Gay-Straight Alliance group approved at Jasper High School
Local Jasper students who have been pushing for a Gay-Straight Alliance at Jasper high School achieved success this week as the club was approved Monday.
Sarah Barry, a senior at JHS, and co-director of the local LGBT group “Raise Up’, along with co-director, Tommy Craven, a freshman at New York University, have been leading the efforts in the past months with support from many students in the high school and adults in the community.
Sarah Barry will act as the student president of the GSA, and Amy Laakman, an art teacher at Jasper High School, has agreed to be the needed faculty sponsor of the GSA. The club plans to hold its first meeting in the next two weeks and will continue to meet weekly in the mornings in addition to holding events and campaigns in the school and in the community. The first meeting will give information about LGBT and straight ally scholarship and college opportunities to its new members.
Future activities will include events and activities surrounding World AIDS Day, National Coming Out Day, Suicide Awareness and Prevention, HJR-6 and the Nix Six Campaign, successful LGBT individuals in history, local successful LGBT speakers, and educational films at the school. The group will also act as a support network and safe place for LGBT students to be themselves and confide in other members if they so choose.
The Gay-Straight Alliance will exist in addition to a Diversity Club at JHS, which will serve mostly as an anti-bullying group with representatives from many student groups and organizations.
Congratulations Sarah and Tommy.
I am glad that high school kids have a place to go where find comfort from being bullied no matter the reason.
Congrats, Tommy & Sarah! Thank you, Ms. Laakman, for your support of the students and JHS! Know that community and JHS alumni applaud your efforts to bring understanding, compassion and a safe haven to our high school students!
I attempted to start a GSA when I was a senior at JHS in 2006. It was met with unbelievable resistance. I lost friends and was ultimately told by the school board we weren't being PREVENTED from forming a GSA just delayed. With my pending graduation, they were hoping my hopes of a GSA at JHS would vanish with me. Thank you so much for this. It makes everything I suffered worth it. And I remain, as always, straight but not narrow!
Dianne, thank you for your support and story. We were very close to the same fate as you, but luckily, with the support of so many, it was put in place just in time, and I think it will be there to stay. Congratulations, not only to us, but to the students of JHS, the support from the community, and those who have tried before us! Now, there are still issues to tackle, but this one very big step proves what is possible.