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NYSUT panel sheds light on 'last frontiers of intolerance'
April 27, 2006 Conference keynoter Mitch Hahn of Guilderland CTA answers a reporter's question. Although school populations are more accepting of gay students than in the past, many still endure verbal taunts from their peers. "The word 'fag' is still the No. 1 verbal insult in schools," said Mitch Hahn, a former chairman of the New York Capital Region Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network. Hahn, a member of the Guilderland Central Teachers Association in Albany County, was keynote speaker at a recent conference on "Safety for All: Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgendered and Questioning Youth." "Slurs and violence against gays and lesbians are really the last frontiers of intolerance in our public schools," said Lee Cutler, a member of New York State United Teachers' Civil Rights Committee, which organized the event. "As a committee, we felt that awareness of this problem needs to be raised among administrators and educators." Workshops included creating a safe space program in schools, transgenders in school and a presentation by the National Coalition-Building Institute. Cutler, a member of Nanuet TA in Rockland County and NYSUT's Board of Directors, was pleased with the outcome of the event, held at NYSUT headquarters in Latham. "I think we've tapped into a potentially great opportunity to train and sensitize people about these issues," he said. The School Administrators Association of New York State and the Student Support Services Center joined the statewide union in co-sponsoring the event. — Kara E. Smith |
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