Gay-Straight Alliance reinstated in Lee

LEE – More than 30 students in grades 9-12 at Lee Middle and High School are trying to “be the change” they want to see in the world.

“Be the change” serves as the motto for the school’s Gay-Straight Alliance, which was recently reinstated and is composed of approximately 10 percent of the high school-age students at Lee.

“Establishment of a GSA is great for helping students who are afraid to be themselves,” said Lee junior Dan O’Brien. “It helps them realize that they have friends and they are just as human as everyone else.”

The Lee GSA has two main goals: to bring awareness to harassment and bullying toward students based on sexual orientation and to create a safe space and an open dialogue so all students know which peers they can go to if they need support.

“I think kids are just sick of hearing derogatory statements that have no basis in reality,” said Lee French teacher Carrie Ely, who serves as the GSA’s faculty advisor. “Living in a small community, it’s sometimes too easy to forget that there there is so much diversity in the world and that we have to be respectful of everyone’s differences.”

Last month, the Lee GSA celebrated Ally Week, a nationally-celebrated event which raises awareness of discrimination against students. At LMHS, more than 250 students signed a pledge to be an “ally,” meaning they will not use discriminatory language and speak up when they hear it around them.

“Ally Week showed all students that this school is a safe place to be,” said Lee junior Laura Perry.

Posted by Catherine M. Krummey on November 8, 2012. Filed under Education News,News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry