Date: Fri, 20 Dec 1996 14:57:33 -0800 From: richter@eecs.berkeley.edu (Jean Richter) Subject: AZ: Is anti-gay law hurting students? LAMBDA LEGAL DEFENSE AND EDUCATION FUND, INC. National Office 666 Broadway New York, NY 10012 (212) 995-8585 ========================================================== Based on our work on the Nabozny case, in which we represented a young gay man who suffered years of anti-gay abuse in his public high school, we are all the more concerned with the sources of such abuse in schools. Often the source lies in the schools themselves, when they send anti-gay messages that have the effect of encouraging students to abuse other students. Sometimes the anti-gay message is stated policy, in which case the harm can be even greater. For example, in Arizona there is a statute governing HIV instruction in school districts that provides as follows: "No district shall include in its course of study instruction which: 1. Promotes a homosexual life-style. 2. Portrays homosexuality as a positive alternative life-style. 3. Suggests that some methods of sex are safe methods of homosexual sex." If a school district chooses to adopt the HIV program provided for in the statute, then the district must follow the anti-gay requirements. Complying with the anti-gay requirements can hurt young people in many different ways. My phone inquiries to Arizona have not yet been successful in determining the extent of harm to students. Does anyone have any family or friends in Arizona who might know whether or not any school districts are imposing the anti-gay requirements? David Buckel, Staff Attorney, (212) 995-8585 -------------------------------------------------------------------- schools: GLBT issues in primary and secondary education To unsubscribe from schools, send mail to listproc@critpath.org with the body saying: UNSUBSCRIBE schools ======================================================== 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/