+++++++++++++++ GSA NETWORK HIGHLIGHT+++++++++++++++
GSA Network Youth Works To Bring Awareness To His Rural High School
by Richard C. Griswold III, senior at Kerman High School
I first moved to Kerman, CA, nearly three years ago. Kerman is a very small (8000+ estimated population) farming town located in the Central Valley. At the point of my arrival, I had been out of the closet to my friends and most of my family. Kerman seemed like it would be an easy triumph for me. When I started my sophomore year, I was proven wrong within the first week. There was no GSA club.
Needless to say, I WAS THE GSA CLUB. Not that I believe that there aren't any LGBT youth at Kerman High, but there is no one willing to out themselves publicly. I have seen the glances, the somewhat acknowledgements of who I am and maybe even a silent message of support or alliance, but not once has another student come out to me. Going to high school in an environment such as this can be very lonely and you begin to look for close friends for support or community organizations for networking.
Having been a student at Kerman High for three years now, I have witnessed more homophobia than at any other school I have been to, including Fresno's Seventh-Day Adventist Academy. Homophobic slurs in everyday classroom talk sounded from across the classrooms in every period. Every time I hear one of these slurs, I look to the teacher, as if pleading for them to step in. Of the hundreds of times I have heard these slurs, a teacher has stepped in only twice, in my entire high school career. Many might ask, why haven't I done more, but to be honest, I just want to go to school and be educated in a safe environment, without always being expected to be the one to stop the slurs and protect all that surrounds me.
Having come out at a younger age, I had quickly gotten over the fear of being discovered. But, at Kerman High, I made the decision to just exist, sort of like, "don't ask, don't tell." I ignored the students, and they ignored me. It was our own mutual understanding of one another.
But recently I saw a film called The Laramie Project, which follows the aftermath of the Matthew Shepard murder. One of the characters makes a statement concerning the phrase: "Live and let live." This was the universe I was quite comfortable living in for some time at Kerman, so it caught my interest.
The character said, "Live and let live is, at best, a load of crap. It basically boils down to: 'If I don't tell you I'm a fag, you won't beat the crap out of me.' What kind of solution is that?" This character really made me realize that people should not have the power to intimidate me. I should have as equal an opportunity to start a club on campus as any other student of Kerman High, regardless of the issue, and not feel intimidated by the attitude of others.
Last October, I found it was time to get involved. I discovered a Youth Alliance meeting that met every Friday night in the Tower District of Fresno. At this meeting, the Central Valley Program Coordinator for the GSA Network began discussing an upcoming youth conference, Expression NOT Suppression.
This was going to be my first event as an LGBT activist. I worked diligently on the event, and it was one of the most gratifying experiences in my life. I soon began to gain back the confidence that I had unnoticeably silenced. But I wasn't ready to revisit the idea of a GSA club in Kerman quite yet.
Later in February, the Equality for All campaign came to Fresno. The campaign was focused on stopping the anti-gay "Limits on Marriage" petition circulating around California, attempting to amend the state constitution to forever ban same-sex marriage for California citizens. I began as a regular volunteer on the weekends, but I was soon hired as a full-time staff member. I worked sixty hours a week, six days a week for the rest of the campaign, while attending high school in the mornings.
Through all of this work, I have forgotten my fears about my quiet little hometown, called Kerman. I made the decision for myself and for the silent others to register a GSA club at Kerman High. It is my goal by the end of the year to find five students and work to get Kerman's GSA club ready for the 2008-2009 school year.
We can't always win in our efforts as activists, but I have chosen to make the decision to live openly, with pride and without fear - and, for that I am always going to be victorious. And with this victory, in the future, Kerman High and the community of Kerman, will benefit from my single person efforts.
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+++++++++++++ GSA NETWORK ANNOUNCEMENTS +++++++++++++
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1. Apply for GSA Activist Camp This Summer!!
It's that time of year again! GSA Network Activist Camp is happening in Northern California and Southern California.
Who's excited? We are!
The GSA Activist Camp is a youth-planned and youth-led 3-day event that features
intensive community building, skill-building, political education, and
leadership training for GSA members and potential members. All LGBT
and straight ally youth from California can apply. Youth who will be in a high school
or middle school GSA next year will be given priority.
