What’s the story?

1. What’s the story?

2. Johns Committee 1963 The Florida legislature established a legislative investigative committee to “investigate freedom riders, communists, and homosexuals” in federal agencies, including schools. This became known as the Johns Committee.

3. Johns Committee 1963 The committee was in operation for eight years. The product of their work was a list of homosexual teachers in the state of Florida. The list was submitted to the state superintendent. Adult gay teachers were arrested, put in jail, and in some cases give electroshock therapy. Many never taught again. Many committed suicide.

4. Stonewall Riot 1969 A fight between the police and the customers at a gay bar in New York City called Stonewall erupted, ending in the arrest of many LGBT customers. This event received a lot of national and international attention, and is often referred to around the world as the start of the global gay rights movement.

5. “Save Our Children” launched in Florida 1976 Anita Bryant, a beauty queen, singer, and Orange Juice spokeswoman, launches the “Save Our Children” campaign in Miami, Florida in an effort to defeat an ordinance that would grant gay and lesbians protection from discrimination in housing and the workplace. She rallies support by appearances on the Jim Bakker and Pat Robertson TV shows and producing television commercials. A pillar of her campaign is that gay and lesbian teachers are perverts and harmful to students.

6. “Save Our Children” a success 1976 With the help of the media and local evangelical community, Anita Bryant successfully defeats the non-discrimination ordinance in a 2-1 majority. Many LGBT teachers in Miami/Dade were fired from work the next day. Anita Bryant receives national attention for her work targeting gay teachers. During this time in American History, the fight for LGBT civil rights was primarily a “teacher problem,” according to Jackie Blount, author of Fit To Teach (2005).

7. Briggs Initiative (Proposition 6) 1977 California Senator John Briggs walks up to the steps of the San Francisco city hall and declares that he will remove “openly” homosexual teachers from all California schools. He begins to spread his ideas for a state referendum (which is decided by vote) to purge LGBT teachers in California. This referendum later becomes known as “Proposition 6,” and his campaign is called the “Brigg’s Initiative.”

8. Proposition 6 on the ballot 1978 John Briggs successfully gets Proposition 6 on the ballot, with over 500,000 signatures. Anita Bryant flew to California to Florida to help with the campaign. Similar to Bryant’s campaign in Florida, their platform is that LGBT teachers are perverts and harmful to children. The campaign was funded by anti-gay groups associated with the Anita Bryant Ministries.

9. Proposition 6 defeated 1978 • Proposition 6 (The Briggs Initiative) is defeated by wide margin in California: 58 to 42 percent. Anita Bryant goes back to Florida after the campaign is defeated.

10. Harvey Milk assassinated 1978 Twenty days after Briggs Proposition 6 was defeated, Harvey Milk, the first openly gay city council member in San Francisco, was shot by San Francisco supervisor Dan White. Milk was instrumental in the campaign to defeat Proposition 6 (The Briggs Initiative).

11. Growing Up Straight 1982 • George Allen Meekers publishes a book called “Shaping your Child’s Sexual Identity and Growing Up Straight: What Families Should Know about Homosexuality.” Rekers later coined the term Gender Identity Disorder (GID) and promoted therapy for LGBT youth to convert them to heterosexuality. These ideas were later criticized by the American Psychological Association for being harmful to LGBT youth, their families, and not grounded in evidence.

12. Socrates, Plato, and Guys Like Me: Confessions of a Gay Schoolteacher 1985 Eric Rofes, a gay school teacher from Boston, publishes an autobiography that was one of the first to document the personal experiences of a gay teacher in American schools. In this detailed personal account, Rofes shares stories of the homophobia he experienced as a teacher in Boston.

13. First Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) 1989 • Kevin Jennings starts the first GSA at Concord Academy, an independent school in Massachusetts.

14. Ryan White dies of AIDS, CARE Act 1990 • The death of Ryan White draws national attention to the AIDS epidemic and its impact on schools, families, and communities after he is expelled from his middle school in 1894. After his diagnosis in 1984, parents at his local Indiana high school demanded that he not be allowed to return to school. After this incident, Ryan became a national spokesperson for AIDS awareness and education. After his death, congress passed the CARE Act, the Comprehensive AIDS Resource Emergency Act, that provided emergency funding to persons with HIV and AIDS.

15. Students take action in Massachusetts 1992 • LGBT students from across the state write letters to their congress members urging them to pass legislation that gives LGBT students the right to file lawsuits if they have experienced anti-gay bias in schools. The law successfully passes, and isthe first legislation in the country that granted LGBT youth this right.

16. First Gay/Straight Youth Pride March in Boston 1995 • Hundreds of LGBT youth take a list of demands to the statehouse in Boston, asking for Gay/Straight Alliances in every school, out teachers, protection for LGBT youth, penalties for bullies, LGBT history in the curriculum, and more. This becomes known as the first Youth Pride March.

