What does the gay straight alliance do

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These clubs usually have a social justice and
education focus.

Sample
constitutions for Gay-Straight Alliances
– the GLSEN Colorado web site offers
three sample constitutions and more linked from their
"stuff for GSA’s" page.

Transgender Inclusivity in GSA’s
(pdf format)
 – this page on the GSA Network’s site offers 10 concrete strategies for making
your GSA respectful of the gender diversity in your school as well as a glossary
and resource list.

View Gay-Straight Alliance clubs as partners
(pdf format)
 – guest
viewpoint by Carolyn Laub, founder and executive director of the Gay-Straight
Alliance Network.

Be sure to do everything you're supposed to do according to the school's rules.

3. I would ask around to see who, at your district offices,
has (a) been a friend in the past to these issues and (b) has the ear of the
superintendent.

If you do end up needing to go to the school
board, the ideal would be for one or two of you to talk in private with the
most supportive school board member over coffee, rather than starting with a
public confrontation in a board meeting.

And at every step in the process, bringing
along a parent or a school employee (teacher, counselor) may increase the
likelihood of the students‘ voices being heard.

2) QUESTION:
Does
our GSA have a right to meet during the
school day?

ANSWER:
That depends upon the rules for other non-curricular (not
course-related) clubs.

Your contact with us will be kept confidential, and we won't contact your school or do anything without your okay.

GSAs Build Power

Genders & Sexualities Alliances (GSAs) are student-led clubs that unite TQ2S+ and allied youth to build community, support one another, and organize for change.

The GLSEN
Student Organizing email listservs are:

  • GSATalk – Email discussion list for youth working in GSAs in
    K-12 schools across the country to discuss and share ideas, resources
    and information. and How can I start a
    Gay-Straight Alliance? Letting students start a GSA doesn't mean all those other crazy sorts of clubs some school say they're so scared of are going to materialize out of thin air.

    (advisor only; 5-20 emails/week – daily digest available)

  • Student Organizer – Bi-weekly email newsletters with GSA
    resources, information, news and more. That person might know who
    supervises your principal (who s/he reports to). And several federal courts have ruled in favor of GSAs when schools have used this as an excuse to try to stop them from forming.

    "We can't let outsiders come in and start this kind of club in our school."

    Outsiders don't form GSAs.

    In case that happens at your school, we're including information on how to handle opposition.

    1. GSAs provide a supportive environment for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) students, as well as those who are perceived by others to be LGBT, are questioning their identity, have LGBT friends or family members, or just care about LGBT issues.

    GSAs help make schools safer for all students by providing support, educating others in their school about LGBT issues, and engaging in awareness activities like the national Day of Silence.

    Your GSA must, according to the federal (U.S.)
    Equal Access Act be treated the same way those other clubs are treated.
    So if they meet during the day, you should be allowed to, too. If the School Says Yes... Start Meeting!

    Congratulations! GSAs also allow LGBT and straight students to work together to take on issues that affect all students, including harassment and discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression.

    what does the gay straight alliance do

    Do LGBT students or allies who want a safe, supportive space where they can be themselves? Keep in mind that if your school isn't very friendly to the idea of a GSA, some teachers who want to help may be more comfortable doing so in a more behind-the-scenes way.

    4. From the Massachusetts
    Department of Education.

    The
    GLSEN Student Organizing Email Listservs –     email lists for which participants can either have
    discussions or receive announcements and news.

    And again, several federal courts have ruled in favor of GSAs when schools have used this as an excuse to try to stop them from forming.

    "If we let students start a GSA, then we'd have to let students form any other kind of club they want.