APPLY ONLINE:
http://www.gsanetwork.org/camp/camp2007.html
Southern California
On June 20-22 youth from all over Southern California and the Central Valley will be flocking to beautiful Cal State Northridge. Application deadline is May 30.
Questions? mailto:Daniel@gsanetwork.org
Northern California
On August 15-17 youth from all over Northern California and Central Valley will be heading to the Marin Headlands in Sausalito. Application deadline is July 25.
Questions? mailto:Kiely@gsanetwork.org For questions, call 415.552.4229
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2. Day of Silence This Week!
This Friday is the Day of Silence! Are you ready? Are you registered? The
National Day of Silence brings attention to anti-LGBT name-calling,
bullying and harassment in schools. This year's event will be held in
memory of Lawrence King, a California 8th-grader who was shot and
killed Feb. 12 by a classmate because of his sexual orientation and
gender expression. Hundreds of thousands of students will come together
on April 25 to encourage schools and classmates to address the problem
of anti-LGBT behavior.
Be sure to register your GSA's participation in the Day of Silence at:
http://www.dayofsilence.org
To see GSA Network's Day of Silence planning tips
for during and after the event go here: http://www.gsanetwork.org/resources/dos.html
If
your school's administration, for whatever reason, won't allow you or
your GSA to participate in the Day of Silence, consider holding some
sort of event before or after school, or perhaps on the weekend. Plus,
you can also join a larger celebration with a local community
organization (such as PFLAG, GLSEN, your local LGBT center, etc.) and
make the cause to honor this special day. Or, you can have some sort of
remembrance ceremony or special meeting just after the official Day of
Silence with your GSA. Remember, while the Day of Silence is the one
official time set aside to remember those who have been silenced, it
does not need to be the only day. We should struggle everyday to fight
for those who cannot stand up for themselves.
For a list of answers to frequently asked questions, please visit: http://www.dayofsilence.org/content/getinformation.html
For more information, please contact the GLSEN Student Organizing Department via email at mailto:info@dayofsilence.org or by calling 212-727-0135 to be directed to the correct staff member.
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3. Day of Silence-Remembering Larry Rally (Los Angeles)
Downtown Los Angeles, California
Friday, April 25, 2008
Meet at 4:30, we will begin at 5:00 p.m
Location: Meet at Pershing Square (5th/Hill), end at City Hall
Co-Sponsored By: SoCal GSA Network
Questions: http://www.myspace.com/socalgsanetwork
mailto:kornortega@yahoo.com or mailto:lhrgarcia011@yahoo.com
323-829-0395 *********************************************
4. Measure to Protect LGBT Foster Youth Passes First Committee
April 17, 2008
SACRAMENTO - Assembly lawmakers yesterday passed a bill that would help protect foster youth against harassment and discrimination at school. Assembly Bill 3015, introduced in response to a school shooting in Oxnard two months ago, would educate foster care youth, and their caregivers, about existing California laws that protect students against bias.
The Assembly Human Services Committee passed AB 3015 on Tuesday with an initial vote of 5-2. The bill is authored by Assemblymember Julia Brownley, D-Woodland Hills, and co-sponsored by Equality California, the National Association of Social Workers (California Chapter) and the Gay-Straight Alliance Network.
In February, 15-year-old Lawrence "Larry" King was shot in the head by another classmate at E.O. Green Junior High School in Oxnard. Larry, who had recently begun to identify as gay, was the target of bullying and ridicule by some of his classmates, including the alleged shooter. The victim was in the foster care system and lived in a group home for abused and neglected children.
"Every day, young people are bullied and harassed because of their sexual orientation or gender identity, which in part leads to higher rates of depression, school dropout and suicide among lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth," said EQCA Executive Director Geoff Kors. "In Oxnard, this escalated into a tragic hate crime that ruined the lives of not just one, but two youth. This bill will help ensure that foster youth, like Larry, have caring adults in their lives who will take the time to explain their rights to safety and dignity at school."
