Date: Fri, 14 May 1999 17:40:26 -0700 From: Jean Richter Subject: 5/14/99 P.E.R.S.O.N. Project news 1. NY: Governor's school violence task force member list and hearing dates 2. Survey examines states' policies on teen sex and reproductive health issues 3. New TV "Truth in Love" campaign is the same old anti-gay hate 4. NJ: Student and faculty advisor reprimanded for anti-gay satire ================================================================================ From: SARATOGANY@aol.com Date: Fri, 14 May 1999 08:19:43 EDT Subject: NYS Task Force on School Violence Public Hearing Info Restrictive Message from: The Coalition for Safer Schools of NYS, PO Box 2345 Malta, NY (saratogany@aol.com) New York State Gov. Pataki has released the names list of his Task Force on School Violence (see list below). The Task Force will hold 10 public hearings through the end of June. These public hearings should be an excellent forum to let the Task Force and Gov. Patatki know about the pervasive anti-gay harassment and violence in NYS schools. The public hearing dates, times and locations are being released piecemeal by the Lt. Gov.'s office. Example, the hearing in Marcy (near Utica) 5/13 was provided on 5/7 and the hearing info for Syracuse 5/17 was provide on 5/11 with only date and time and no specific location info. The telephone number for the Lt. Gov. is below. Please contact Task Force members, especially those closest to your geographical area. John Myers Director of Operations and Programs ============================================================ Gov.'s Task Force on School Violence Task Force members Lt. Gov. Mary Donahue Chair 518-474-4623 518-486-4170 (fax) Kathern Lapp Commissioner of the Criminal Justice Services Richard Mills Commission of Education 518-474-5844 518- 473-4909 (fax) James McMahon Superintendent of the New York State Police John Johnson Commissioner of the Office of Children and Family Services Alana Sweeney Executive Director of the Council on Children and Families James Stone Commission of the Office of Mental Health Frank Mickens Principal, Boys and Girls High School, Brooklyn Dr. Theodore Feinberg Senior Psychologist, North Colonie School District (near Albany) Resides Capital Region Charlotte Lacey Sawyer Superintendent of Schools, Newfane Central School District Resides Olcott, Niagara County Theodore Petersen Principal, Poughkeepsie City School District Resides Poughkeepsie Sandy Sunderland Safety Chair of the New York State PTA Board of Managers Resides Hartsdale, Westchester County Antonia Cortese First Vice President, New York State United Teachers Resides Albany County Gerald Jennings Mayor, City of Albany Honorable Judith O'Shea Chemung County Family Court Judge Resides Elmira Dennis Swanson President/General Manager WABC-TV (NYC) Peter Pinckney Cayuga County Sheriff Reside Town of Fleming James DeLapp Chief of Police, Town of Dewitt Police Department Resides Manlius, Onondaga County Richard Brown Queens County District Attorney Yvonne Parker Student, Bishop Kearney High School, Monroe County Resides Rochester Charlene Stroughn Curriculum Specialist, Roosevelt Public Schools Carol Eisenberg Superintendent of West Hempstead School District Rsides Rockville Centre (LI) Dawn Jawrower Teacher, City of Yonkers Schools District Resides Poughquag Brian Cechnicki Student, Sharon Springs High School Resides Canajoharie, Montgomery County Mary Lou Greene Teacher, Mohawk High School, Herkimer County Resides Mohawk Mary Ellen Hayes Principal, Westbury Middle School (LI) Catherine Marie Thomas Career Social Worker, Rochester From: SARATOGANY@aol.com Date: Fri, 14 May 1999 17:57:52 EDT Subject: NY Gov.'s Task Force on School Violence Public Hearings List As of 5/14 Message from: The Coalition for Safer Schools of NYS, PO Box 2345, NY 12020 (The following list of the Gov.'s Task Force on School Violence's public hearings is as of May 14th. I am advised to call the specific school location or 518-474-4623 (Lt.Gov.'s Ofiice) to confirm due to possible last minute changes...John Myers) SYRACUSE May 17th, 9:30am, Monday Henninger High School 600 Robinson Street Syracuse, NY 13206 315-432-4343 BINGHAMTON May 20th, 11:00am, Thursday Binghamton High School 31 Main Street Binghamton, NY 13905 607-762-8100 PLATTSBURGH May 24th, 1:00pm, Monday Peru Junior-Senior High School 17 Second Street Peru, NY 12972 518-643-2396 LONG ISLAND (Nassau) May 26th, 3:30pm, Wednesday Bellmore-Merrick School District Merrick Avenue Middle School Merrick, NY 11566 516-623-8900 POUGKEEPSIE June 2nd, 7:00pm, Wednesday Alington High School (Alington as received) Route 55 LaGrangeville, NY 12540 914-486-4860 ALBANY June 9th, 10:00am, Wednesday No location as yet call 518-474-4623 NEW YORK CITY June 14th, 10:00am, Monday No location as yet call 518-474-4623 BUFFALO June 17th, 10:00am, Thursday No location as yet call 518-474-4623 ROCHESTER June 17th, 3:00pm, Thursday Webster High School 875 Ridge Road Webster, NY (no ZIP given) 716-265-6585 =========================================================================== Actually, we have already completed 26 states and published the results in two separate publications. We are currently working on the final 24 states and will publish the information in a third publication which will pull together the information for all 50 states. The information to order Volume 1, No. 1 and Volume 1, No. 2 follows. Our website is: http://www.advocatesforyouth.org. All of the ordering information is available on our site. ****************************************************** "Measuring Up: Assessing State Policies to Promote Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health" This landmark study analyzes how well policy makers have responded to adolescents' need for information, support, and health services. Using a new state-by-state survey, Advocates for Youth examines 10 key policy areas which affect young people's ability to make responsible decisions about sexuality. Theses areas include accurate sexuality education, access to confidential health care, support for school-based health centers, and protection of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender students' rights. (1998) Volume 1, No. 1 contains analyses of 11 states: California, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Texas, Virginia, and Washington state. Volume 2, No. 2 contains analyses of 15 states: Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Vermont, and West Virginia. Volume 1, No. 3 will include analyses of all 50 states and will be available in Fall 1999. $25.00 each (plus 15% postage and handling) To order: (1) Mail Advocates for Youth, 1025 Vermont Avenue NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20005; (2) Phone 202-347-5700; OR (3) Fax 202-347-2263 Payment Methods: Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Check, or purchase order. **************************************************************** Ammie N. Feijoo Legislative Affairs Program Associate Advocates for Youth 1025 Vermont Avenue NW, Suite 200 Washington, DC 20005 Tel: (202) 347-5700 Fax: (202) 347-2263 E-mail: ammie@advocatesforyouth.org Web site: www.advocatesforyouth.org Helping young people make safe & responsible decisions about sex **************************************************************** ====================================================================== Date: Fri, 07 May 1999 17:05:21 -0400 Subject: PFAWF Denounces 'Truth in Love' Campaign From: "Channel Q News" To: qnews@channelq.com <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> People For the American Way Foundation Press Release <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> RELEASE: Friday, May 7, 1999 CONTACT: Nancy Coleman, David Elliot, or Lela Shepard at 202-467-4999 RELIGIOUS RIGHT'S "LYING ABOUT LOVE" CAMPAIGN: Shields: 'If this campaign is about truth or love, then George Orwell must be its honorary chairman' People For the American Way Foundation today denounced the Center for Reclaiming America's new anti-gay TV "Truth in Love" ad campaign and pointed out that Religious Right political groups such as CRA present a significantly different, much uglier attitude toward gays and lesbians in their direct mail fundraising appeals than they do in their latest advertisement. "If this campaign is about truth or love, then George Orwell must be its honorary chairman," said PFAWF President Carole Shields of CRA's disingenuously named ad campaign. "No matter how much the Religious Right tries to dress it up, bigotry is still bigotry." The Center for Reclaiming America calls itself an "outreach" of Rev. D. James Kennedy's Fort Lauderdale-based Coral Ridge Ministries, which promotes lies and distortions about gays and lesbians. For example, one fundraising appeal used especially lurid lies to spur donations and inflame outrage among supporters. The letter warned that the "homosexual movement has already invaded our schools" and asserted that "children are being targeted for 'gay sex.'" In his newsletter, he published a photo of very young children under a headline reading: "Sex with Children? Homosexuals Say Yes!" Janet Folger, CRA's Director and creator of the so-called "Truth in Love" ad campaign, said on July 15, 1998, on ABC's "Nightline" that "I very much support" criminal penalties for homosexual contact. When Rev. Kennedy launched the Center for Reclaiming America in June of 1996, he wrote in a fundraising letter: "In this war for America's soul, Christians have defended their positions long enough. It is time to go on the offensive. It is time to win this war." CRA and its parent Coral Ridge are not alone in targeting gays for hatred and discrimination. Don Wildmon of the American Family Association, for example, warned his supporters, "Since homosexuals cannot reproduce, the only way for them to 'breed' is to RECRUIT! And who are their targets for recruitment? Children!" Televangelist Pat Robertson has likened gays to Nazis. Focus on the Family's James Dobson has predicted that gays are going to oppress Christians. Anti-gay hatred is a staple of Religious Right organizations and figures. "The Religious Right's newfound rhetoric of 'love' is nothing more than a new label wrapped around the same old poison," said Shields. PFAWF last year published a 10-page report, "Anti-Gay Politics and the Religious Right," which is available online at http://www.pfaw.org/issues/right/rtvw.antigay.shtml ===================================================================== Asbury Park Press, May 7, 1999 3601 Highway 66 PO Box 1550, Neptune, NJ 07754 (Fax 908-922-4818 ) (E-MAIL: your views@app.com ) ( http://www.injersey.com/app/ ) Apology offered over gay satire By SHARON WALDRON and ANDREW KLAPPHOLZ, STAFF WRITERS Toms River -- A Toms River High School South student and the faculty adviser to the student newspaper have apologized for publishing what they say was meant to be satirical commentary in The Cheftain, the student newspaper. [Deleted article. filemanager@qrd.org] ================================================================================= Jean Richter -- richter@eecs.berkeley.edu The P.E.R.S.O.N. Project (Public Education Regarding Sexual Orientation Nationally) CHECK OUT OUR INFO-LOADED WEB PAGE AT: http://www.youth.org/loco/PERSONProject/