GSA what to do

[YAU]

hey first im really sorry if this is under the wrong catagory....i was kinda at loss as where to put this thread.

ok so my high school just got a new princible *shivers*, mr. wilson.

now for two years now i have been going to GSA (gay straight alliance) wich is a student run group, infact the only one allowed to meat during school hours.

so this new wilson guy shows up *shivers*, and he does a few things that sorta ....break the legs....of GSA.

a) when the club/orginisations and activities booklet came out, "someone" didn't put GSA in it. when we aproched wilson the first time about this he claimed that "we didn't have a adult suporviser" wich, of coarse wasn't true. so when we confronted him a second time, we get "well it wasn't my doing to write the guidebook" ....and he wouldnt tell us whos "desision it was". i was kinda hoping for a "sorry, we must of left it out on acident well make sure we get it in next year" but it was a string of excuses instead.

b) so we did this thing called the "day of silence" search on the web if ya wanna know what it is, and our student president goes to wilson and asks for permission to wear rainbow ribbins. after avoiding us for a few weeks, he tells us that we may not wear ribbins because "its gang attire"
keep in mind
-sport teams have uniforms
-chessclubs has t-shirts on spirit day, as does the brain team and many other clubs.
-every one wears red and gold tassles at graduation.
we were a bit confused as to why we were the only organization who if we wore the same ribbin were in "gang attire"

c) this one really got to me. last day of school, after our last meeting (we meet on thursdays) the princible gives one of the advissors a letter saying that he video taped on of our meetings and concluded "we were not as productive as we could of been" and thus made the dessision to discontinue GSA aproval for the following year.

ok
1) none of us at any point saw a video camera. don't you think we would of noticed if we were being taped? unless he hide it in a plant or somthing....and thats just low. i highly doubt he even has a tape to back his conclusions
2) is he even allowed to video tape us with out permission?
3) is it fair that every other organization is free to do as they please aqs long as they have a school advisor? but oh no! GSA has to be taped and tracked and taged do even be heard of!
4) i say its not fair that we we get cut becasue of one tape. one, because 45 minutes is not enough time to decide if an organization is worthwhile or not. and two because we haev been worth while. we won the student organization of the year award from the county coart house, the amount of people coming to GSA went from about 7-10 last year, to about 40-45 this year. we had a stand in the craft fair this year, as well as a donation box at open house. and we had our first real elections for a student board this year. thats not productive?
5) why did he tell us the last day of school? im not one for conspiricy theories but could it be that he didnt want GSA to meet once more to discuss the desision and maybe do somthign about it?


so hear is the question:
what do you think i can do?
i really want GSA to be there for us, especially for the freashmen next year. its a good organization and a great example of students being friendly and accepting of eachother. what can i do? what can GSA do? any seggestions? i really wanna save it as best i can!


thanx! *love* YAU

[sbgtfJC]

Although I am against the GSA for personal moral reasons I am for student rights as far as assmbly and such. Here is my suggestion:

Know your rights and let the administration know that you know them. That will do wonders!

[chadn737]

b) so we did this thing called the "day of silence" search on the web if ya wanna know what it is, and our student president goes to wilson and asks for permission to wear rainbow ribbins. after avoiding us for a few weeks, he tells us that we may not wear ribbins because "its gang attire"
keep in mind
-sport teams have uniforms
-chessclubs has t-shirts on spirit day, as does the brain team and many other clubs.
-every one wears red and gold tassles at graduation.
we were a bit confused as to why we were the only organization who if we wore the same ribbin were in "gang attire"

First off, you should have attacked this one head on.

Let me point you to a little Federal Court case, that was drilled into my head as a student....mostly because it occured in good old IOWA.

Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District

In which the school tried to forbid a student from wearing a black armband at school in protest of the Vietnam War.

The Federal Court upheld the student's right to this sort of Free Speach.

I think if you pressed the issue....along with this court case....you might have won out.


now for two years now i have been going to GSA (gay straight alliance) wich is a student run group, infact the only one allowed to meat during school hours.

Why is this so?

I think that to be consistent all organizations should have this right or none.


a) when the club/orginisations and activities booklet came out, "someone" didn't put GSA in it. when we aproched wilson the first time about this he claimed that "we didn't have a adult suporviser" wich, of coarse wasn't true. so when we confronted him a second time, we get "well it wasn't my doing to write the guidebook" ....and he wouldnt tell us whos "desision it was". i was kinda hoping for a "sorry, we must of left it out on acident well make sure we get it in next year" but it was a string of excuses instead.

