A Gay -Straight Alliance (GSA) Club has been approved for thanks to a donation from a community resident.
The Seaford Board of Education voted unanimously at its Thursday night meeting to allow the formation of Seaford High School’s first GSA Club for the remainder of the 2011-12 school year. The school board also approved a $683.50 donation from Susan Ruona that will pay for the club’s advisor.
Ruona was motivated to help jumpstart a GSA in Seaford after her son Scott and other openly gay students at the high school were unsuccessful last year in a petition drive to launch the club due to a lack of funding in the district. Scott Ruona graduated Seaford last year and while he is now attending Georgetown University, his mother decided it was important to step forward with initial funding for a GSA because of the need she saw for it last year from many of her son’s friends.
“I view this differently than a club,” said Ruona during Thursday’s school board meeting prior to the GSA being approved. “I view it more as a wellness or awareness program.”
Ruona attended the first Long Island Gay Parents-Teachers Association meeting on Nov. 2 at the new in Garden City where a main topic of conversation was the importance of having GSA clubs in schools. Other nearby Long Island districts that have approved GSAs in their high schools include Plainedge, Levittown, Garden City and Valley Stream.
Some broad goals that the Seaford students wrote in their petition for the new GSA include:
- To create an alliance of students committed to reducing harassment and bullying.
- To combat the negative affects of exclusion.
- Encourage and support tolerance, acceptance and positive relations among all students.
The Seaford Board of Education approval of a GSA comes as a new state law called the Dignity for all Students Act gets set to take effect in July that requires New York districts to formally address bullying in their curriculum.
“Having an active GSA in your high school or other schools fits right into everything that is in the new laws and regulations related to the Dignity for all Students Act," said Seaford Superintendent of Schools Brian Conboy.
Ruona and other Seaford residents urged the school board at Thursday’s meeting to fund the GSA in next year’s budget and not rely on a donation from the community. The Seaford School District is operating on a contingency budget this year after voters rejected proposed spending plans last and .
“I thank Susan for funding this but I would also say that this should be something that the school funds next year and not have to count on a resident to do it,” Russ Klein said.
“I think this will do a lot to bring awareness and understanding among the students," Maureen Canter said.
“Every time I hear a child killing himself, hanging himself, shooting himself… it breaks my heart,” said Ruona referring to how many gay teenagers get bullied and resort to suicide. “If this would even help one kid, it’s money so well spent.”
Chris and Long Islander - I understand your objection to the GSA being called a "club". I stated at the board meeting that i don't really consider this a "club" either, but that is how they set it up. LI, I agree with you people are entitled to their religious beliefs. The GSA is not trying to change anyone's religious beliefs. However, just as you would want people to respect your religious beliefs, other beliefs deserve respect also. The students requested a GSA, this year and last, so apparently they feel there is a need for this. "Straight" students signed the petition for the GSA also. Thankfully there are accepting students out there.
If we as a whole accept the individual for what they are first anfd foremost : a human being - then we are all better for it. Fear & ingnorance breeds intolerence and exclusion. These are KIDS who are braver then you or I for it is probably VERY hard for ANYONE regardless of age stand up and say : I am different please accept me for WHO I am. That takes guts and courage. Thats hard for an adult to do never mind a kid. If your kid was gay what would YOU do? Would you not want people to look beyond the label and look at the PERSON,look at WHO your kid was not the label attached to them? Bravo to the students & their parents of all the students who join & support this organization ..THEY are looking at the Person... not the label. Gay isnt a disease, it nots "catchy"
A) your against this "type of Alliance" B) You doubt that teenagers straight or gay have the potential to be more open minded then their parents..more tolerant C) you doubt parents have the sensibiltiy to see that senseless bullying is something that needs to be addressed regardless of the reason why people are being bullied. D) you dont seem to feel that people who have different beliefs have the intelligence, compassion or respect to come together to try to understand each others point of view.etc. IF thats the case and a majority of people feel the same way you do, then you and the rest of your ilk are mired in the persecutorial prejudices of the 50's ..I guess all people with alternative lifestyles, different colored skins, different religious beliefs,different special needs, the too fat, the too skinny, the kid with big ears or acne should stand in the back of the bus also? BTW you cant CATCH gay its not a disease, or werent you aware of that? AND as a parent if you dont know WHAT clubs your kids are involved in then perhaps the "parent "should be more involved and intouch with WHAT their kid is doing rather then self involved or worse indifferent.
Maybe my reaction is different from yours because having worked with a wide variety of individuals across the globe in my professional career , I realize people come in all shapes, sizes and "orientations". doesnt mean they should be ostrized or judged becasue of them, it just means they should be accepted for who they are and how they do their job.
