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Audit states bullying concerns by Seth Hemmelgarn
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report from the California state auditor says that school districts aren’t doing enough to check whether the anti-harassment policies they have established are effective. Matthew Whitley Auditors behind the report, “School Safety John O’Connor and Nondiscrimination Laws: Most Local Educational Agencies Do Not Evaluate the Effectiveness of Their Programs, and the State Should Exercise Stronger Leadership,” visited three agencies: the Fresno, Los Angeles, and Sacramento City unified school districts. The San Francisco Unified School District wasn’t one of the agencies examined, but data suggest the district’s efforts to prevent bullying and harassment are working. Kevin Gogin, program manager for the San Francisco district’s school health programs, said survey data from the 2012-13 school year, which is being reviewed, looks “promising.” Based on responses to questions about whether students have heard terms like “faggot,” “dyke,” or “that’s so gay,” “We have actually made some improvements” at the elementary, middle, and high school levels, said Gogin. According to data from 2010-11, the most recent statistics available, 73 percent of the district’s fifth graders who were surveyed said they had heard students using terms or phrases such as “fag” or “that’s so gay.” Gogin, who wasn’t able to provide specific figures from the new data yet, said even though progress is being made, more needs to be done. “I think it’s something we have to keep working on,” he said. “We have to keep looking at how we can be consistent with our education around respect and anti-bullying issues, as well as the consistent following of the protocols.” He estimated the new data would be available by the end of September.
State findings
According to the state report, most school districts “have policies and programs that comply with recent changes” to discrimination, harassment, intimidation, and bullying laws. However, according to the summary, none of the districts “maximized their data” to see how effective their prevention efforts have been, and all six school sites reviewed at the three districts “did not adequately document complaints,” among other findings. This limits “their ability to track complaint frequency, volume, and outcomes,” said the auditors. Carolyn Laub is executive director of the San Francisco-based Gay-Straight Alliance Network, which works with gay and allied student clubs. “The audit is really an important moment for the state and for local districts to look more closely at what can they be doing to ensure the state laws that have been passed are being fully implemented, to ensure that LGBT students and all students have the opportunity to go to schools that are safe and where they can succeed,” said Laub. See page 2 >>
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Vol. 42 • No. 35 • August 29-September 4, 2013
LGBTs protest proPutin Russian church
protest outside a Russian Orthodox Church in the Castro last weekend went on as planned, but activists found the church closed, locked, and empty despite timing the demonstration by David-Elijah Nahmod to the end of Sunday worship services. According to one protester, San Francisco police and advance media notice had the congregation leaving the building at 9:30 a.m., well before the 11 a.m. action Sunday, August 25. “Eleven o’clock is when they usually let out,” protester Mike Hoban told the Bay Area Reporter. “What apparently happened is that the congregation got into cars and left at 9:30 a.m. Rick Gerharter The press and the police Mike Hoban and Ernest Camisa joined other LGBT community activists to picket St. Nicholas Ruswere appraised of our acsian Orthodox Church in the Castro protesting the Russian Orthodox Church’s support for the recent tion – we were told this by anti-gay laws passed in Russia. Behind them is a man, who would not identify himself, who monia gay neighbor.” tored the protest in Russian and aggressively photographed the participants. Two police officers stationed across the street man Officer Albie Esparza did not return the planned action, after reading about it on from St. Nicholas Cathecalls seeking comment. blogs. Church officials also informed Sergei dral, 2005 15th Street, told the B.A.R. that According to a post by the Russian OrthoPetrov, consul general of the Russian Federathey had no knowledge of the church receivdox Church Outside of Russia, it was local tion in San Francisco. ing a warning about the protest. church officials who gave police notice of See page 21 >> San Francisco Police Department spokes-
People filled the area in front of the main stage at last year’s Oakland Pride festival.
En Vogue to draw crowd at Oakland Pride by Elliot Owen
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he legendary all-female R&B group En Vogue is making a trip home this weekend to headline at Oakland’s fourth annual LGBT Pride celebration Sunday, September 1. “The big girls are coming home,” said John Eric Henry, 50, Oakland Pride’s director of entertainment and an African American bisexual man. “Oakland Pride appeals to their sense of community. They’re originally from here and things will have come full-circle when they perform on our stage.” Oakland Pride is northern California’s second largest pride, and unlike it’s boisterous San Francisco counterpart, has grown a reputation of being a family-oriented, kid-friendly event. In 2010, the celebration’s debut year after a years-long hiatus, between 25,000 and 30,000 people attended, which remained the approximate number until last year when the event saw an increase of 2,000 to 3,000 people. Additionally, almost 600 more kids’ tickets were sold last year than in 2011. Sunday’s festival takes place from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the Uptown district. “Most Prides see kids but not as many as us,” said Oakland Pride board President Amber Todd,
32. “The fact that families feel safe enough in Oakland to bring their families out and share time with us, is amazing. This year, I’m hoping we get 40,000 people in the gate.” Fun activities offered for children and their parents and/or caregivers at the Family and Children’s Garden include face painting, a petting zoo, pony rides, arts and crafts, tours of law enforcement vehicles, a jumpy tent, and more. But Oakland Pride isn’t just for the kids, said Todd, a multiracial-identified lesbian. “There’s plenty of things for adults to enjoy, and since the Bay Bridge will be closed, BART will be running all night. You can party with us from sundown to sunrise if you want to,” she said. (The Bay Bridge closed Wednesday in order to open the new east span. BART is running 24 hours to select stations throughout the closure, which ends at 5 a.m. Tuesday, September 3.) Four entertainment stages featuring various artists and deejays will line the perimeter of the event. The stylish English singer-songwriter Luciana will headline the White Horse stage preceded by a secondary headliner, the Rebel Kings of Oakland, a local drag troupe. Headlining the Latin stage is Montez de Durango, a Chicago-based duranguense band
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Rick Gerharter
grounded in traditional Mexican music. Oakland Pride’s beloved Womyn’s stage will feature Bay Area-native R&B singer and actress LaToya London, fourth-place finalist on the third season of TV series American Idol. Actor and singer from the popular TV series Glee, J.C. Jones, will perform with his dance crew on the main stage followed by local artist Sheria Johnson, who last month sang at Yoshi’s in San Francisco. En Vogue will round out the day’s talents. Aside from the many activities and forms of entertainment offered, Todd wants people to know that Oakland Pride is also a place to get educated. A number of community organizations will be at the Community Health Pavilion to address the various issues affecting Oakland’s LGBTQ community. “Oakland Pride is not just one day where people can be entertained,” Todd said, “but it also acts as a satellite center for information. If you’re an LGBTQ parent raising kids, you can find resources offered to your my family, schools open to your children, daycare providers accepting of your family dynamic. You can get AIDS testing See page 21 >>