Who is your "adult supervisor," does it have to be a member of the faculty?


c) this one really got to me. last day of school, after our last meeting (we meet on thursdays) the princible gives one of the advissors a letter saying that he video taped on of our meetings and concluded "we were not as productive as we could of been" and thus made the dessision to discontinue GSA aproval for the following ye

Take it to the school board. But also look to see if he has any valid reasons.

For instance...you may have an "adult advisor" but if that advisor has to be a member of the faculty and yours is not....well then the principal has some valid points against you.

[Jamie]

Well first I would ask the adult that supervises this meeting to have a sit down with the principal. I would also speak with your mother and see what she has to say. She might want to schedule a meeting with the school. I would then make my voice loud and clear after school about what is going on. Of course do this off of school grounds. No need to get suspended over this. As far as the video taping, from what I understand, yes they can as long as it isn't in places like a locker room, or bathroom.

<ahem>

Now what I would do and what I am not suggesting is organize a protest over this. Sit outside the principals office, signs, fliers, whatever you would need to make the message clear. I would be going to PTA meetings and would be heading straight to the Board or Education to raise a stink about what is going on. I would also contact GLAAD and see what they had to say about the situation. Then start a letter writing campaign. Make bumper stickers at an online shop, t-shirts, the whole nine yards. Don't stop until you are forced to.

Could you imagine what would happen if the same thing happened to the Black Studen Union? Well if you guys have one.

[YAU]

First off, you should have attacked this one head on.

Let me point you to a little Federal Court case, that was drilled into my head as a student....mostly because it occured in good old IOWA.

Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District

In which the school tried to forbid a student from wearing a black armband at school in protest of the Vietnam War.

The Federal Court upheld the student's right to this sort of Free Speach.

I think if you pressed the issue....along with this court case....you might have won out.

yeah im sure we would of gotten a whole bunch of arguments together if he hadn't told us the last day after our last meeting to one adivissor.




Why is this so?

I think that to be consistent all organizations should have this right or none.


yeah i kinda agree with that. but we are the only student group that isn't an activity . minus bible study i guess. but as far as i know they havn't pushed to be allowed during school hours. i guess i kinda agree, but we did have the right to meet awarded to us by some part of the administation. although i wouldn't mind GSA having to meet after school.....although thad be a hassel and the turn out would be smaller, its mostly about GSA being cut all together.



Who is your "adult supervisor," does it have to be a member of the faculty?

yep! our advisor was a facilty member and a legitimint one. she was even aproved of before it all began.







Take it to the school board. But also look to see if he has any valid reasons.

For instance...you may have an "adult advisor" but if that advisor has to be a member of the faculty and yours is not....well then the principal has some valid points against you.
thanx for the advice so far! love
-YAU

[KevinBrowning]

I certainly don't approve of clubs advocating sexual immorality, but you certainly have a right for this club to exist, if it follows the guidelines of the other clubs. Get your parents to help you protest if you can, to either the school board or the superintendent or both.

[sbgtfJC]

KB brings up a good point. Parents would be a large asset to your cause. Often school officials may think of us students as ignorant to our rights and the way to go about such situations. Which... sometimes we are. The school is less likly to lie to a parent because the school administration is less likly to see them as easily duped.

[Harrison383]

YAU, you need to sue the school.

If they videotaped you without your prior consent, then they are breaking a very important law. When we do production work here, we have to make sure that every person we video tape has signed a waiver acknowledging that they will be video recorded and understanding that we can do with the tape what we will. (It's never naughty.....yet)

The only justification for this would be if the board of education, or the school had somewhere, buried waaaaaay in it's rules that permitted them to film you during school hours without your prior notice. But I'm reasonable sure (keep in mind I don't know what your BOE's rules are) that the would have to let you, or your parents, sign a waiver when you first signed up to take classes.

In either case you need to go to the Board of Education with this argument and make a case surrounding what you've read here. My advice is to go on a day when they have the "public hearings" concerning it, bring the PTA, they'll throw some weight around. Sometimes BOE's will televise their meetings on Local Access to allow bored old people to get the 411 on where their tax money isn't spent. Nearly every time after they conclude their main business, they open the floor to questions or complaints from the public. My best bet is to go then. It would be the most productive concerning your time and thiers. Keep in mind that the BOE may not be the bad guy here, and that they may see your case and side with you.