17. GLSEN Founded 1995 The Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network is founded in 1995. This organization provides teachers and students with ways to get involved in helping create safe spaces in schools. Visit www.glsen.org to learn how to organize a “Day of Silence,” “No Name Calling Week,” or an “Ally Week” at your school. GLSEN has chapters in Grand Rapids and Southeast Michigan.

18. Legal victory against bullying 1996 • In Wisconsin, Jamie Nabozny (an LGBT student) wins a nearly $1 million court case, claiming that the administration of his school did nothing to stop bullying and anti-gay abuse from teachers and classmates at his school. This victory contrasts many instances of unchecked bullying in other parts of the country. Some of these stories of bullying and suicide begin to receive national attention.

19. “It’s Elementary” is released 1996 • It’s Elementary: Talking about Gay Issues in School the movie is released, providing teachers with one of the earliest resources for how to discuss LGBT issues in schools.

20. Matthew Shepard murdered 1998 • The murder of Matthew Shepard, a gay student in Laramie, Wyoming, gains national attention and is today one of the most widely recognized hate crimes in US history. The Laramie Project, a play that tells the story of the murder, plays on college campuses around the country. The murder sparked the passage of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009, a federal law that: • “provides funding and technical assistance to state, local, and tribal jurisdictions to help them more effectively investigate and prosecute hate crimes.” • –www.justice.gov

21. Harvey Milk High School Opens for LGBTQ youth 2003 • The first high school specifically for LGBTQ youth opens in the East Village, New York, New York. From their Missions Statement: • “The mission of Harvey Milk High School (HMHS), a small transfer school, is to establish and promote a community of successful, independent learners by creating a safe educational environment for all young people. HMHS is designed for students in grades 10-12 who have not met success in at least one other high school prior to admission and who want to continue their education in an alternative, small school environment. The school strives to provide all students with a rigorous academic experience for college and career readiness that emphasizes critical thinking skills and student collaboration.  This nurturing educational setting at HMHS not only challenges and promotes academic success, but it also fosters and supports a diverse, self-respecting, confident community.”

22. TransGeneration includes MSU student 2005 • A television documentary about transgendered students in the United Statesfeatures an MSU student, Trent Jackson Jourian, a male-to-female transexual. “TJ” was a visiting student from Cypres on a fullbright scholarship. His life during the year of 2004-2005 was documented in TransGeneration, along with other students at other universities around the country. The show was broadcast on the Sundance Channel and shown in festivals around the world.

23. What’s happening in schools now?

24. Matt Epling, a Michigan Teenager, commits suicide 2008 • Matt Epling commits suicide in 2002 after an episode of hazing and bullying. After Matt’s death, Matt’s parents become active in the national anti-bullying campaign in schools across the country. Matt’s father, Kevin, works at Michigan State University and works in Michigan and around the country to raise awareness about bullying in K-12 schools.

25. Tyler Clementi suicide 2010 • A college student at Rutgers University, Tyler Clementi, commits suicide after his roommate posts a video online of Tyler engaged in a sexual activity with another man. Tyler’s suicide and the ensuing Tyler Clementi Foundation raises awareness of the increasing rate of suicides related to LGBT assault, intimidation, and abuse (sometimes referred to as bullying in the contexts of schools).

26. Matt’s Safe School Law proposed in Michigan 2010 • This legislation was met with controversy and received national attention because some members of the house of representatives wanted to include a clause that added protection for those who bully as a result of a religious or moral conviction against homosexuality. Matt Epling’s parents, congresswoman Gretchen Whitmer, and other local and national organizations fought to remove this clause from the law.

27. Matt’s Safe School Law passes in Michigan 2011 • The Revised School Code Act 451 of 1976, Section 380.1310b:Policy prohibiting bullying; adoption and implementation by board of school district or intermediate school district or board of directors of public school academy; public hearing; submission of policy to department; report; contents of policy; reporting act of bullying; definitions; section to be known as "Matt's Safe School Law.” • -www.legislature.mi.gov

28. California’s FAIR Education Act 2011 • Congress passes the California FAIR Education Act (SB 48), which requires schools in California to include LGBT history in their curriculum. From the press release from the office of Senator Mark Lemo’s Office (the bill’s sponsor): Research indicates that students who learn about LGBT people find their school environments more accepting of LGBT youth. Students are also more likely to report that their LGBT peers are treated fairly at school - and that other types of peer-to-peer disrespect also declines - when LGBT people and issues are included in instructional materials. In addition to including the role and contributions of LGBT Americans in educational materials, Senate Bill 48 ensures that the contributions of disabled people are included. The bill also adds sexual orientation to the state's existing anti-discrimination protections that prohibit bias in school activities, instruction and instructional materials. The bill is co-sponsored by Equality California and the Gay-Straight Alliance Network. 

