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Parents, students and activists made a push for the formation of a Gay Straight Alliance at North Tonawanda High School Tuesday evening, in the wake of a rash of bullying incidents that have come to the forefront across the region in recent weeks.
Kelly Lindville, who has two daughters in the school system, tendered a petition signed by 144 students and six teachers to the school board to bring the alliance to the high school. She notes that one such group already was created in the middle school more than a year ago. She also claimed that an initiative to bring such an alliance to the high school has been brought to the board starting in 2005.
“I’m just curious to know why one is still not up and running,” she said.
Superintendent Greg Woytila said the district has been making progress with such an initiative, including contacting social workers and counselors at the middle and high schools.
“There’s is a lot going on with that,” he said. “We’ve been very proactive.”
Woytila also made reference to the Dignity For All Students Act, which passed in the New York State Assembly in 2010 and prohibits harassment against students in public schools based on sexual orientation, religion, race and gender.
The act mandates school districts to develop procedures to contend with harassment and presents guidelines for training personnel to respond to discrimination. Incidents on school grounds or at school functions must be reported to the state education department on an annual basis, according to the state Senate website.
Several other students and parents also spoke at Tuesday’s meeting supporting an alliance at the high school, particularly in lieu of the recent suicide by Williamsville student Jamey Rodemeyer.
“I am straight and I support a GSA,” said student Mary Scinta. “Teachers notice me standing up to those bullies. They do nothing, they say nothing.”
Woytila said the district is formulating a plan that may include the participation of city leaders and the police department, which he suggested may help tackle bullying issues that spill over from the school into the community and online.
Local News
October 12, 2011
North Tonawanda HS Gay Straight Alliance sought
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