AB 3015 requires that existing training programs for foster youth and their caregivers include information about existing school safety laws that protect students from discrimination. EQCA was the sponsor of several bills which have become law that protect public school students from bias based on many factors, including sexual orientation and gender identity and expression.
"The death of a child is a profound loss. Let us remember Larry as a young man who believed it was his protected right to pursue and to discover his own identity," said Assemblymember Julia Brownley. "It is my deep, sincere hope that AB 3015 serves as a step to providing our young people with a safe, protective environment in which to grow and thrive."
"Social workers are the first line of defense in ensuring that foster youth are safe in all their environments, including school," said NASW-CA Executive Director Janlee Wong. "AB 3015 ensures that social workers, foster parents, relative caregivers, group homes and, most importantly, foster youth are informed of the protections foster youth are entitled to on their school campuses and how to report and prevent harassment and violence at school."
"Foster youth and their caregivers need to know that they have the right to attend a safe school where youth won't be harassed or bullied based on their sexual orientation or gender identity or expression," said GSA Network Executive Director Carolyn Laub. "GSA Network is proud to co-sponsor AB 3015, which will help stop violence and harassment directed toward LGBT foster youth in their school setting." *********************************************
5. Proponents of Marriage Ban Claim "Victory". Let's Prove Them Wrong.
Today, proponents of the constitutional amendment banning marriage for gay and lesbian couples in California are claiming to have enough signatures to qualify it for the November 2008 ballot.
Now we must wait for the actual signatures to be counted to see if the amendment will be on the ballot. But we need to prepare for the long and expensive fight ahead if we have any chance of defeating this amendment in November.
We have talked to millions of Californians and have built an incredible base of strong support thanks to your help. What most campaigns accomplish in 6 months, we accomplished in 6 weeks. We have so much to be proud of and everyone on the Equality For All campaign team can't thank you enough for all you have done.
And now, we need you to do more. Our opponents have out-spent us by more than 2 to 1 so far. They raised $230,000 in just the last 18 days. We have to close that gap in order to win. Please make as generous a contribution as you can to the Equality For All campaign.
Each and every penny will go toward defeating this hateful effort to exclude gay and lesbian couples from marriage in California for generations to come.
Thank you for all you have done and please check your emails for updates on our campaign.
Sincerely,
Seth Kilbourn
Equality For All
P.S. Read the latest campaign update at www.equalityforall.com and thanks in advance for continued support.
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++++++++++++++++ OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS ++++++++++++++++
GSA Network News is a publication of Gay-Straight Alliance Network. Events,
resources, and news items listed under "Other Announcements" are not
sponsored or written by GSA Network, and do not necessarily reflect the views
and opinions of GSA Network.
Southern California
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6. Rainbow Pride Youth Theatre (Riverside/San Bernardino)
The Rainbow Pride Youth Alliance theatre troupe opens this weekend. The
wonderful actors are all youth ages 16-20 years who participate in the
Rainbow Pride Youth Alliance Center for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual,
Transgender, Queer, questioning and ally youth.
The performance highlights youth telling their stories through skits, poems, and monologues.
There is a free public performance: Sunday, April 27th, 3:00 pm
First Christian Church, Fellowship Hall
4055 Jurupa Avenue, Riverside, CA 92507
(corner of Brockton and Jurupa)
There will also be another public performance on Saturday, May 3rd @ 7:30pm at Mulvane Center in San Bernardino.
Please pass the word and join us in celebration of the lives of our youth.
Maggie Hawkins, MPH, CHES
Executive Director
Rainbow Pride Youth Alliance
985 Kendall Drive, Suite A, Box 312
San Bernardino, CA 92407-4104
Phone: 909.725-0417
Email: MaggieHawkins@rpya.org
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7. LGBTQ Youth Prom Tickets On Sale Now (Los Angeles)
The annual LGBTQ Youth Prom is scheduled for Friday, May 16, 2008, at the Friendship
Auditorium in Los Angeles, from 8 PM to 12 midnight. Youth, ages 14 to 23 are invited
to attend.
Prepay student tickets are $30, and tickets at the door are $40. Adult chaperones must pay the full cost of the ticket, $50. Visit http://www.modelsofpride.org
for more information about this year's prom and to download a ticket application.
Tickets will be held at the door.
Prepay and save money!
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8. LifeWorks teams up with Equity Project to ensure fairness in the juvenile justice system (Southern California)
The Equity Projectis aimed at ensuring that LGBT youth in juvenile delinquency courts are treated with dignity, respect, and fairness. One of the main goals of the Equity Project is to learn about the interactions LGBT youth have with probation officers, defenders, prosecutors, and judges, and to find out what LGBT youth think is needed to improve the juvenile justice for LGBT youth.
If you would like to participate in a focus group where you talk about your experiences, please contact us at mailto:rsvp@lifeworksmentoring.org.
We will provide food and incentive gift cards. The date and location of the group will be arranged based on the participants' availability.
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9. Models of Pride Conference (Save the Date)
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2008
OCCIDENTAL COLLEGE
The annual Models of Pride (MOP 16) is scheduled for Saturday, November 1, 2008,
at Occidental College in Eagle Rock. This is a free one-day conference for youth,
ages 14 to 23. The focus of the conference is on LGBTQ
youth interests and issues.
Applications for workshop proposals, volunteers, and the resource faire will be
posted in the next few weeks (a reminder will be sent out).
SAVE THE DATE!
Central Valley
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10. Fresno City College Pride Day (Fresno)
On behalf of the Fresno City College Diversity Club. The FCC Diversity Club cordially invites your high school GSA to attend our annual Fresno City College Pride Day Celebration. We appreciate your students' interest in our event, and we would love for them to experience the festivities of this year's celebration.
This is a social, cultural, and educational event seeking to enhance awareness, understanding, and acceptance of the GLBT+ community.
This year's Pride will be Friday, April 25th from 10am- 2pm in the college's free speech area.
The celebration this year, like previous years, will be home to informational and educational booths of various organizations within Fresno's GLBT+ community. Food will also be sold at some of these booths. Students will also have the opportunity to watch a scheduled line up of dynamic entertainers as they perform, and be able to participate in educational workshops pertaining to the subject of GLBT+ issues.
Your high school GSA's are among a number of high school GSA's we are hoping will be able to attend our Pride Day Celebration.
Please let us know if you are able to attend, by phoning me at 1(559) 285-0795 or e-mailing me at
mailto:zoyer_zachary@yahoo.com by Friday, April 11th at 5pm.
We look forward to seeing you there.
Northern California
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11. Youth Screening of "Ask Not" (San Francisco)
Dear GSA members,
My name is Keith Zwolfer I'm from the Education Department of the San Francisco International Film Festival and we thought that you might be interested in our special Schools at the Festival youth screening of the film Ask Not, a documentary about Don't-Ask-Don't-Tell and the young activists trying to fight the policy. The screening is being held exclusively for Bay Area youth and educators, GSA's, as well as LGBTQ youth organizations.
The screening's on a Tuesday afternoon, so for students and teachers it would be a field-trip opportunity. The filmmaker will also be attending to lead a Q & A after the film. All of the ticket information is included below. I've also included a little blurb below about the screening along with a longer description of the film for your information.
If you are a student reading this please encourage your GSA teacher/advisor to bring your group. We look forward to hearing from you!
To learn more about our education program check out our site http://www.sffs.org/education/index.html
SF International Film Festival Presents a Special Youth Screening of "Ask Not"
The 51st San Francisco International Film Festival Education Program presents a special Schools at the Festival youth screening of Ask Not, a documentary about the U.S. military's "Don't-Ask-Don't-Tell" policy and the people trying to change it. November 2008 will mark the 15th anniversary of this policy and more than 12,000 service members, from new recruits to senior officers, have been discharged since its inception. Despite the fact that recruitment goals are consistently unmet in this time of war, highly qualified men and women are unable to enlist. Directed by an Award-winning Bay Area filmmaker, Ask Not features, among others, a gay San Francisco soldier's retreat into the closet as he heads off to Baghdad.
The screening takes place on Tuesday, April 29th at 12:45 PM at the Kabuki Theater in San Francisco (Post Street at Fillmore). Educators and students receive a significant discount on admission to this screening, just $2.50 per ticket. For more information, or to purchase tickets, contact Keith Zwölfer at 415.561.5040 or mailto:kzwolfer@sffs.org. Schools at the Festival tickets cannot be purchased through the regular Festival box office.
