Metro Detroit:
Study says schools no safe haven for gay students
by Jack Gruber, The Detroit News
Physically abused. Verbally harassed. Generally ignored.
Those are the most common experiences gay, lesbian and bisexual teen-agers face daily at schools throughout southeastern Michigan, according to a report released Tuesday by the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Teachers Network.
The report surveyed more than 300 superintendents, school counselors and psychologists in public and private schools in Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Washtenaw and Monroe counties about the climate for their gay students.
"Counselors and psychologists were much more likely to say, 'Yes, there is a problem here' ... whereas administrators were more likely to say everything is fine," said Alan Franklin, a Spanish teacher at Cranbrook schools in Bloomfield Hills and a member of the teacher network.
Of 302 respondents, 86 percent said their schools are physically safe environments for students of all sexual orientations. When asked if their schools are emotionally safe environments, 41 percent said yes, 28 percent said no and 30 percent gave no response.
The organization also interviewed two dozen Metro Detroit teen-agers, who gave a much dimmer picture.
"I got hit, spat on, had books thrown at me," said one male, age 18, who dropped out of school rather than face harassment for being gay. "My definition of hell: being out in school."
That's the atmosphere that Dale Fetting of Warren walked into two years ago on his first day at Warren Mott High School. "My first day of high school, I was jumped by a gang of 15 guys," he said. Dale, 17, said administrators shunted his assault off to police, who also did nothing.
Things have gotten somewhat better, Dale said, since he decided to come out at school and to school administrators. But counselors at his school aren't trained to deal with situations involving sexual orientation. When other students have a problem, they send them to Dale.
"I've basically been appointed the gay counselor," he said.
"Gay, lesbian and bisexual students are essentially isolated, neglected. They're invisible," said Frank Colasonti Jr., co-chairman of the teacher network and a counselor at Groves High School in Beverly Hills. "Adults in their world must take steps to take them out of this isolation."
The group hopes to hold workshops for school personnel to train them to deal with the issues of harassment, and everyday situations gay, lesbian and bisexual teens face.
Getting help
Gay, lesbian and bisexual teens can find support from these Metro Detroit groups, which offer a range of services from counseling to health information: