Resources Available from GSA for Safe Schools
Resources to Download
GSA Nuts and Bolts
10 Steps for Starting a GSA
Would you like to start a Gay-Straight Alliance at your school, but aren't
quite sure how to go about doing that? This resource will walk you
through the basics, including what to do if your school says "no".
Elements of a GSA
Gay-Straight Alliances can serve a lot of different purposes. This
activity will help students and GSA advisors think about what "kind" of
GSA they would like to have. Are we a social group? Are we activists?
Can we be both? Download this resource.
What the heck is a PGP?
Most of us use pronouns every day without giving it a second thought, but for some people the use of pronouns isn’t so casual. This resource
explains what we mean when we say “preferred gender pronouns” and
contains two activities that GSAs and other groups can use to help them
get into the practice of using gender neutral pronouns.
2009 Ready-Made Events
Is your Gay-Straight Alliance looking for new events to organize in your school? This document lists some common "days of
action" that are perfect for GSAs and similar clubs, such as TransAction, Day of Silence and National Coming Out Day.
Download it here.
GSA Leadership: What Does it Look Like? This activity takes introduces four different
models that GSAs frequently use to establish leadership teams within their clubs, and provides discussion questions to help
students and advisors come up with the advantages and disadvantages of each model. Which model would work best for your GSA?
Download it here.
Qualities of a LeaderLeaders come in all shapes and sizes. But are there any traits that
every good leader possesses? This activity is designed to generate discussion around the qualities of a good leader in an
interactive and colorful way. Download it here.
Teaching It Back
A guide to talking about HIV/AIDS with your GSA. Download it here.
Keeping the Momentum
Gay-Straight Alliances are a great way for students to practice
their leadership skills and exercise social activism. But what happens
when those students graduate? This resource discusses a number of ways
to "keep the momentum going" and stay connected to LGBT activism in the
state of Wisconsin. Download this resource.
GSAs and the Law
Legal Responsibility
This sheet gives short descriptions of three federal laws and one
Wisconsin law that protect the rights of LGBT youth and GSAs in
public schools: The Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment, Title
IX of Education Amendments Act of 1972, the Equal Access
Act, and the Wisconsin Pupil Nondiscrimination Law. Download this
resource here.
118.13 “101”
Did you know that Wisconsin was one of the first states to specifically list sexual orientation in its pupil nondiscrimination
policy? This resource breaks down state statute 118.13 into bite-sized, easy-to-swallow pieces and answers the question, “What
does discrimination mean, exactly?” Download this resource here.
118.13 PSA
Students have the right to be free from discrimination in school. This
public service announcement reminds students, by way of song, to
let everyone in their school know about Wisconsin's Pupil
Non-Discrimination Law 118.13.
The song was written by 2008 GSAFE Scholarship Recipient and Madison
West High School graduate Miles Walser as part of a year-long campaign
aimed at educating Wisconsin schools about the state Pupil
Non-Discrimination Law. The PSA was produced by MMSD TV and includes art from
fellow West graduate Hannah Johnson.
For this and other videos please visit www.mmsd.tv.
Sample Harassment Incident Report Form
So what do you do if you’re being harassed at school? It’s important to
keep a record of incidents of harassment, and your school may
have a form similar to this resource
that you can use to file a report. If they don’t have something like
this, it’s okay to keep
record of what happened on a piece of notebook paper or in a journal.
Just make sure you list as many details as possible: what
happened, where it happened, when it happened, and who was present.
Harassment Report Flow Chart
Most incidents of harassment can be handled very quickly and effectively
by a teacher, administrator, or other school professional. But
what happens if your school isn’t acting on your complaints, or if
things aren’t being handled to your satisfaction? You have the right
to file a formal complaint, and this resource shows the steps you can take to do that.