Ask Not
Tuesday, April 29, 12:45 pm
Directed by Johnny Symons (USA 2008, 73 mins)
http://www.asknotfilm.com
November 2008 will mark the 15th anniversary of the U.S. military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy, with very little to celebrate. More than 12,000 service members, from new recruits to senior officers, have been discharged since its inception and, despite the fact that recruitment goals are consistently unmet in this time of war, willing, able and highly qualified men and women are unable to enlist. Award-winning Bay Area filmmaker Johnny Symons (Daddy & Papa, SFIFF 2002) presents a stinging examination of the policy's failure and injustice, approaching the issue from three perspectives: following an upstart group of young gays and lesbians promoting a Right to Serve campaign in which they attempt to enlist as openly homosexual candidates; documenting the efforts of former soldiers to expose the policy's flaws by sharing their personal experiences with military and civilian audiences; and creating a video diary of one San Francisco soldier's retreat into the closet as he heads off to Baghdad. Referencing Harry S. Truman's controversial military desegregation act of 1948, Symons reflects on what many considered to be President Bill Clinton's failure to do right by the gay community when he signed "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" into law, placing the issue squarely back before the American people. Warmly personal, politically incisive and straightforward, Ask Not should be required viewing this election season.
Program Note: Brief nudity and profanity during footage of a gay pride parade
Suggested Subjects: American History, Journalism, Peer/Youth Issues, Political Science, Social Science
Grades: 9-12
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12. Straightlaced Rough Cut Screenings
Rough
cut screenings of Straightlaced with youth will be used to gather
feedback about the content of the film, which features teenagers
talking about the limitations of strict gender roles and the underlying
homophobia at the heart of it all. Rough cut screenings can take place
in high school classes, afterschool programs, community gatherings,
religious youth groups etc. If you work with youth or know of other
adults who do and can help us arrange for a screening, please contact
Sue Chen, producer, at 415-641-4616 ext 304 or mailto:schen@groundspark.org.
Screenings will take about 2 hours, which includes viewing the film as
well as time for feedback and discussion with the filmmakers. This is a
great opportunity for youth to be involved in the filmmaking process
and have a dialogue about gender roles and homophobia.
GroundSpark
2180 Bryant St. Ste. 203
San Francisco, CA 94110
Tel: 415-641-4616 Fax: 415-641-4632
http://www.groundspark.org
mailto:info@groundspark.org
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13. Queer Prom - Midnight Masquerade (San Francisco)
June 21st Saturday
QUEER PROM-Midnight Masquerade
(2nd annual SF Queer Prom) 8pm-Midnight
The SF LGBT Center
1800 Market St @ Octavia
Free for youth 24 & under (ID & dress code required)
RSVP for VIP List 415.865.5633
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14. Breaking the Silence Rally (Santa Cruz)
Support queer youth and allies for a rally after a "National Day of Silence" in downtown Santa Cruz, Clock Tower, for a program including youth & adult speakers, open mic, and poetry performances. The rally will bring attention to anti-GLBT name-calling bullying, and harassment in schools. This year's event will be held in memory of Lawrence King, a California 8th-grader who was shot and killed Feb. 12th by a classmate because of homophobia in his school.
Co-sponsors include: Santa Cruz County Queer Youth Task Force; Friday Night Live Chapter - YWCA Watsonville; UCSC Lionel Cantú GLBTI Resource Center; Diversity Center, GLBT Alliance of Santa Cruz County; and STRANGE/Youth Services, SCCCC, Inc..
Friday, April 25, 5:00 - 6:30pm
Downtown Santa Cruz, Clock Tower.
Info: (831) 427-4004 or mailto:info@QYTF.org
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15. Queer Youth Leadership Awards (Santa Cruz County)
Santa Cruz County welcomes all GSA members, advisor's, and their families to the 11th Annual Queer Youth Leadership Awards of Santa Cruz County. View the photo's, read the biographies, and listen to some of the radio interviews at www.QYLA.org.
