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Date change!! Allied Action Alert - Local Student Has Been Targeted for Being Openly Gay and Faces Expulsion.

[ Posted Friday Mar 21 2008, 7:00 am by Carolyn ]
[ Last Updated Friday Mar 21 2008, 7:20 pm ]

When: March 27th, 2008, 6:50 am - 8:00 am
Where: Arkansas Avenue Gateway School (3361 N Arkansas Ave, Wichita KS)
The courner of 33rd and Arkansas. We will gather in front of the building along Arkansas.
ACTION ALERT!!!!

Local Student Has Been Targeted for Being Openly Gay and Faces Expulsion.

This tragic event highlights the need for USD 259’s anti-discrimination policy to be changed to include sexual orientation and perceived sexual orientation.

Come support Jimmy Iniguez and Students United on THIS THURSDAY MARCH 27 at 6:50 AM in front of the ARKANSAS AVENUE GATEWAY (3361 N. Arkansas) !!

For more information, contact Ally at 203-812-9760 or ally@hsyd.org

STUDENT TARGETED BY SCHOOL FOR BEING OPENLY GAY.

STUDENTS UNITED TO HOST PRESS CONFERENCE.

Press Statement: For Immediate Release

March 20, 2007 Contact: Consuelo Andrade (Students United, West High School)

Ally Brundige (Hope Street Youth Development)

Telephone: 316-806-7945

Email: Ally@hopestreet.com

March 20, 2007- On Monday, March 24, 2007 at 7am in front of the Arkansas Avenue Gateway (3361 N. Arkansas), Students United will co-host a press conference with area high school student, Jimmy Iniguez and his lawyer. Jimmy faces an expulsion hearing in USD 259 for alleged sexual harassment charges. Evidence suggests that Jimmy is not only innocent of all charges, but has been disproportionately and unfairly targeted by his school’s administration because of his refusal to mask his gay identity at school. He will speak more about the incidents surrounding his suspension and expulsion hearing at the press conference.

According to North High School senior and Students United member, Derek Cooley, “Jimmy’s experience is not unique. As a gay student, I have been discriminated against. Many students have encountered discrimination based upon sexual orientation in USD 259. The frequent occurrences that students have endured emphasize the fact that change is needed. As students in USD259, we believe that all students should be treated fairly in our schools. To ensure student safety and fairness, the school board needs to change its anti-discrimination policy. The school district’s anti-discrimination policy is meant to protect all of its students, but in fact, students are not protected from discrimination based upon sexual orientation.”

Heights High School Junior and Students United member Marcus McNeal agrees, “As Jimmy’s story highlights, there is a serious need to expand the district’s anti-discrimination policy to include ‘actual or perceived sexual orientation.’ Students United, East High School Gay-Straight Alliance and statewide allies have called on the school board to adopt the proposed changes.”

East High School junior Nicole Cross, East Gay-Straight Alliance and Students United member, describes the situation further. “The school board claims that the anti-bullying plan protects students from discrimination, but if the anti-bullying plan and current anti-discrimination policy actually protected all students, then we would not be here today and Jimmy would not be in this awful situation. The anti-discrimination policy needs to be amended to include sexual orientation and perceived sexual orientation. Discrimination is discrimination, and it needs to be stopped.”

The Press Conference will begin promptly at 7am in front of the Arkansas Avenue Gateway at 3361 N. Arkansas.

Students United is a project of Hope Street Youth Development which seeks to empower students to THINK for themselves, SPEAK for themselves, and ACT to create positive social change. There are currently chapters in six of USD 259’s public high schools including West, North, Northwest, East, Southeast, and Heights high schools.