Sample Letters of Complaint
If you are going to file a formal complaint either with the LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICT or at the STATE LEVEL,
your complaint letter should follow
a certain format. At the local level, you will need to know who the
district designee is for receiving such complaints. A list of Wisconsin
school district designees can be downloaded from DPI’s website at: http://dpi.wi.gov/sped/puplnondis.html.
Frequently Asked Questions about Day of Silence
Information about the legal responsibilities of schools and the rights of students. Download it here.
GSA Advisor Resources
Is it Chess Club or a Gay-Straight Alliance
Is advising GSA the same as adivising Chess Club? Download this
document to better understand both the similarities and differences.
Best Practices for adults interested in working with Middle School
Gay-Straight Alliances
What is the role of the middle school GSA advisor? Download this
resource to get a a better idea.
Gay Straight Alliances: Best Practices in Youth Development and After
-School Programs
How can adult advisors support the success of middle school GSAs? Created
by Madison School and Community Recreation staff. Download it here.
LGBT History
Check out our free resources on LGBT History here.
Resources to Purchase
Below are a number of new visual resources you can use to
educate, inform, and raise awareness. For prices and ordering
information please download this form.
Safe Zone Sticker
Students regularly tell us that one of the easiest ways to show your
support is to display a Safe Zone sign in your classroom or office. Now
GSAFE has our very own Safe Zone sticker. The small print reads:
Lesbian ∙ Gay ∙ Bisexual ∙ Transgender ∙ Questioning ∙ Straight
This is a place where people of all sexual orientations and gender identities are welcomed and affirmed
“I Just Heard You Say, ‘That’s So Gay!’” Poster
Our “I Just Heard You Say, ‘That’s So Gay!’” series was inspired by
students at Velma Hamilton Middle School in Madison, WI and re-imagined
by artist and student activist Kate Erickson. Hang this poster in
prominent locations around your school and you’ve already gone a long
ways towards setting clear expectations for language and behavior with
students – and staff!
“I Just Heard You Say, ‘That’s So Gay!’” Postcard
The postcard is a smaller version of our poster. It’s perfect for your
door or window – or for sending quick notes through the mail.
“I Just Heard You Say, ‘That’s So Gay!’” Business card
Educate on the spot with our business cards. The back side is the same
as our poster and postcard. The front says, “Expand Your Vocabulary.”
The next time you hear someone say, “That’s so gay!” simply hand her or
him this card. They’ll get the point without you having to say a word.
“I am not a retard” Poster
This long-awaited addition to our “Expand Your Vocabulary” series,
this poster addresses the casual use of the word “retard” and the
phrase “that’s retarded”, another hurtful expression that we would like
to see disappear from our hallways, classrooms and communities.
A collaborative effort of students belonging to two different clubs – a
Gay-Straight Alliance and Peer Partners – this poster was the product
of a project called “Creating New Allies”, which sought to help LGBTQ
students, student with disabilities, and their allies learn how to
create more inclusive and welcoming learning environments for all
students.
“I am not a retard” Postcard
The postcard is a smaller version of our poster. It’s perfect for
your door or window – or for sending quick notes through the mail.
“I am not a retard” Business card
Educate on the spot with our business cards. The back side is the same
as our poster and postcard. The front says, “Expand Your Vocabulary.”
The next time you hear someone say, “Retard!” simply hand her or him
this card. They’ll get the point without you having to say a word.
For prices and ordering information please download this form.
The Panel Project
In November 2006 Wisconsin voters amended the state constitution to ban
not only marriage for same sex couples but also civil unions and other
similar forms of legal recognition. In the months leading up to the vote
GSAFE worked with students to help them get engaged in speaking out about
their views on the ban. One piece of that was the Panel Project. Almost
200 students expressed their views through decorated quilt panels. The
individual panels are on view at www.thePanelProject.blogspot.com.
Please contact us if you are interested in bringing the Panel Project to
your school, community, or state.
The Panel Project Guide
Do the Panel Project with your school, community, or state. Download the
guide here.