This year marks the first year QYLA is being held at a middle school and we welcome all communities to join us for an inspiring and important community event honoring queer youth leaders and their allies.
Group rates and Complimentary Tickets to GSA's
If your GSA would like to travel to Santa Cruz County to be part of this inspiring event, please contact us at (831) 427-4004 or info@QYLA.org
11th Annual Queer Youth Leadership Awards
Saturday, April 26
New Brighton Middle School Performing Arts Center
250 Washburn Avenue, Capitola, 95010
Santa Cruz County
· 5:00 PM: Resource Fair
· 5:30 PM: Buffet Dinner by Southern Exposure Catering
· 7:00 PM: Variety Show and Awards Ceremony
· 9:00 PM: Community Dance
A project of the Santa Cruz County Task Force for LGBTIQ Youth, an affiliate of the Diversity Center. Co-sponsored, in part, by Soquel Union Elementary School District.
Scholarships
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16. COLAGE Scholarship
Scholarships for students with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and/or queer (LGBTQ) parent(s), sponsored by COLAGE with generous support from the Horizons Foundation Joseph Towner Fund.
COLAGE is pleased to announce a continued partnership with Horizons Foundation to award four $1,000 scholarships to support the undergraduate studies of students who have one or more LGBTQ parent(s)/guardian(s) and have demonstrated ability and commitment to effecting change in the LGBTQ community and the community at large.
The application deadline is Monday, June 2, 2008.
Lee Dubin Memorial Fund
Some of the most powerful members of the LGBTQ community are the children of LGBTQ parents who have grown up being nurtured and supported by this community and are now part of a whole generation of people who have the power to create dramatic change in the world. The fund was named for the father of COLAGE founder Ali Nickel-Dubin and through college scholarships, aims to honor our collective power and celebrate the unique experiences and achievements of our families. Students who are actively working to combat homophobia and or transphobia/ gender-based discrimination and increase positive awareness of LGBTQ families are strongly encouraged to apply.
Requirements
Applicants must:
Have one or more lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and/ or queer parent(s)/guardian(s).
Be enrolled in an accredited postsecondary institution. No graduate level or higher applicants please.
Maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0.
Guidelines for consideration
Four grants of $1,000 each will be awarded.
Awards will be granted by the COLAGE Scholarship Committee, which is made up of volunteers who are LGBTQ parents and adult children of LGBTQ parents.
Applicants of all backgrounds are encouraged to apply. COLAGE does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, physical dis/ability, socio-economic status, sexual orientation, immigration/refugee status, age, gender, or type of LGBTQ family.
Board or staff members of COLAGE, and their immediate family members, are not eligible to apply.
Applicants must be willing to be named publicly in association with COLAGE, Horizons Foundation, and the Scholarship Program.
Applicants with demonstrated economic need are encouraged to apply.
To learn more and download the application, please visit http://www.colage.org/programs/academic/leedubin.htm
If you are unable to download the application online, contact us for a paper copy.
Questions?
Contact COLAGE at 415-861-KIDS (5437) or mailto:scholarship@colage.org
COLAGE is a national movement of children, youth and adults with one or more lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and/or queer parent(s). We build community and work toward social justice through youth empowerment, leadership development, education and advocacy.
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17. GALAA Scholarships
This year the Gay and Lesbian Allied Administrators (GALAA) will award scholarships ranging from $500 to $1000 to any Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) graduating seniors who have demonstrated the following criteria for eligibility:
* Academic Excellence or Progress
* Excellent School Attendance
* Participation in Extra-Curricular Clubs or Activities
* Participation in Community Service
* A Commitment to Advance the Civil Rights of the LGBT Population
For consideration of a scholarship award, please fill out the application. The deadline for submission is Friday, May 30, 2008.
Please mail your application to:
GALAA
3510 Garden Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90039
Download the application at: http://galaaonline.org/docs/GALAAScholarshipApplication2008.pdf
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18. Models of Excellence (MOE) Scholarship, Sponsored by Friends of Project
10 Inc.
APPLICATIONS DUE APRIL 25, 2008
Friends of Project 10 Inc. would like to remind all senior high school students,
regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, who are graduating from any California High School that they may apply for the Models of Excellence scholarship program. Graduating seniors
need to demonstrate a commitment to LGBTQ civil rights and indicate which school they plan to a
ttend for higher education. Awards of $500 and $1,000 are given at a ceremony on Saturday, June 28, 2008.
