Progress being made.
Encouraging. Communicating and discussing the LGBT community in the schools during Pride Week.
Debbie~AlamoBert retweeted
KXAN News @kxan_News Sep 19
Austin Pride Week is in full swing, and for the first time ever the celebration is expanding to schools in @austinisd:http://bit.ly/Xxx3xQLink:
kxan.com/2014/09/19/austin-isd-joins-in-on-austin-pride-week-for-the-first-time/(Video here)
Austin ISD joins in on Austin Pride Week for the first timeBy Erin Cargile
Published: September 19, 2014, 6:57 pm Updated: September 19, 2014, 8:15 pm
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin Pride Week is in full swing, and for the first time ever the celebration is expanding to schools in the Austin Independent School District.
While the district is not officially associated with Austin Pride city sanctioned activities, the district held two big pride events of their own this week. Teachers and administrators were invited Monday to listen to a panel of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender experts who shared about ways the district can better serve LGBT students. On Thursday, the district held an event closed to the public and media where students could mingle and meet other professionals in the LGBT community.
All week long, some students wore AISD pride stickers, including Mylena Guerro who is a sophomore at Eastside Memorial High School. “Just because you like somebody that’s a different gender, you’re all just human. It doesn’t matter.”
There is also a special bulletin board at Eastside Memorial decorated for pride week which encourages kids to sign up for the Gay-Straight Alliance.
“I’m bisexual, so I just support it,” Guerrero said. “I don’t like to see people hurting other people.”
The organization will start meeting weekly to provide a safe place for students to talk openly. There are currently 13 GSA’s on AISD high school and middle school campuses.
“A lot of the times you hear Eastside is family,” said sophomore Haley Del Rio. “This is one of the ways we support pride.”
Choir teacher Meghan Buchanan is co-sponsoring the Eastside’s GSA club. She is also on a committee with the local teacher’s union, Education Austin, who meets with the school district to talk about ways to better serve LGBT students and employees.
“We are really concerned and tired of hearing about the higher suicide rates for LGBTQ kids and just some of the other bullying,” said Buchanan.
KXAN asked if she has heard any complaints from those who may disagree with the club’s mission or the campus celebrating pride week.
“No, It’s been kind of surprising actually,” said Buchanan.
A district spokesperson said they have not had any backlash either, but if a parent or taxpayer has a problem with it they have an answer.
“We’re not trying to promote a certain agenda. We are trying to provide that safe, supportive environment for every single student who is at one of our schools,” said Allison Daskam, AISD Communications Supervisor.
