How to start a GSA
Dysperdis
interest to some of you, particularly those of you who have the ability
to push for change, but aren't sure where to start. Sorry about the wall
of text *looks sheepish*
Here's the GSAnetwork's official "how-to" list as a starter.
http://www.gsanetwork.org/resources/pdf/StartGSA.pdf#search=%22%22How%20to%20start%20a%20GSA%22%22
How to Start a Gay-Straight Alliance
Follow Guidelines
Establish a GSA the same way you would establish any other group or
club. Look in your Student Handbook for yourschool's rules. This may
include getting permission from an administrator or writing a constitution.
Find a Faculty Advisor
Find a teacher or staff member whom you think would be supportive or who
has already shown themselves to be an allyaround sexual orientation
issues. It could be a teacher, counselor, nurse, or librarian.
Inform Administration of Your Plans
Tell administrators what you are doing right away. It can be very
helpful to have them on your side. They can work asliaisons to teachers,
parents, community members, and the school board. If an administrator
opposes the GSA, informthem that forming a GSA club is protected under
the Federal Equal Access Act.
Inform Guidance Counselors and Social Workers About The Group
These individuals may know students who would be interested in attending
the group.
Pick a Meeting Place
You may want to find a meeting place which is off the beaten track at
school and offers some level of privacy.
Advertise
Figure out the best way to advertise at your school. It may be a
combination of your school bulletin, flyers, and word-of-mouth. If your
flyers are defaced or torn down, do not be discouraged. Keep putting
them back up. Eventually,whomever is tearing them down will give up.
Besides, advertising for your group and having words up such as "gay,
les-bian, bisexual, transgender, or questioning" or "end homophobia" can
be part of educating the school and can actuallymake other students feel
safer – even if they never attend a single meeting.
Get Food
This one is kind of obvious. People always come to meetings when you
provide food!
Hold Your Meeting!
You may want to start out with a discussion about why people feel having
this group is important. You can also brain-storm things your club would
like to do this year.
Establish Ground Rules
Many groups have ground rules in order to insure that group discussions
are safe, confidential, and respectful. Manygroups have a ground rule
that no assumptions or labels are used about a group member's sexual
orientation. This canhelp make straight allies feel comfortable about
attending the club.
Plan For The Future
Develop an action plan. Brainstorm activities. Set goals for what you
want to work towards. Contact Gay-StraightAlliance Network in order to
get connected to other GSAs, get supported, and learn about what else is
going on in thecommunity.
For more information and resources for Gay-Straight Alliances, contact
GSA Network:Statewide Office: 160 14th Street, San Francisco, CA 94103,
ph: 415.552.4229, f: 415.552.4729Central Valley Regional Office: 4403 E.
Tulare Ave, Fresno, CA 93702, ph: 559.453.9040, f: 559.453.9060Southern
California Regional Office: 605 W. Olympic Blvd, Suite 610, Los Angeles,
CA 90015, ph:213.534.7162, f: 213.553.1833www.gsanetwork.org
As well, here's some info from a friend of mine, who had a large (and
rather public) struggle to get a GSA in her school
(http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q="journey+murry"&btnG=Google+Search):
"I'd like to add that you need to know the law. GSAs are becoming more
accepted, but there are still schools that resist.
The Equal Access Act (EAA), a federal law, requires that schools allow
GSAs if they are open forum. Open forum means that you have clubs that
are not curriculum-related. Math Club, Physics Club, Spanish Club, etc.
would all be considered curriculum-related. Key Club, Fellowship of
Christian Athletes, a bowling club, a chess club, etc. are not. If your
school has any non-curriculum clubs, they must allow a GSA.
The first (big) trial of the EAA was in Westside BOE v. Mergens in 1990.
The students wanted to start a Bible Club, but the school restricted it,
saying it would be a violation of the Establishment clause. The courts
found that this was not true, and because the school allowed other
non-curricular clubs, they must allow the Bible club and give it all
benefits that other clubs got.
Schools can not refuse to allow a GSA on the basis that they feel it
doesn't reflect community values, it would anger people, or any of that
other junk. As said in the Equal Acess Act, schools cannot censor clubs
because they disagree with the "religious, political, philosophical, or
other content of the speech at such meetings."
Colin v. Orange Unified Sch. Dist. said: "The Board members may be
uncomfortable about students discussing sexual orientation and how all
students need to accept each other, whether gay or straight... [But]
Defendants cannot censor the students' speech to avoid discussions on
campus that cause them discomfort or represent an unpopular viewpoint.
In order to comply with the Equal Access Act.... the members of the
Gay-Straight Alliance must be permitted access to the school campus in
the same way that the district provides access to all clubs..."
According to Colin, schools can't force students to change the name of a
Gay-Straight Alliance so that it does not say "gay." You can choose a
different name but the school cannot force you remove the word "gay" or
any reference to sexual orientation.
Links:
http://www.religioustolerance.org/equ_acce.htm
http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode20/usc_sec_20_00004071----000-.html
http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/cgi-bin/getcase.pl?court=US&vol=496&invol=226
--
"In America sex is an obsession, in other parts of the world it is a fact."
Marlene Dietrich (1901 - 1992)
t(^_^t)
http://www.geocities.com/dysperdis/
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