29. 2011 A report from the Centers for Disease Control indicate that LGBT students are 4 times more likely to attempt suicide than their straight peers.

30. Gay/Straight Alliances spreading 2013 As of 2013, there are over 1000 GSAs registered in 37 states.

31. Detroit teacher suspended for playing “Same Love” in class 2013 • Susan Johnson, a teacher at Centennial High School in South Lyon, Detroit, is suspended from work without pay for allowing one of her students to play the song (not the video) called “Same Love” by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis. The ACLU became involved in the case and she was eventually restored pay.

32. GLSEN has more than 6 campaigns available online 2013 • These campaigns come with free materials that help teachers, students, parents, and administrators work to create safe spaces in K-12 schools. The campaigns include: • Safe Schools Kit • ThinkB4YouSpeak • GSA (Gay-Straight Alliance) • No Name Calling Week • Ally Week • Day of Silence

33. What Can We Do?

34. You can… Start or support a Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) at your school. Gay-Straight Alliances (GSAs) are student clubs that work to improve school climate for all students, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression. 4,000 GSAs are registered with GLSEN. -www.glsen.org Visit or www.glsen.orgto download a free Jump-Start Guide for organizing a GSA at your school. The website has historical information, networks to find other registered GSAs near your school, and materials to help you and your students organize your GSA.

35. You can… Learn about the policies in your state that impact LGBT youth. Each state is different! Talk to your administrators to find out about district and state policies that impact the lives of LGBT teachers and youth in your school. Contact your congress representatives, get involved, and stay informed.

36. Help students organize a ThinkB4YouSpeak campaign. You can… Visit www.thinkb4youspeak.com to download a free “Educator’s Guide.” This guide contains instructions on how to work with students to organize a ThinkB4YouSpeak campaign at your school. It contains background information, 5 lesson plans, and other resources to help you and your students educate your school community about the power of anti-LGBT slurs like “that’s so gay” and “no homo.” ThinkB4YouSpeak is a GLSEN program

37. Order a Safe Space kit. You can… GLSEN's Safe Space Campaign is a nationwide effort to deliver a Safe Space Kit to middle and high schools across the country. Responding to the persistent reports of bullying and harassment facing LGBT students, GLSEN has created this ambitious campaign to create visible allies and ensure safe learning environments for all our country's students. -www.glsen.org Visit or www.safespace.glsen.org to order a Safe Spacekit for $20. The kit comes with a guide that tells you how to lead a safe space training at your school, and also stickers, posters, and promotional materials. Encourage your students to take leadership roles in the organization of Safe Schools! Safe Space kits are organized in part by GLSEN

38. Work with students to organize an Ally Week. You can… GLSEN and students across the country, often as members of Gay-Straight Alliances (GSAs) or similar student clubs, will celebrate Ally Week on October 15-19 in schools and communities nationwide. Ally Week is a week for students to identify, support and celebrate Allies against anti-LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) language, bullying and harassment in America's schools. -www.allyweek.org Visit www.allyweek.org or www.glsen.org, download the “Educator’s Guide,” and learn how to help your students organize an Ally Week at your school. Ally Week is an event supported by GLSEN

39. Help your students organize a No Name Calling Week. You can… No Name Calling Week isheld annually in schools and communities across the country. It is a week of educational and creative activities aimed at ending name calling of all kinds and supports efforts to eliminate bullying. -www.glsen.org Visit www.NoNameCallingWeek.org or www.glsen.org to learn how to help your students organize a NNCW at your school. The website has kits with lesson plans for elementary, middle & high school, and art classes. It also includes stickers, posters, and anti-bullying resources for you and your students to use. No Name Calling Week is organized in part by GLSEN

40. Help your students organize a Day of Silence. You can… The Day of Silence is a student-led national event that brings attention to anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying and harassment in schools. Students from middle school to college take a vow of silence in an effort to encourage schools and classmates to address the problem of anti-LGBT behavior by illustrating the silencing effect of bullying and harassment on LGBT students and those perceived to be LGBT. -www.dayofsilence.org Visit www.dayofsilence.org or www.glsen.org to learn how you and your students can organize a Day of Silence at your school. Tip: work with parents and administrators and students long before the event to gather support for the campaign. No Name Calling Week is organized in part by GLSEN

41. Organize a viewing of “Bully” the movie in your school. You can… This film was released in 2013 and premiered in schools across the country in an effort to raise awareness about actions that educators and school communities can take to help combat bullying and its negative impacts in schools. You can download the Educator’s Guide and Toolkit on their webiste: www.thebullyproject.com/

42. Download lessons from Teaching Tolerance lesson plan database. You can… www.tolerance.org