Chicago City leaders to recommend approval of gay high school
 

City leaders to recommend approval of gay high school
Studies show increased dropout risk because of stigma, fear of violence

By Carlos Sadovi | Chicago Tribune reporter October 9, 2008

Pointing to studies showing that gay high school students are at greater risk of dropping out because of stigma and fear of violence, Chicago Public Schools leaders said Wednesday that they will recommend opening a campus aimed at these students.

Final approval of the School for Social Justice Pride Campus, designed as the city's first school for gay, lesbian and transgender teenagers, along with 17 other schools, is expected to come Oct. 22 when the Board of Education votes.

Schools chief Arne Duncan said he will ask the board to approve the schools, which are expected to open in the fall of 2009 and 2010, to give greater choice to parents and students. "We want to create great new options for communities that have been traditionally underserved," he said. "If you look at national studies, you see gay and lesbian students with high dropout rates. . . . I think there is a niche there we need to fill."

About 50 people attended a public hearing Wednesday night, with most supporting the school.Supporters said they envision a high school with a maximum of 600 students. It would have the same staffing and oversight requirements as other district schools. Students would be admitted from throughout the city on a lottery basis, officials said. A site has not been chosen.

Chad Weiden, an assistant principal at the Social Justice High School who would be principal at Pride Campus, said the school would incorporate lessons about sexual identity in literature and history classes and offer counseling. The school would be prohibited under state and federal laws from asking about a student's sexual identity, officials said.

A 2003 district survey shows that gay and lesbian youths are three times more likely to miss school because they feel unsafe. On Wednesday, the Gay Lesbian and Straight Education Network released a national survey of more than 6,000 middle and high school students that found that nearly 90 percent were harassed at school and about 61 percent felt unsafe.

At an earlier public hearing, some gay rights advocates said the school would segregate these students and that the district should work to foster acceptance.

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OK, I do not like this idea at all. We should be working to integrate and educate in our current schools and not building separate schools. This will further segregate these children and I think will make matters worse once they exit high school and will not know how to function outside of a warm and fuzzy environment specifically designed for them. Whats next? A school for the ugly kids?

On another note, if this does go through I bet they'd have the best musicals in the city every year.

^ That, and it's a HUGE hate crime waiting to happen.

I think it would work. At least it is worth trying. But I recognize the links between this and black segregated schools in the 50s.

High school is a much harsher environment than college. And if their choice is to either drop out, get homeschooled, or travel to this campus, then I think this environment where they can feel accepted and not go to school in fear each day would be a good thing.

I couldn't agree more.

BAD BAD BAD. Not only will the students have the pleasure of looking at people outside the school waving anti-gay banners, see anti-gay graffiti on the walls, they will also be in fear of a violent attack. You're basically putting a group of people already targeted by many, many people in one spot.

As long as it's separate, but equal, right?

:shakehead:

They should just teach sexual identity through literature and history in all schools. There should also be confidential counseling for LGBT students. I can't believe there aren't these things already. They don't have these things already?

I don't think "segregation" is the answer; it's more of a quick fix for at-risk students, which is sad. But I guess it's better than having them drop out.

Horrible idea. Horrible. We tried segregation in the past... not the best idea is it?

Not to mention that when the country has no money we should go build and open more small schools - that doesn't cost any money, does it?

For all the reason against this that others have stated above - I disprove.

I agree with most of what everyone has to say on this being bad. Also how are kids supposed to learn to be tolerant without being exposed to gays. The more you are around something the more used to it you get. It helps you realize they are just a normal part of life.

Yeah, this is a silly idea. Ranks right up there with gay hotels. Heard of that one? They already exist. Though I have been told that those exist because a lot of gay people will get turned away from hotels when they request a double room for 2 same-sex people. I find that very odd.

This reminds me of a situation the Chicago Board of Ed faced in the 90s, when they tried to set up single-sex schools. It was very controversial. In the end, it didn't happen.

I remember that all the lefty goo-goo types, who hold a lot of sway on issues like this in Chicago, were really divided - the ACLU board members were split pretty evenly as half thought this was the best method for gender equality, and the other half thought that single-sex schools was "separate but equal" segregation.

Personally, having graduated from the Chicago Public School system not too long ago, I think this is a bad idea. It's more important to integrate everyone at the same school; nothing breaks down barriers like getting to know people who are different than you.

Also, having graduated from the CPS system not too long ago, I have absolutely zero faith that the Board of Ed won't fuck it up.

If it's a private school... great. I'm all for it.

*I* picked the option to go to an all boys parochial school for high school.

If it was a gay private school, great. More power to them as a private institution.

Otherwise, it is a bad precedent for the public schools.

This is an incredibly ignorant idea. Did we learn nothing as a society from our tainted past? Segregation does not benefit the members of society that it seeks to protect. This has been historically proven. An apt quote: "We learn from history that we learn nothing from history." - G. Bernard Shaw

I agree, on principle, with cyn. If it's a private school go right ahead. It's still a bad idea, but go ahead.

Segregation is not a good idea. Period.