Student Support Services Department 

San Francisco Unified School District 

Cristy Chung of Groundspark

Thanks to a great presentation from Erik Martinez of Lyric and Amy Scharf and Cristy Chung of Groundspark, our secondary level professional development trainings were a huge success.    

Participants left with some concrete suggestions for improving GSA's through discussing curriculum and watching the award-winning film Straightlaced.    

The well-attended elementary professional development trainings were also discussion-based and participants received the book, Mom and Mum are Getting Married, accompanied by a lesson plan created by Student Support Services. Our hope is that they will discuss this lesson when they return to their sites.

We were especially glad to collaborate with the Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network this year and were privileged to have Pat Griffin, of GLSEN's Changing the Game Sports Project spend a full day with SFUSD physical education instructors and half day with athletic coaches. Pat was an engaging and knowledgeable presenter, and the discussion she led us in, as well as her concrete suggestions, helped us all re-examine how we can create safer schools for our LGBTQ students and athletes.

Names Project Quilt Panels

We ended the semester with an activity we have promoted every December since 1992. Through our ongoing relationship with the Names Project, we were able to bring 25 Names Project Quilt Panels to elementary, middle, and high schools throughout the District. It was a fitting way to end the semester, revisit HIV prevention concepts, and put a human face on the HIV epidemic.

Stop Bullying

Use a "matter of fact" tone and refer to the bullying behavior 

For example: "Excuse me, that language is unacceptable." Or "Calling someone names is bullying and it's against our school rules."

If age appropriate, specifically name the bullying behavior   "It is not okay to use those words or call someone those names at school. They are homophobic (racist, sexist, etc.)."  
 
Teachable moment   If students understand where the word comes from, or the history of why it is hurtful, it can often help avert further offenses. "The word 'faggot' actually means a bundle of sticks used for creating a fire. The term originates as far back as the 15th century, when gay men were forced to collect wood for witch-burning fires during the Spanish Inquisition--and their own bodies were then used to fuel it when the flames died out."  
 
If needed, clearly explain why you are calling the incident bullying   Occasionally students don't realize the prejudice in what they are saying. Use those few moments to explain how what they are saying is name-calling. "Telling someone that they are 'so gay' is offensive. Although you might mean 'stupid', you are actually saying stupid and gay are the same. It is not okay to put down gay people. Furthermore, it's not okay to call someone stupid."

Read more tips in our Create a Safe Classroom section.