Making Schools Safer for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered, and Questioning Students 

A Free Workshop Presented by _____________________

We are writing to let you know about a program we have available to schools and school districts that are interested in reducing peer harassment directed at lesbian, gay, and bisexual or questioning students. 

The ACLU has worked with school districts nationwide to develop a free workshop on creating a safe environment throughout the school. The workshop focuses on addressing gay-based harassment, and responding to the risks that confront many youth who are questioning their sexual identity. So far, we have trained over 1500 teachers, administrators, and staff. This training is now available here through the ACLU of ____________. 

We hope that the training will help us work with schools to respond to concerns we have heard from students and parents, in both rural and urban areas. Too often, we hear about schools that tolerate a hostile environment where students harass others whom they perceive or know to be gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered. These school environments not only expose administrators to legal liability, they violate students' rights to a safe and peaceful campus where they can learn without unnecessary distractions. Also, many teachers have requested guidance on how best to respond to student questions about lesbian and gay issues and what support to expect legally when trying to support students who are struggling with their sexual identity, or that of a friend or family member. We hope that by offering these workshops, we can work cooperatively with schools to take preventive action before a problem develops, or to stop a potential problem before students or teachers get hurt.

The ACLU will work closely with you to create a tailor-made workshop that best addresses the particular needs of your school. The workshop usually lasts about two and a half hours. It includes an interactive panel presentation by one or two students who are gay, lesbian, or bisexual (preferably students who have recently graduated from the school holding the workshop), and a parent or guardian if available. The workshops are facilitated by a teacher from the district, and also feature a legal presentation from an attorney on the duties and liabilities of school personnel in dealing with anti-gay harassment. The workshop covers practical suggestions about how to address name calling in the classroom and in the hallways, how to build support for a campus-wide approach to create safe environments for all students, and the legal responsibility schools have for creating such environments. A comprehensive packet of materials is provided to each participant, including suggestions from the U.S. Department of Education on creating a harassment-free environment. 

The ACLU is prepared to handle the logistical planning of the workshop, which includes a survey to allow the faculty and staff to identify their particular concerns and needs, coordinating panels, and identifying students or former students who are lesbian, gay or bisexual and are available to share their experiences as students in your district. This workshop is free. If possible, we would like to encourage schools to make this workshop mandatory for all faculty.

If you are interested in learning more about this opportunity, please call _____________.