New Education Resource to Support Establishment
of Gay-Straight Alliances in Province’s Schools

The Provincial Government has allocated a total of $90,000 for a new teacher resource designed to provide support for administrators, teachers, and students who wish to establish gay-straight alliances in their schools. The resource, entitled MyGSA (or My Gay-Straight Alliance) will be provided this spring to all Newfoundland and Labrador schools offering Grades 7-12.

MyGSA will complement efforts to date, through the provincial Safe and Caring Schools Policy, to provide understanding and support for students of differing sexual orientations, said the Honourable Clyde Jackman, Minister of Education.

“We know that many young people struggle with issues around sexual orientation – often with hurtful, or even tragic, consequences,” said Minister Jackman. “This cannot continue within a school system, and a society, which claims to celebrate diversity and to respect the value of every individual. This resource will help us take an important step forward in recognizing that we all have a responsibility for ensuring that all of our students are accepted, and respected, for who they are.”

Minister Jackman addressed more than 170 school district and departmental education leaders earlier this month during a professional developmental session focused on issues around students’ sexual orientation. In addition to supporting the establishment of gay-straight alliances in schools, he asked school districts to re-examine their existing codes of conduct, and amend them to ensure there is specific reference made to protecting and respecting all students, including those with differing sexual orientations.

The MyGSA resource is funded through the Provincial Government's Violence Prevention Initiative ($50,000) and the Department of Education ($40,000), and developed in partnership with the Women's Policy Office and Egale Canada, the country's lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans human rights organization.

“Preventing violence for individuals in our society with differing sexual orientations is a key objective of the Violence Prevention Initiative,” said the Honourable Charlene Johnson, Minister Responsible for the Status of Women and lead Minister for the Violence Prevention Initiative. “Through this initiative, our government is pleased to support the goal of making school environments safer for all students and to address issues of interpersonal violence for vulnerable populations in the province.”

The Newfoundland and Labrador version of MyGSA is modelled after a similar resource currently available in some Ontario schools.

“We are delighted to be working with Newfoundland and Labrador on this initiative,” said Helen Kennedy, Executive Director of Egale Canada. “This is the first province in Canada to make MyGSA available to all junior and senior high schools. We are very proud of Newfoundland and Labrador’s commitment to safe and caring schools for everyone, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.”

The Provincial Government’s Safe and Caring Schools policy was introduced in 2006 in response to a growing concern about students’ safety and well-being in schools. Over the years, the initiative has been proactive in developing programs and resources aimed at early intervention and education on violence prevention. For more information on Safe and Caring Schools, visit: www.ed.gov.nl.ca/edu/k12/safeandcaring/index.html.

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2012 01 23             3:20 p.m.