GLSEN Praises North Carolina Student’s Courage Forming GSA

NEW YORK, Nov. 7, 2006 – GLSEN, or the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, today congratulates Danielle Smiley for her courageous effort to form a Gay-Straight Alliance at Currituck County High School despite a lack of support from the school system.

"GLSEN is extremely proud of the courage Danielle Smiley has shown in her effort to establish a Gay-Straight Alliance," said GLSEN Founder and Executive Director Kevin Jennings, a North Carolina native who as a teacher helped form the first GSA in 1988. "For Smiley to overcome the culture of misinformation and lack of understanding that far too often dominates these debates is an inspiration to all of us who value respect and the idea that all students have a right to a safe learning environment."

Smiley has endured unfair criticism from school and community members who misrepresent the purpose of GSAs and seem to be unaware of or just plain ignore the positive effects of GSAs on school climate.

While Smiley will be able to start the club, GLSEN is extremely discouraged by Superintendent C. Michael Warren’s blatant effort to diminish the influence and benefits of the GSA.

In his decision to allow the GSA, Warren established new rules for all non-curricular clubs that require parental permission, will not allow yearbooks to recognize the clubs, will not allow the clubs to use "Currituck County High School" in identifying themselves and will not allow students to use the schools public address system, among other policy changes.

"The underlying positive is that the GSA will be able to meet on campus and work toward improving tolerance and respect on campus," Jennings said. "That said, the superintendent obviously knows judicial precedent shows that he would have lost a costly lawsuit if he would have banned the club. Instead, he has chosen to make life as difficult as possible for students involved in the GSA, at the expense of every other co-curricular club on campus. What a shame."

GSAs provide a safe space for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) students and their straight allies to promote respect and tolerance and address anti-LGBT bullying and harassment in schools. Having a GSA reduces absenteeism and helps students feel safer in schools, perform better and have a greater sense of belonging at their school. According to GLSEN’s 2005 National School Climate Survey, which documented the experiences of LGBT students in school:

LGBT students whose school had a GSA were less likely to miss school because they felt unsafe compared to other students. About a third of students whose school has no GSA missed at least one day of school in the past month (32.0%) compared to a quarter of students whose school had a GSA (25.5%).

LGBT students whose school had a GSA reported higher levels of school belonging than students whose school did not (2.78 vs. 2.67 on a scale of 1 to 4 with 4 being strongest sense of belonging).

More than 3,000 GSAs have registered with GLSEN, including more than 50 in North Carolina. GLSEN provides a place for students to register their GSAs and receive support and resources.

About GLSEN
GLSEN, or the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, is the leading national education organization focused on ensuring safe schools for all students. Established nationally in 1995, GLSEN envisions a world in which every child learns to respect and accept all people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression. For more information on GLSEN’s educational resources, public policy agenda, student organizing programs, research, public education or development initiatives, visit www.glsen.org.