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January 27, 2012 GLSEN interviews Cisco to discuss why No Name-Calling Week resonates with the tech giant
Today marks the last day of GLSEN’s ninth annual No Name-Calling Week. We couldn’t be more happier with the participation. As we mentioned in a previous post, thousands of schools took part including communities like Kewanee, IL; Fort Scott, KS; Asheville, NC and; Mandeville, LA. But what about when a corporation teams up to participate in No Name-Calling Week? Cisco Systems has been a leading sponsor of No Name-Calling Week for the past six years. Cisco Systems Vice President and GLSEN Board Member Rick Moran took some time out of his busy schedule to share this thoughts about why the company supports the program, his own experiences with bullying and what to do if a student is bullied. January 25, 2012 White House Joins Host of Organizations in Support of Jan 25 National GSA Day
GSA Day was first organized in 2006 by the Iowa Pride Network after Governor Tom Vilsack declared October 25, 2006, “Iowa Gay-Straight Alliance Day” in honor of GSAs around the state that work to improve Iowa school climate. This year, the statewide observance has gone national with a host of support. January 24, 2012 “The Misfits” Author James Howe Shares No Name-Calling Week Video Message
The week-long event was first organized by GLSEN and Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing with more than 50 participating organizations supporting the week-long event including the National Education Association, the National Association of Elementary School Principals and the American Federation of Teachers. January 24, 2012 Looking for a No Name-Calling Week lesson plan?
Check out Let’s Get Real, a short film produced by GLSEN’s long-time organizational partner, GroundSpark. Let’s Get Real doesn’t sugarcoat the truth or feature adults lecturing kids about what to do when kids pick on them. Instead, it examines a variety of issues that lead to taunting and bullying, including racial differences, perceived sexual orientation, learning disabilities, religious differences, sexual harassment and others. The film not only gives a voice to targeted kids, but also to kids who do the bullying to find out why they lash out at their peers and how it makes them feel. The most heartening part of Let’s Get Real includes stories of youth who have mustered the courage to stand up for themselves or a classmate. At GLSEN, we recommend this excellent short film to use with your students in grades 5 – 9. Let’s Get Real is widely hailed as one of the best tools for opening up meaningful, life-changing dialogue in schools today. As a special offer for No Name Calling Week, GroundSpark is providing free streaming of Let’s Get Real the entire week. To obtain your free digital stream, just send an email to streamfree@groundspark.org saying “Let’s Get Real” NNCW 2012 in the subject line. January 19, 2012 GLSEN Releases Groundbreaking Elementary School Research & ToolkitDear Friend, Three weeks after my oldest child started kindergarten, she threw a tantrum because I said “no” about something or other, and yelled, “Mama, you are a SISSY!” She clearly had little sense of the word’s meaning, but had learned in her brief elementary school career that this was one of the worst epithets she could hurl in anger. Today, GLSEN is proud to embark on an exciting new phase of our work in K-12 schools. We have released a groundbreaking new study that looks at school climate in the elementary grades. Further, we have created a critical new resource for teachers in grades K-5 – in partnership with our friends at the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) and the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).
Previous GLSEN research has already demonstrated the high cost of such bias as students get older — consider the fact that nearly 40% of LGBT students in middle school report having been physically assaulted at school. It is absolutely critical that respect for others be part of the curriculum from day one if we are to end bullying, harassment and violence among youth. This report shows how far we still have to go. There is, however, some good news. Continue Reading » January 13, 2012 Dr. King, the “Drum Major Instinct” and the death of Robert Champion
Dr. King’s very last sermon, delivered in 1968, was a meditation on “the Drum Major Instinct”: a desire to lead, to be first, to be praised, and to make a mark on the world. (You can find the full text of this sermon here, along with the audio file, if you really want to give yourself goose bumps.) Dr. King argued that we all have this instinct, which can rightfully be condemned when it leads to destructive, selfish behavior. But it is a natural instinct, Dr. King went on, present in everyone, that can be the source of great change and true greatness when it is harnessed through service and love. Contemplating his own legacy in the sermon’s conclusion (eerily close to the hour of his own assassination), Dr. King said “If you want to say that I was a drum major, say that I was a drum major for justice. Say that I was a drum major for peace. I was a drum major for righteousness.” January 10, 2012 Headed to Creating Change? Join GLSEN at our Day-Long Institute Jan. 26, and more
Friday through Sunday GLSEN staff and volunteers will be leading a number of workshops – on our research, our best practices for youth/adult work, safe schools policy work, and the Day of Silence. You can also find GLSEN staff and volunteers at our table in the exhibition hall. If you’re going to be at the conference, please stop by our presentations to learn more about the work you can do or come by our display to say hi. We’d love to see you! If you haven’t registered yet – sign up now at www.creatingchange.org. January 6, 2012 Changing the Game Project Director Pat Griffin and NCLR Sports Project Director Helen Carroll Declared Outsports’ “Persons of the Year”
Today we were excited to learn that Changing the Game: GLSEN Sports Project Director Pat Griffin and NCLR’s Sport Project Director Helen Carroll were named the 2011 Persons of the Year by Outsports’ readers. Readers of the the popular LGBT sports publication cast a whopping 53% of their votes to both long-time activists. Other finalists included High School LGBT sports bloggers and ‘It Gets Better’ teams tying at 11%. Rick Welts (a GLSEN 2011 Respect Awards honoree) and the Golden State Warriors earned 10% of the vote followed by Sean Avery at 9% and Anton Hysen at 7%. Shortly after the news, GLSEN contacted Pat to congratulate her on the honor. She shared:
