Sacramento Valley AIDS Run Walk Sunday September 17

Respect Sacramento welcomes in the new school year in support of Sunburst Projects at the Sacramento Valley AIDS Run Walk. In 2005, RESPECT Sacramento was honored to receive a grant from the Sacramento Valley Bears. In fulfilling our mission to support HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention efforts, we have selected Sunburst Projects to partner with at the Sacramento AIDS Walk on September 17th because Sunburst Projects provide critically needed services for youth, teens and families living with or impacted by HIV/AIDS. This is just one creative way we have developed to promote respect for all in schools, thanks to the assistance of the Sacramento Valley Bears. Showing respect for all youth and teens in our community translates beautifully to what they should experience in our schools.

"For every child directly infected by HIV/AIDS, many more are deeply affected and challenged by the loss of parents, siblings, and other family members. The challenges of HIV/AIDS on families are particularly acute for underserved youth and the effects are disproportionate among communities of color.

Aimed to fill a gap in HIV/AIDS support services, since 1988 Sunburst Projects has been providing family support services, including Camp Sunburst, the nation's first therapeutically designed summer camp program for HIV/AIDS children and their families."

Learn more about this valuable organization by visiting their website at www.sunburstprojects.org

Sixth Annual Sacramento Valley AIDS Run/Walk
Sunday, September 17, 2006
Start at 8AM
Meet at the west steps at the Capitol

5 K, 1 Day, 1 Cause
Walk, Run, Volunteer or Donate

Be a part of Sunburst Projects' team

Create your own team with your friends and co-workers: walking, running or raising pledge money for Sunburst Projects.
Register at: www.sacvalleyaidsrunwalk.org.

Volunteer or questions: Email Jennifer at Jennifer@sunburstprojects.org

Legislative update

Aug. 29: The Bias-Free Curriculum Act (Kuehl - SB 1437) passes in legislature

Today, the Legislature passed Senate Bill 1437, the Bias-Free Curriculum Act, authored by Senator Shelia Kuehl (D-Santa Monica) and sponsored by Equality California (EQCA). The measure would extend existing laws prohibiting discrimination on the bases of race, sex, disability, nationality, and religion in textbooks, instructional materials, and school sponsored activities to include sexual orientation and gender identity.

"I'm very pleased that both houses of the Legislature have passed SB 1437, as amended," said Senator Kuehl. "We've heard from so many young people that their schools continue to be dangerous or unsafe. The time to act on that issue is now, and prohibiting school books or activities that degrade our kids and our community is an important piece of the puzzle in creating a safer school environment."

"We must not forget that negative and hateful messages about LGBT people are still plaguing our schools," said Geoff Kors, EQCA's executive director. "We have an opportunity to get a bill signed that would yet again reinforce the notion that we don't stand for discrimination in California."

According to the Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network's 2005 National School Climate Survey, in the last school year, 64% of LGBT students reported instances of anti-gay verbal harassment and an alarmingly 36% reported physical harassment on the basis of sexual orientation. These circumstances led to nearly two-thirds of LGBT students surveyed to feel unsafe at school, an outcome that manifests itself in the form of increased absenteeism, dropout, depression and even suicide.

According to the California Safe Schools Coalition's Safe Place to Learn report published in January 2004, California is no exception to this national trend, with more than 200,000 students estimated to experience harassment based on sexual orientation each year.

Aug. 30: The Safe Place to Learn Act (Levine - AB 606) passes Senate

Assembly Bill 606, the Safe Place to Learn Act, authored by Assemblymember Lloyd Levine (D-Van Nuys) and sponsored by Equality California (EQCA), passed the Senate today by a 23-16 vote and will now return to the Assembly for a final vote before being presented to Governor Schwarzenegger. The bill provides guidance and direction to school districts in implementing California's existing laws regarding anti-discrimination and harassment in schools.

"AB 606 provides tools for school districts to comply with the law and reaffirms that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) students are protected against harassment and violence in California schools," stated Geoff Kors, EQCA's executive director.

Assembly Bill 606 creates a model antidiscrimination and harassment policy for school districts to adopt and publicize; provides that schools, during the normal course of reprinting, update all applicable publications on school safety to include information on bias-related discrimination and harassment; and ensures that schools document all complaints brought forward by students.

"I'm pleased that the Senate has passed AB 606 and strongly urge the governor to sign the bill when it reaches his desk," said Assemblymember Levine, (D-Van Nuys). "It's time for California to do right by all our children, and our first priority should be providing them with a safe place to learn."

