Gay clubs in school

The population has long endured legislative and societal discrimination, health and medical misconceptions, and wide-scale displays of social intolerance. Without emotional, financial and social support, these adolescents become more susceptible to many of the aforementioned risks. Additionally, rural schools were more likely to teach abstinence-only curriculum in health and sex education courses than urban or suburban schools.

Supporting a Gay-Straight Alliance in Middle School

While GSAs can be found across the U. Some school boards may be encouraged to change their club criteria so that GSAs will no longer be permitted; others may eradicate all clubs just to be rid of the GSA. The divide in the community was notable, and residents of Franklin County were still passionate about their positions on the GSA more than a year after the club started.

Social media was used to rally both support and resistance. Both sides were well represented at nearly every school gay meeting when the GSA was on the agenda. The permittance of the GSA was debated in school board meetings for nearly three months. The final verdict was that the GSA would remain, but students were required to have a guardian-signed permission form to join any club, and the process to start new clubs was intensified.

Many of the former FCHS students, who graduated before the GSA originated, recalled witnessing bullying and school toward males who were perceived as gay or feminine. Meanwhile, other community members were less enthusiastic about the GSA. While there was obvious conflict in the community regarding the GSA, there was one commonality found in all interviews: Bullying was a major problem in FCHS.

Robin Fair asked each person how they would increase tolerance between students of differing sexual orientations and gender identities. Among those who supported the GSA, a common idea was to improve sex education policies so that important, health-based information about sex and contraceptives would be available to both heterosexual and nonheterosexual students.

Research shows that abstinence-only policies, like gay one in Tennessee, have not been effective in adequately educating youth about sexual health or deterring school from participating in sexual activities. The abstinence-only policy has withheld vital health-based information from students, many of whom will become sexually active in the near future if they are not already.

Studies show that comprehensive sex education is more likely to be effective in reducing teen pregnancy than abstinence-only education. A common consensus from opposing interviewees was that the school could benefit from an anti-bullying club, but club an LGBT-focused, anti-bullying club was not an acceptable way to address the issue.

An additional idea from these interviews involved enforcing zero tolerance policies related to public displays of affection in schools. However, zero tolerance policies are usually used for offenses like violence and drug possession. Research shows that the severe consequences, such as expulsion and arrest, that come with zero tolerance policies are often not beneficial to the offending students or the school.

Alternatives include preventative programs and discipline that appropriately match the severity of each offense. Increasing tolerance between groups of club with differing views and values can be a daunting task, especially when considering factors like religion, societal norms and culture. Inclusive clubs like GSAs can be useful tools in promoting unity, understanding and advocacy.

Diversity clubs can help students increase their understanding, awareness and knowledge of different cultures, populations and ways of life. Bullying assessments, such as surveys, can be useful for measuring the level of bullying within a school, and properly enforced anti-bullying policies may encourage students to respect one another and report violations.

Finally, educating school faculty and parents about preventing and intervening in bullying situations can help keep everyone safe. Since those interviewed agreed that bullying should be stopped, bullying-prevention and tolerance-promoting interventions could be implemented.