The first day of school is just around the corner. Because of your support, Oregon’s students are going back to much safer classrooms this year.
On July 1st, 2009, the Oregon Safe Schools Act went into effect. This law will help protect ALL students in the schools – including students of color, students with disabilities, and gay and transgender youth, who are at risk for bullying and harassment. Under the law, all Oregon school districts are expected to revise or adopt new anti-discrimination policies by the beginning of this 2009-2010 school year.
Several ROP member groups are taking action to ensure the effective implementation of this new law. Human Dignity Coalition in Bend is working with youth to support them in documenting incidences of harassment, and contacting local school boards to find out how they plan to make their schools safer for all students. Baker County Citizens for Human Dignity are supporting the new Baker high school Gay Straight Alliance to try and bring a diversity training on the new Safe Schools Act for students and their allies.
Download Basic Rights Oregon’s Oregon Safe Schools Implementation Toolkit to find out how you and your human dignity group can make sure that your community’s school district creates and enforces a comprehensive anti-bullying policy.
On a related note, ROP is partnering with Basic Rights Oregon to lay the groundwork now for a marriage equality ballot measure that could be voted on as early as 2012. Please contact cara@rop.org if you want to help shape this campaign in its early stages and make your community a safer, more accepting place for LGBTQ families.
Best,
Sarah
PS – In these last couple weeks of summer, attend a Town Hall near you, and remind your representatives that Health Care and Immigrants Rights are Human Rights! Check out the rop website for a Calendar of upcoming Town Halls, Town Hall Tips, and a report-back from ROP groups who have already participated in Town Halls.