Harassment of gay
students topic
of county conference
By PHIL GARBER,
Managing Editor zwire.com Posted February 14, 2007
From the Web,
February 17, 2007
Morris County, NJ -- Too many
gay students attempt suicide because they have no support in school and a
conference on the subject and related issues is planned for 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.,
Saturday, March 3, at County College of Morris student center.
Walter Schubert, president of the Morris County chapter of Parents, Families and
Friends of Lesbians and Gays or PFLAG, said the suicide rate among gay teens is
four times the national average among heterosexual teens.
“I’m into this mainly to stop kids from killing themselves,” said Schubert, who
is gay. “It really is a matter of life and death.”
Schubert said most schools are not addressing the needs of their gay students.
“How they (schools) think they are not responsible, I don’t know,” said
Schubert. “They schools are directly responsible.”
The PFLAG chapter meets at the Brookside Community Church, East Main Street, in
the Brookside section of Mendham Township. For information about the
meetings, call Schubert at (973) 727-5288 or e-mail
schubert@gfn.com.
The program is designed to help school districts plan programs to support gay,
lesbian, bisexual and transgender students and faculty members.
It also is designed to prompt more schools to form gay-straight alliances,
according to Schubert.
Currently, only Mendham, West Morris Central and Parsippany high schools have
such alliances.
Lynn Kleinman, student assistance coordinator at Mendham High School, said their
alliance was formed two years ago after a student request. The group
offers support for all students, gay and straight.
“It provides support for those questioning their sexual identity or who know
their identity and are being subjected to bullying and prejudice,” Kleinman
said.
The alliance has about 15 members and is for all students, and they need not
disclose if they are gay or not. A similar group formed this year at West
Morris Central, Kleinman said.
The alliance has posted signs throughout the school promoting understanding and
noting that gay discrimination will not be tolerated, Kleinman said.
The alliance also be hosting a day of silence later in the year when students
will wear black and remain silent for the day in protest to the silence many gay
students feel they must endure about their sexuality.
“The day gives support to those unable or afraid to speak,” Kleinman said.
“It’s a very powerful message.”
Kleinman said she believed most schools don’t start gay-straight alliances
because of a fear of opposition from the community.
“They’re afraid of backlash,” she said. “I haven’t had any and I’m amazed.
There is still a conservative constituency that says if you do this you are
promoting homosexuality in school.”
Kleinman also said school officials have believed that students shouldn’t
address their homosexuality until college or even later.
“Now the kids are saying they’ve known since they were 6 and they want to talk
about it,” said Kleinman.
“Middle and high schools need to open up and get real that puberty and sexual
behavior isn’t something you can stuff in a bottle until you get to college,”
said Schubert.
Rebecca Dressel of Mount Olive Township is helping to organize the conference.
She has been active in trying to press Mount Olive High School to form a
gay-straight alliance. Her son, James, now 18, was a student at the high
school and said he was repeated harassed by students because he is gay.
“I want schools in Morris County to be aware that students are coming out in
high school and that they need help and that there is discrimination in the
schools,” said Dressel.
The keynote speaker for the program, “Creating Safe Schools,” will be Deputy
N.J. Attorney General Charles Cohen, section chief of the Division of Law’s
Civil Rights section.
The day will begin with Cohen’s address, followed by a discussion by a gay high
school student, break-out sessions for administrators, teaches, parents and
students and a closing panel discussion.
Sponsors include the Bergen and Morris County chapters of Parents, Families and
Friends of Lesbians and Gays or PFLAG; Gay and Lesbian Political Action Support
Group; N.J. Education Association Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Caucus;
and GLSEN, or the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network.
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