God gave Moses the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai to serve as principles of moral behavior for the human race. The Ten Commandments of God are the foundation of the moral code and legal system of justice for Western Christian civilization. The ten commandments do not include , thou shalt not be gay- And for the sanctimonious I would wager HEAVILY that EVERY practicing Catholic VIOLATES those same ten commnaments on a regular basis by CHOICE. Unfortunately "gay" isnt a choice it IS an ACT of GOD, IF you follow the premise that the Miracle of GOD created EACH of us.. Hypocrocy at is best is sometimes found in the most hallowed of places. Created by MAN because of their bias and ignorance. Again my final comment on this entire thread.
Thank you for the discussion.
A) not being an ALCHOLIC i wouldnt know what the process is during a "meeting" /"discussion" Obviously you seem very well versed in the process.. so you must have first hand knowledge and kudoes to you for acknowledging you or someone you know has a problem.. B) this has nothing to do with the SPIRUTAL welfare of anyone- C_)Before you condemn ANYONE or ANYTHNING on HERSAY perhaps you should inquire about exactly WHAT this ALLIANCE is about how it will be conducted, mentored monitored etc. Get the FACTS.. and stop flying around on your holier then thou broom screaming and wailing we are all going to burn in hell on your tax dollars You will be surprised what you find out with a phone call...right now you are operating that broom in overdrive based on assumption and supposition..with no facts what so ever.
Again, I must ask the question.....What happens to a transgender club request? Bi-sexual only clubs? NAMBLA is an organization that exists today to lobby for their civil rights to have sex with underage children. Why can't their members feel good about themselves? What if they want a parade? Where does "tolerance" end. Who decides? This is a dangerous path the school has decided to go down.
let me make a preconceived assumption, I COULD say your are probably ,a proported good catholic, goes to church, gets drunk and then drives , has had a few discrete but adulterous affairs,is republican and ethicly challenged, has very conservative far right views, curses, uses the lords name in vain, likes the color purple, has a stash of porn, beats your wife every other tuesday nite, cheats on your taxes, mowes your own lawn, has coveted thy neighbors goods ALL of the above is NOT true (atleast i hope it isnt.). BUT all of the above could be an ASSUPMTION on my part because of my perceived view of based onthe little information i have read here. . So .. lets be clear here. I dont know ANYTHING about you or how you live your life etc. if you DONT know what this Alliance is about, havent found out the facts and are jumping the gun based on your own preconceived bias beliefs dont you at least owe it to yourself to find out before you continue to sound like the biggest bigot > I could perceive that, truthfully I DONT, but atleast I am NOT denying you the right to exist and I am being tolerant trying to open a dialog so we come to some form of common ground. And that common ground could be we dont like each other,we dont understand each other, we dont support each other views etc BUT we wont HURT each other and rather then attack verbally we can discuss our love for starbucks coffee and bitch about our school taxes.
He hated himself as much as others did. To hear this young man who was in his late 20's go thru such gut wrenching anguish, and pain is heartbreaking. He finally after YEARS of therapy and support from friends has come to accept what I and others around had been saying . Who you are is not dfiend by your sexuality ITs WHO you ARE as a person, and he is a wonderful , funny kind warm individual who has much success infront him and is probably one of the most sincere giving people I know. TO stop or prevent this from happening to one more kid is the reason why i am so vocal here on this topic. As a parent i am outraged that another parent could turn their back on their own kid becasue of their prejudices, as human being i am outraged that people are tormented , bullied and JUDGED without fact or merit based on social and religious stigmas.
All I am saying is that there should be no double standard when it comes to our schools, and there is. No one should be judged for their lifestyle or religious beliefs. All inclusive. After 9-11 I am sure that many Muslim students felt bad about themselves and how they were looked at by other students in their schools. But a Muslim religious club is forbidden by law in our schools. Separation of Church and State. The more we put labels on people and categorize them, the more it seems to split us apart. Black Americans, White Americans, Indian, Gay, Straight etc... Anti Bullying and tolerance should be taught across the board for every student, no matter who you are or lifestyle ! We are all Americans and in this together. Lorraine, I have enjoyed this conversation and exchange of ideas.
These are kids after all. love your kids for WHO they are, cherish them support them and make them feel worthy and special and loved ..no child or adult should feel excluded or tormented or driven to the brink because of this .. Chris , an exchange of ideas is always a good.thing! ..
I have no opinion about the GSA (Club), any more or less than I would have about the Astronomy Club or the FBLA Club. Those activities exist for the students who request them and who support them though their participation and fundraising efforts. While a lot of column space was allotted here for discussion and exchanging ideas, in reality no discussion was warranted. This article was not a poll nor a referndum to approve or disapprove the creation of the Seaford GSA (Club). The school board has already taken the only vote necessary to establish the club and to fund it by accepting the generous donation given to pay for its advisor.