Scholarship applications are due no later than April 25, 2008.
Visit http://www.modelsofpride.org for more information and to download an application.
Contact Friends of Project
10 Inc. at mailto:project10@hotmail.com
or 626.577.4553.
News
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19. NEWS: Rights groups want teen to be tried as juvenile
Rights groups want teen to be tried as juvenile
McInerney, 14, charged in fatal shooting of classmate
By Raul Hernandez
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Ventura County Star
A coalition of advocates for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights is calling for Ventura County prosecutors to try 14-year-old Brandon McInerney in juvenile court, not as an adult.
McInerney has been charged as an adult in connection with the Feb. 12 fatal shooting of a classmate, Larry King, at E.O. Green School in Oxnard.
According to students, King, 15, might have been targeted because he was openly gay.
The coalition of lesbian, gay and other organizations, including Lambda Legal, the National Center for Lesbian Rights and the Transgender Law Center, announced Monday they have asked District Attorney Greg Totten to try McInerney as a juvenile.
"We are saddened and outraged by the murder of junior high school student Lawrence King," the groups' statement read. "At the same time, we call on prosecutors not to compound this tragedy with another wrong. We call on them to treat the suspect as a juvenile, not as an adult."
The groups' statement called for the suspect to "be held accountable for his actions. But we support the principles underlying our juvenile justice system that treat children differently than adults and provide greater hope and opportunity for rehabilitation."
The district attorney has made no final decision on the matter, officials said.
"This is still under investigation," said Chief Deputy District Attorney Mike Frawley.
He said the District Attorney's Office is learning more about the case as the facts continue to come in.
Asked when the investigation will conclude, Frawley said he doesn't know and wouldn't speculate.
"We'd rather get it right than do it in a hurry. There's no final decision, and it could still go either way," he said of juvenile vs. adult court.
McInerney, charged with first-degree murder and a hate crime, is scheduled to be arraigned May 8.
Other groups that signed the statement include the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California, Equality California, Gay Straight Alliance Network, Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center, and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force.
To read the full story, visit:
http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2008/apr/16/rights-groups-want-teen-to-be-tried-as-juvenile/
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20. NEWS: Groups urge DA charge suspect as juvenile
Bay Area Reporter
4/17/2008
by Cynthia Laird
A coalition of 27 LGBT and allied groups from California and elsewhere have sent a letter to the Ventura County District Attorney's office urging that the teenager charged in the shooting
death of a gay Oxnard middle school student be tried as a juvenile.
Brandon McInerney, 14, was arrested in the case and has been charged as
an adult in the February 12 murder of classmate Lawrence King, 15. Both
were in class at E.O. Green Middle School when McInerney allegedly shot
King. Students have reportedly said that McInerney targeted King
because the victim was openly gay and sometimes wore feminine jewelry
and makeup.
In a statement sent to Ventura County District Attorney Gregory Totten,
the groups said that prosecuting McInerney as an adult would "not bring
Lawrence King back, nor will it make schools safer for LGBT youth."
Organizations that signed the letter include the American Civil
Liberties Union of Southern California, Lambda Legal Defense and
Education Fund, the National Center for Lesbian Rights, Community
United Against Violence, the Transgender Law Center, the Gay Straight
Alliance Network Ally Action, and Equality California.
"We are saddened and outraged by the murder of junior high school
student Lawrence King," the statement reads. "At the same time, we call
on prosecutors not to compound this tragedy with another wrong. We call
on them to treat the suspect as a juvenile, not as an adult."
The statement continued, "The alleged perpetrator, who turned 14 years
old less than three weeks before the shooting, should be held
accountable for his actions. But we support the principles underlying
our juvenile justice system that treat children differently than adults
and provide greater hope and opportunity for rehabilitation."
To read the full story, visit:
http://www.ebar.com/news/article.php?sec=news&article=2904
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