss Marty's safety. Who would have thunk it? (I was in N.C. at my Mother's after she had surgery.)

Marty and I were on a radio show on Wednesday night at Casino Rouge. It went really well except for one "little" hitch. A drunk from the audience got on the air and voiced his feelings about his tax dollars being spent for gay clubs, and he didn't want his kids going to schools with.... You know the story... During the commercial he talked to Marty. No problem. His DRUNK, DRUNK friend came up to get his friend "the hell out of here" and proceeded to call the radio host, Marty and myself each a "piece of shit." I thought he was going to hit Marty, but he didn't. Security removed both of them from the casino. I almost didn't ask for Security to escort us to our car because I knew Marty would complain that I was paranoid. Well - I DID ask. Yep. They were waiting for us at the edge of the parking lot. Two grown men, in their mid-thirties, probably weighing about 230 pounds each were waiting for a 17 year old kid and his 47 year old, disabled mother. Isn't that PATHETIC?

As difficult as parts of this struggle has been, I constantly reminded myself that Anthony Colin has lived through worse, for a longer period of time with grace and courage. I have so much of a better understanding now of what he has had to tolerate. Bless him in his continued struggle. Aren't these kids AMAZING????

I want to thank everyone for their thoughts, prayers, positive energy, concern and support. It really helped to know that youse guys were there with us in spirit. Thank you for being there for Marty, and thank you for being there for me.

Didn't mean to be so long-winded.

Anybody ready to go back to Disney Land?

Thankful, thankful, thankful,
Molly Pfeiffer

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