If they rebuff you, go to the media. Local media LOOOOVVVEEEE stories like this. It would help more in the media exec's eyes if you were a racial minority, but they'll still be salivating (media execs have no souls....i know, i deal with these people on a regular basis). Just promise me you won't try to get Rosie O'Donnell to show up.....please?

[tinkerbell]

You need to know your rights.You also may want to find an adult advocate.Contact GLAD (Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders)

To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 3 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Contact the School Board,Local Newspapers,Talk Radio,News Stations.

[PerVirtuous]

There is an organization developed for just such circumstances. It is called the ACLU. Call them. That is all you will need to do. They will do the rest.

[Slipnish]

More importantly, keep us informed...

[YAU]

oh don't worry i will! but i might have to wait till the school year starts again. it just ended and i wouldnt wanna make a stink if the administration decides that his desition is dumb and there will be GSA next year.

thanx for all ur advice!

[YAU]

I certainly don't approve of clubs advocating sexual immorality, but you certainly have a right for this club to exist, if it follows the guidelines of the other clubs. Get your parents to help you protest if you can, to either the school board or the superintendent or both.

just so ya know we don't advocate it. we don't really fight for acceptance, its an alliance, showing that sexuality is not a basis to divide people. thats what i really love about it so much, why it was so valuble; it dosn't matter what you think about homosexuality, or even what your sexuality is, you don't even have to tell. you just come and learn that we can all be friends no matter who we are or what we belive. if we fight any one or anything its homophobes and bullies who harass or make assumptions about the gay, and presumed gay; not people who simply disagree with the concept.

actually. the curious thing about the group is that out of the 35-40 people who came this year, there was like 10 people who considered them selves to be gay or bi in the beguining of the year. by the end we had several people who either abandoned the label they put on them selves (i have even seen some of the gay men after doing this date a woman they really liked, even though they mostly liked men ^.^) i also say plenty of people who said they were trying to be gay to fit in to GSA , admmit they really felt mostly straight or bi, but they now see that you don't have to be a sexual minority to fit in to the group ^.^. we also had people who were convinced to come by friends, and were closeted gays, be able to come out in a comfortable circle people they know whouldnt judge them! and its not a gay group. in fact out of 40, over 30 would consider them selves straight. its not the sexuality that we all share, its the friendship with those who are grouped into that catagory, wether it be gay parents, friends, or selves or even just a place to meet someone regardless of who they are attracted to. if i were to sum up tthe idea in one phrase: as i always say: "SEXUALITY" is 9 letters long, and thats not nearly enough to discribe who you are. ^.^its just been such an inspirational year and i would hate the group to be denied to the new freshmen.

blah i feel like im advertizing ^.^;ill shut up now.

but still thanx hun, for the support.
-love YAU

[tinkerbell]

i Think it is great to have a place for teens to go and be able to find acceptance.Esp at such a confusing time in life.I know there are higher suicide rates in the homosexual community as a result of cruelty/hate and shame so many homosexuals are faced with daily..Hopefully with programs like yours those #'s will dwindle. I never could understand why someone could hate someone for what they did in bed or who they loved..Especially if they aren't that persons partner or want to be (lol)
Keep up the fight, there are others that need you.

[CC]

If they videotaped you without your prior consent, then they are breaking a very important law. When we do production work here, we have to make sure that every person we video tape has signed a waiver acknowledging that they will be video recorded and understanding that we can do with the tape what we will.

Not so. Unless much has changed. Or perhaps that's a state law? Here you can be filimed with or without your prior permission (written or otherwise) so long as there is no expectation of privacy. I am on TV quite a bit and I have never once signed a waiver (nor any of my students) to be in the feature.
It's the difference between planting a bug on someone and then meeting another in a public place as opposed to secretly taping 1 on 1 telephone conversations.
Anybody can be walking down the street, video taped and then that tape used even for commercial purposes.
Since this was an open meeting, (in that it was in a public area where anyone could just stop by) and not some sort of attorney driven meeting I'd bet dollars to donuts the school would have been quite legal in taping the meeting, even without prior notice. As I said, THAT is in a situation where no one there expects everything done and said there will have to stay there.
On the other hand if they did have a tape, I would insist that they either produce it or throw it out as any reasoning for disallowing the meeting.
Also, why did they tape your groups activities and no one elses? If you really wish to save your club, especially under the current political climate, I'd start now. School administrator's work all year. The superintendit does not get a whole summer off and neither do principles and other office staff. Start asking for answers now while you have the time to figure out (especially after testing the waters) your best approach........good luck........................:O)