“No one has done more for the equality of LGBT athletes over the last 30 years than Pat and Helen. No one.” – Outsports.com co-founder Cyd ZeiglerIn 2011, Pat joined GLSEN to launch Changing the Game, an education and advocacy initiative focused on addressing LGBT issues in K-12 school-based athletic and physical education programs. Helen serves as an advisory member of the GLSEN project. She is Professor Emeritus in the Social Justice Education Program at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and the former Director of It Takes A Team! Educational Campaign for LGBT Issues in Sport, an initiative of the Women’s Sports Foundation. She is also an accomplished author and speaker on LGBT issues in athletics. Both Pat and Helen have extensively worked together. The duo was responsible for the groundbreaking NCAA policy focused on the inclusion of transgender-student athletes.
GLSEN reached out to Helen for her reaction to the news. This is what Helen had to say about being named “Person of the Year” alongside her colleague Pat:
GLSEN is proud of the lasting contributions both women have made in the world of sports on behalf of all LGBT athletes. Their lasting contributions over the past 30+ years continue to be felt by many. GLSEN is fortunate to work alongside both women through Changing the Game in making sure that future generations of LGBT athletes are treated with dignity and respect in schools across the country. Interested in teaming up with Pat and Helen at Changing the Game? Get your school’s sports teams involved with our Team Respect Challenge! Visit our website to download the pledge and learn how your school’s team can gain a winning edge.
January 4, 2012 Barnes & Noble Announces January is “No Name-Calling Month”Today Barnes & Noble announced its returning partnership with GLSEN in support of No Name-Calling Week.The retailer announced its second-year partnership with their release posted below. Barnes & Noble also joins Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, Cisco, McDonald’s, Allstate Foundation and Peter and Carmen Lucia Buck Foundation as institutional partners for the annual event.
Barnes & Noble Announces January is “No Name-Calling Month”Barnes & Noble Partners with Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing and the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN) for the Second Year to Raise Awareness on Bullying New York, New York – January 4, 2011 –Barnes & Noble, Inc. (NYSE: BKS), the leading retailer of content, digital media and educational products, today announced plans to once again recognize January as “No Name-Calling Month” in its stores and online at Barnes & Noble.com. Now in its second year, the month-long campaign is aimed at bringing attention to the national problem of name-calling and bullying of all kinds. Barnes & Noble stores across the country will bring awareness to “No Name-Calling Month” by placing “No Name-Calling” signage in various locations, and hosting a national Storytime event and other activities. Barnes & Noble.com will feature exclusive video content from bestselling children’s, young adult and adult authors discussing their thoughts and experiences on bullying. Barnes & Noble has partnered with Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing and the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN), creators of No Name-Calling Week in schools, in this effort to stop bullying. “Barnes & Noble is pleased to be partnering with Simon & Schuster and GLSEN in this important effort to bring awareness to the seriousness of name-calling, teasing, bullying and cyberbullying,” said Mary Amicucci, vice president of Children’s Books for Barnes & Noble.“Barnes & Noble is pleased to be partnering with Simon & Schuster and GLSEN in this important effort to bring awareness to the seriousness of name-calling, teasing, bullying and cyberbullying,” said Mary Amicucci, vice president of Children’s Books for Barnes & Noble. “Barnes & Noble has always provided parents, teachers and children with books, magazines and other materials, as well as in-store activities, that engage people in on-going dialogues and inspire ways to communicate with one another. This campaign is just one more way we can help.” “GLSEN is honored that Barnes & Noble is a returning partner for No Name-Calling Week,” said GLSEN Executive Director Eliza Byard. “Barnes & Noble has been a tremendous supporter for this annual event that aims to address name-calling and bullying in our schools. We are thankful for their commitment to share the message of respect for difference to students, parents and educators across the country.” “We are extremely proud to have co-founded No Name-Calling Week with GLSEN eight years ago and we are delighted that Barnes & Noble has joined us once again to help spread the ever important message of acceptance and respect to thousands of students, parents, and educators across the country,” said Michelle Fadlalla, Director of Marketing, Education & Library for Simon & Schuster. First launched in March 2004, No Name-Calling Week was developed in a partnership between GLSEN and Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing. The campaign was inspired by the young adult novel, The Misfits by James Howe, which tells the story of four best friends who, tired of the constant teasing in their middle school, decide to run for student government on a No Name-Calling platform. During No Name-Calling Month, stores will host Barnes & Noble Educator Appreciation Week from January 14 through January 22. Stores will have No Name-Calling materials available for teachers and educators including book recommendations, tip sheets for organizing No Name-Calling events, lesson plans for elementary and middle school students, bracelets, classroom posters and buttons for educators to use in their classrooms. Barnes & Noble.com will feature:
As part of this campaign, GLSEN will also produce a National No Name-Calling Creative Expression Exhibit, in which students can submit any type of artistic expression that relates to their experiences with or ideas of bullying. Over the years, thousands of students nationwide have submitted a variety of poems, stories, essays, drawings, collages, sculptures and songs. More information about past submissions, as well as about the No Name-Calling Week campaign can be found at www.nonamecallingweek.org and in Barnes & Noble stores. Simon & Schuster has created a No-Name Calling page (http://pages.simonandschuster.com/nonamecalling/) for parents, teachers, and librarians featuring recommended books, discussion guides, anti-bullying videos from bestselling authors, and a chat board.
