Public Policy Platform and Amended Mission Statement: Memo to GLSEN Chapters

From: \tRegional Members of the National Board: Leif Mitchell, GLSEN Connecticut; De Palazzo, GLSEN Greater Ft. Lauderdale; Ann Acrey, GLSEN San Francisco, East Bay; Steve Person, GLSEN Central Iowa

Re: GLSEN Public Policy Platform; Amended Mission Statement

At its February 2001 meeting, GLSEN’s National Board of Directors adopted the organization’s Public Policy Platform, which provides a guiding framework for GLSEN’s work. Many leaders of GLSEN Chapters will recall that a draft of the Public Policy Platform was circulated for feedback in September of 2000, and two conference calls were held to solicit additional feedback and answer questions. A copy of the Public Policy Platform can be found at the link to the right.

The Public Policy Platform has many organizational benefits, including:

• Guiding the organization when taking positions on education policies and programs;
• Clarifying GLSEN’s mission and vision when undertaking programming activities;
• Sharing a clear indication of where we stand on the issues with activists, coalition partners and the media; and
• Providing GLSEN with a systematic approach to advocacy and public policy development.

GLSEN is governed by a national board of directors who are ultimately responsible for the organization. The Board establishes GLSEN’s mission, vision, and public policy platform. The Board hires the Executive Director and delegates the development and implementation of programs to fulfill these objectives to him or her and the staff he or she hires.

Staff are responsible for insuring that the work of chapters is consistent with the mission, vision, and public policy platform. Staff also help to shape chapter programming and build chapter capacity to advance GLSEN’s mission.

Under the supervision of field staff, chapters are responsible for assessing the unique needs of their communities and for developing program plans that effectively advance GLSEN’s mission.

GLSEN created a resource to clarify how current Chapter work fits with the Public Policy Platform. The resource lists several sample community needs and goals alongside relevant Public Policy Platform planks. This resources is both online (in the Policy Change section of the password-protected Chapter Intranet) and in the Annual chapter Accreditation Application.

If you have questions about the Public Policy Platform, please contact one of us at our email addresses listed above.

Amended Mission and Vision Statements In a related move at the February 2001 meeting, the National Board formally changed GLSEN’s mission to include “gender identity/expression” and the vision to include “/expression” (gender identity has been included). This move brings the mission in line with the organization’s current policies (including one mandating transgender inclusion, which was adopted in October 1997) and programming. A copy of the organization’s revised Mission and Vision Statements are included here

Missions and Vision statement changes

Mission

The Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network strives to assure that each member of every school community is valued and respected regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression. We believe that such an atmosphere engenders a positive sense of self, which is the basis of educational achievement and personal growth. Since homophobia and heterosexism undermine a healthy school climate, we work to educate teachers, students and the public at large about the damaging effects these forces have on youth and adults alike. We recognize that forces such as racism and sexism have similarly adverse impacts on communities and we support schools in seeking to redress all such inequities. GLSEN seeks to develop school climates where difference is valued for the positive contribution it makes in creating a more vibrant and diverse community. We welcome as members any and all individuals, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity/expression or occupation, who are committed to seeing this philosophy realized in K-12 schools.

Vision

The Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network envisions a future in which every child learns to respect and accept all people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression.