As we look ahead to a new school year, you have probably read the frightening headlines and dire predictions about the state of Philadelphia’s public schools.
At least 23 schools have been closed, forcing thousands to enroll at new schools, in new neighborhoods, often much farther from their homes. This has raised serious concerns about students’ safety on their way to and from school each day and on school property, as they struggle to integrate into a new setting. For LGBTQ youth, who are already among the most vulnerable and the most frequent targets of bullying and violence, the situation is especially frightening.
Times like these underscore how critical the work of Mazzoni Center’s education department, and our Ally Safe Schools program, continues to be. Last year, we worked with more than 200 youth in 40 middle and high schools to create and maintain Gay Straight Alliances. Ally offered trainings for teachers and other faculty in how to create safe spaces for all students, how to recognize and respect their differences and how to advocate for and protect vulnerable students.
This year, we face the challenge of supporting students as they adapt to new schools, and the urgency of establishing GSAs in the schools that will not have a counselor on staff, or those that will operate with only one counselor per 1,000 students. Ally program associate Jaymie Campbell said that many of the youth who serve on Mazzoni’s Student LEADership Board have expressed “deep concern” about the shortage of counselors.
“Students in these schools will no longer have the option to speak with school counselors at length about coming out, being bullied because they are different or fear of negative consequences related to their gender or sexuality,” Campbell explained.
The district’s elimination of staff support will have a huge impact on many teachers who have long been LGBT allies and GSA advisors. Teachers are working with limited resources and many GSAs may not get up and running until January, if at all.
As some of us know from experience, the impact of bullying extends far beyond the classroom and the schoolyard. One recent study by Duke University Medical School and the University of Warwick in the United Kingdom found that youth involved in bullying tend to experience physical and mental-health problems well into adulthood — including serious longterm issues like obesity, diabetes, cancer, disability and severe asthma. Interestingly, the negative effects were felt by both victims and perpetrators of bullying. But it was the bullying targets who fared worst, being far more likely to have health problems, financial or job issues and poor relationships with family and friends. They were six times more likely to have a serious illness, six times more likely to smoke and four times more likely to have been charged with a felony.
But thanks to organizations like the Gay Lesbian & Straight Education Network, we know the importance of GSAs. GLSEN’s 2011 National School Climate Survey found that LGBT young adults who went to a high school with a GSA were less likely to have dropped out of high school, less likely to experience depression and more likely to have attended college. Students involved with GSAs were less likely to have abused drugs or alcohol and were more protected against the negative mental-health effects of bullying. A safer school directly relates to the availability of LGBT school-based resources and support, including GSAs.
That’s why our Ally Program staff, along with the program’s SLB, have been working closely with GSA leaders to continue to build the city’s GSA movement. As one of our SLB members told us: “My school is not closing, I am lucky. Very lucky. But as a young leader, it is my responsibility to stand by and with my queer students who are losing not just their GSA, but their school and community.”
Our SLB has seven citywide gatherings planned this school year that provide a networking opportunity for students and district staff who participate in and support the GSA movement, and the annual LEAD conference in February will include workshops for and by students. Additionally, Ally staff will continue to work with the Campaign for Non-Violent Schools, a coalition of youth organizers and agencies advocating for students’ rights.
“We’re in a critical moment, with so few resources available to young people trying to earn an education in Philadelphia,” Campbell said. “That’s why all of us involved with the Ally program are more committed than ever to keeping our doors open and working with young people to know their worth, build their leadership skills and help them stand in their power.”
It is our core belief that all students deserve a safer and supportive school environment. It is our commitment to support the development and growth of the GSA movement in Philadelphia.
Louie Ortiz is Mazzoni Center’s education manager. For more information, visit www.mazzonicenter.org or call 215-563-0652.