About Barnes & Noble, Inc. General information on Barnes & Noble, Inc. can be obtained via the Internet by visiting the company’s corporate website: www.barnesandnobleinc.com. Follow Barnes & Noble on Twitter (www.bn.com/twitter), Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/barnesandnoble) and YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/user/bnstudio). About Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Simon & Schuster, a part of CBS Corporation, is a global leader in the field of general interest publishing, dedicated to providing the best in fiction and nonfiction for consumers of all ages, across all printed, electronic, and audio formats. Its divisions include Simon & Schuster Adult Publishing, Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, Simon & Schuster Audio, Simon & Schuster Digital, and international companies in Australia, Canada, India and the United Kingdom. For more information, visit our website at SimonandSchuster.com About GLSEN ### December 21, 2011 New Research Affirms GLSEN’s Findings on Benefits of Gay-Straight-Alliances
GLSEN would like to highlight an important addition to researchon LGBT youth, the new article “High School Gay-Straight Alliances (GSAs) and Young Adult Well-Being”in the November Applied DevelopmentalScience, which examines the long-term, positive impact of GSAs.
The study titled, “High School Gay-Straight-Alliances (GSAs) and Young Adult Well-Being,” was co-authored by Russell Toomey and Stephen T. Russel and based on data by the Family Acceptance Project. It confirms what GLSEN research has found about the positive effects of GSAs forcurrent students, and sheds light on the ways GSAs may affect LGBT youth intoadulthood.
Over a decade ago, GLSEN conducted the first national survey of LGBT students because not much otherresearch documented the lives of LGBT youth. Although the volume of research onLGBT youth has increased since then, studies have more often examined negativefactors and risks rather than the impact ofsupportive resources.
To fill this void,our biennial National School Climate Survey has continually examined the effects ofschool resources and supports, such as Gay-Straight Alliances (GSAs).
In our research brief Gay-Straight Alliances: Creating Safer Schools for LGBT Students and their Allies,we reported that GSAs can impact school experiences for LGBT youth in manyways. We found that LGBT students at schools with GSAs were less likely than students without a GSA to hear homophobicremarks, feel unsafe at school, miss school, and experience physical violence.They were also more likely to havesupportive school staff and feel connected to their school communities.
GSAs seem to make a positive difference in the lives of LGBTyouth, but does that impact continue as they grow into adulthood?
The new study, authored by Dr. Russell Toomey and colleagues, asked LGBT young adults innorthern California to look back on their high school experiences, and foundthat:
LGBT young adults who went to a high school with a GSA were…
Those who participated in their school’s GSA were…
All studies have limitations, so it is important to note thatthis research was limited to a relatively small number of participants from afairly small geographic area. The research relied on participants’ memories oftheir high school experiences, instead of following LGBT youth as they aged. Still, our colleagues’ study is an exciting step forward in learning about the lastingpotential benefits of supportive school resources for LGBT youth. In the future, we hope to see national andlongitudinal research on positive LGBT youth development.
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As we head into this weekend in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the family of Robert Champion, Jr. is mourning his death and suing those they hold responsible for their wrongful loss. Champion was a drum major for Florida A&M’s Marching 100, who died in the wake of a hazing ritual on a band bus on November 19, 2011. Friends and family say Champion was gay, and GLSEN’s great partner the National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC) is 
GLSEN is excited to announce our second daylong pre-conference institute on Thursday, Jan. 26 at Creating Change: How you can make schools safer for all! We’re also co-presenters for the first ever Creating Change Lobby Day also on Thursday.
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