As some of you may have seen on our Facebook conversations page there is a parent-led action against the Middle School GSA (Gay-Straight Alliance, though some schools call their groups a Gender and Sexuality Alliance) planned for the upcoming Capistrano Unified Board Meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 11.
Someone was handing out anti-gay, anti-GSA flyers by walking car-to-car during student pickup at LR Elementary. Both the Principal and District are aware of this and are taking action to ensure it does not continue. The person handing out these flyers was not a parent at the school in question or a CUSD district employee, and the district has notified the appropriate authorities. Nevertheless, this will surely increase the intensity of the debate about gay-straight alliances in CUSD, and also put LGBT kids and families at risk. Today alone, the Ladera Ranch Social Justice Committee was contacted by three local parents of LGBT kids with worries about school climate related to these flyers. The legal argument is that Capistrano Unified's School Board Policy 6145.4 prohibits any non-curricular clubs from meeting on school grounds. However, we have learned that the District and the School Board are planning to update this Board Policy since they recognize the importance of GSAs and other student-led clubs for middle school students. (Other local districts, including Placentia Yorba Linda, already have processes in place to allow students to start clubs, and as of 2013, there were more than 40 middle school GSAs in California alone.) Here are our action tasks in support of GSAs at CUSD Middle Schools:
You can find out more about GSAs here, and also find recent statistics about the experiences of LGBTQ children in CA schools here. There are also many resources to support parents and teachers in creating safe and affirming spaces. Here are some of our favorites:
We join you in working to ensure our schools are welcoming and affirming for all children and families, and hope to see many of you on Wednesday night. Thank you, LRSJC
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February 2021
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