Positive Images Notes from Presentation and Pledge to Act

What is Positive Images?

• A support group for the gay, lesbian and transgender community that meets every Thursday at Santa Rosa High School.
• 1st Thursday-"Check In"- Members get the opportunity to talk about what is going on in their lives, and this is a chance to give and receive feedback.
• 2nd Thursday is another check in meeting and this is when parents are allowed to come too.
• 3rd Thursday is Guest Night- Parents and friends can listen to a guest speaker address a topic relevant to the community.
• 4th Thursday is Chops Night-Open and social meeting at the Chop's Teen club in SR where there is an activity planned.
• Other services they have are peer counseling which are one on one meetings with a trained youth counselor and other members.
• They also have a community center opened Monday through Friday from 1-5 where youth can drop in and visit, check out the library, and gender exploration closet.

Field Trip Highlights:

• Listened to a panel presentation.
• Consisted of different people who are gay, lesbian, and transgender.
• They talked about their experiences with parents and their learning environment.
• Many of them were bullied by their peers and the teachers and administrators did not do much to stop the harassment.
• Also gave us some tips about what we can do as teachers to prevent the harassment.

My Reaction:

• I felt that this presentation helped me understand what these people went through and it will help me create a safe classroom.
• There will be absolutely NO harassment of any kind in my classroom!

The Pledge to Act:

By reading and signing this pledge to act, and be an ally for LGBTQ students we as teachers have decided to make a change. We will no longer accept views of Homophobia, Transphobia, and Heterosexism that deny equal rights and safe schools to all students. Change can happen if we do what is right.