A survey conducted by the California Safe Schools Coalition found that students who are harassed based on actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity are more than three times as likely to report missing at least one day of school in the last 30 days due to feeling unsafe; are twice as likely to report depression and seriously consider suicide; and are more likely to have low grades, be victims of violence or use illegal substances.

2. No general meeting in September

Our regular general meeting on the second Wednesday of the month will have to wait until October; our board will be gathering on September 9 for a day-long retreat and most of our board members have other obligations on the date that our September general meeting falls. (I'll be at my school's Back-to-School night; it appears that's a popular event for the evening.)

But we will all be out at the Rainbow Festival in midtown Sacramento on Sunday, September 3, and we hope that you can stop by and chat and get to know us there.

3. Rainbow Festival September 3: we'll be there!

The annual Labor Day Weekend Rainbow Festival peaks on Sunday September 3rd with a street fair from 10 am to 6 pm around the corner of 20th and K Streets in the heart of Lavender Heights in midtown Sacramento. Lance Bass's boyfriend Reichen will emcee the festivities with greetings from the mayors of Sacramento and West Sacramento (our "own" Chris Cabaldon), Congresswoman Doris Matsui, and music from Jason & Demarco, Tiffany, Deborah Gibson, and more. For more information on the entire weekend's events, go to www.rainbowfestival.com.

4. Announcements

A Safe Schools program for teens: bring "The Other Side of the Closet" to your school

YouthAware Educational Theatre at the New Conservatory Theatre Center Announces the Fall Tour of "The Other Side Of the Closet" By Ed Roy, Directed by Sara Staley.

A Safe Schools Program for Teens
Touring Northern California October 17th – December 14th 2006

The Other Side of the Closet by Ed Roy is an educational theater program for teens that supports a safe school curriculum where students, teachers and parents can learn about the CA Student Safety Act, AB-537, in an innovative and engaging format. The play is set in and around a high school, where five friends are dealing with issues of peer pressure, youth violence, sexual orientation, homophobia, behavior norms and discrimination. The aim of this program is to educate young people about diversity and respect, and to help schools create a safe learning environment for every student. Each performance is followed by a facilitated discussion with the actor-educators, and a handout is provided for teachers with activities, resources and questions to continue discussion in the classroom. The Other Side of the Closet has been touring to Northern California communities, middle and high schools annually since it's US premiere in the fall of 2000, as part of the award winning New Conservatory Theatre Center's YouthAware Educational Theatre program based in San Francisco.

Bring this outstanding production to your school. Last year, the president of the GSA at McClatchy High School got the program to perform at her school. You can do the same!

Tour Dates still available! Call (415) 694-6149 or email sara@nctcsf.org with questions or to book a performance.

Uptown Studios: Creating Social Change

Become a member of the Q Crew, Sacramento's grassroots queer/straight alliance activist network. We are about human rights and the struggle for equal rights for all people, with an emphasis on the LGBTQ community. You can sign up at www.uptownstudios.net and click "SIGN UP FOR OUR MAILING LIST" then click the bottom box "Activist" to add your name to the list.

Q-Crew is a group of like-minded liberals that do something about the anti-gay activists in town. Something well planned and positive. Join me and we will change the world. See you on the streets!

Tina Reynolds and the Q-Crew

Sacramento International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, Oct. 12-15

The 15th Anniversary of the Sacramento International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival starts October 12th. Everyone is invited to attend our monthly meetings, held at 6pm every fourth Wednesday of the month, at LLACE in midtown Sacramento, 1414 21st Street. Come share your ideas or skills! For more information, go to www.siglff.org.

5. GSA Network News

50+ Youth Empowered at GSA Network Activist Camps this Summer

California – More than fifty youth from across California participated in this year's three-day, youth-led activist camps! "Laughter, acceptance, and friendship were in the air," says Geraldine, a participant at the Northern California-Fresno camp. "Some great leaders will come out of this year's campers and trainers."

Indeed, the development of powerful, effective student leaders was the overarching aim of the activist camps. Youth leaders facilitated workshops on a wide variety of topics designed to raise awareness about how anti-LGBTQ sentiments are linked to and intersect with other socio-economic oppressions like racism, classism, and ageism. Moreover, the participants learned about AB537 (and how to enforce it on their respective school campuses), and learned about the valuable contributions of LGBTQ people of color through a fun game of Jeopardy. Most importantly, youth learned how to address these important topics in their GSAs and how to stand up for their rights! (Also, not to be forgotten, a fabulous drag show was held at both camps!)

The friendships, conversations, and connections made at camp were invaluable for the young activists. In the words of Phil, one of the participants of the Southern California camp, "It was an opportunity to meet like-minded people and to also learn a great deal about leadership and activism. The camp exponentially increased my abilities as an activist and a leader. I would not have traded the experience for anything." Students left feeling connected, enlightened, and most of all empowered to make positive changes on their school campuses.

More information at www.gsanetwork.org.

6. Supressing history

Far from being gay propaganda, mandating the inclusion of LGBT people in California social science classes sets the record straight.

July 24 (InsideBayArea.com) By Dave Ellison. In his July 15 Sacramento Bee column, headlined "Gay-rights curriculums bring propaganda to classrooms," Sacramento pundit Dan Walters critiqued pending California legislation Senate Bill 1437 and Assembly Bill 606 for mandating "pro-gay instruction" in California schools.

SB 1437 would add the categories sexual orientation and gender identity to an existing California law banning discrimination in California curriculum, and ensure that the historical contributions of at least a few gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender citizens be included in classroom discussions.

AB 606, a follow-up to AB 537, which became law in 2000, would establish minimum steps that school districts must take to ensure the safety of all students, especially sexual-minority kids.

This time, negligent schools could face sanctions, and Walters bemoaned the fact that a curriculum continuing the suppression of homosexual history could be cited as contributing to a hostile school environment.

Walters claimed his ire was aimed, not at finally teaching gay and lesbian history itself, but at the prohibition of "instruction" that reflects adversely upon people because of their race or ethnicity.

"California law already mandates such see-no-evil history instruction for a wide array of ethnic groups," complained Walters, "substituting feel-good propaganda for what should be scholarly study. Adding more groups to this exercise in academic affirmative action just makes it that much worse."

Apparently, Walters slept through the recent bitter controversy about sixth-grade history textbooks and their portrayal of Hinduism. Despite revisionists' best attempts to remove mention of polytheism, the caste system and oppression of women, the truth prevailed in all its multifaceted, messy, sometimes ugly glory.

No, California curriculum — painstakingly delineated in state frameworks and curriculum standards (www.cde.ca.gov/ci/hs/cf/) — remains anything but sugarcoated.

For the past five years, for example, I've taught seventh-grade world history, including the study of African empires. Yes, my students and I learned of Mali's greatest emperor, Mansa Musa, who, by means of an outlandish gold-laden pilgrimage to Mecca, revealed the fabulous wealth of Timbuktu. However, we also studied Affonso, Kongo's hapless emperor. After initially struggling to end the Portuguese slave trade, Affonso despaired and then grew rich selling his brethren.

Where is the feel-good propaganda? Walters provided not a single example. By making his specious accusation, though, he did deftly divert attention from the real issue: Some history never gets told. We teach African and African-American history today only because of courageous, tenacious efforts by many activists against hundreds of years of suppression. African history challenged the racist status quo. Its telling benefited everyone, not just African Americans.

Today, Assembly members Sheila Kuehl (AB 537 and AB 1437) and Lloyd Levine (AB 606) continue that struggle. They hope, not that only positive images of our nation's sexual minorities make it into textbooks, but that, finally, a few will make it at all.

Consider Baron von Steuben: A Prussian military genius, he trained George Washington's bedraggled militia at Valley Forge, molding it into a powerful force that, to everyone's amazement, fought the mighty British to a draw at the Battle of Monmouth.

Many historians consider him to be the second-most-indispensable hero of the American Revolution after Washington. In fact, Von Steuben's ideas and techniques remained the foundation of the U.S. military for 150 years. Nonetheless, most Americans have never heard of him. You see, Baron von Steuben was gay.

Von Steuben's homosexuality was not incidental, since it explains why he fled Europe and ended up at Valley Forge. Also, it pertains immensely to the issue of homosexuals in the U.S. military now. Shouldn't students today learn of Baron von Steuben — and so many others like him?

We send "an absolutely wrong message to young minds about the truthfulness of their textbooks," Walters wrote. "Kids should be getting their history straight — not sanitized by politicians who are pursuing other agendas." Ironically, that is precisely what AB 1437 and AB 606 are all about.

Dave Ellison teaches seventh-grade English and history at Barnard-White Middle School in Union City. His column appears on alternate Mondays in the Local section.