Students plan gay-straight alliance

By Barbara Soderlin, Rapid City Journal | Thursday, March 27, 2008

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Gay and straight teens and college students are invited to a meeting Saturday, March 29, to organize a community Gay Straight Alliance that will provide support and social events for the students.

Gay Straight Alliances typically appear in schools, but there is currently no Gay Straight Alliance at any of the Rapid City public schools, and area college students could use extra support, too, said Mike Coats, director of The Center West. The center is a Rapid City organization that offers support and services for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people.

Coats said students who have wanted to start alliances in their schools recently have met with resistance from staff and faculty. However, the school district has allowed such a club before, and if students have concerns, they haven't made them public, such as at a school board meeting.

"A lot of students are afraid to come out because of the bullying and harassment," Coats said.

Many students nationwide have successfully sued their school districts for trying to bar Gay Straight Alliances, often with legal help from the American Civil Liberties Union.

Federal law under the Equal Access Act prohibits public secondary schools that receive federal funds and that allow any noncurriculum-related student groups to meet at school from denying any other students from forming noncurriculum-related student groups.

But local people here aren't interested in pushing the issue; they just want to form a group that will meet their needs, Coats said. Having a regional group will allow students from communities throughout western South Dakota to participate, he said.

Stevens High School had a Gay Straight Unity club that started in 2003, but the club no longer exists because new students didn't take it over as former students graduated, Coats said.

Coats said the purpose of the new alliance will be to provide a safe place for students to be, to socialize and to hang out with others who are like them and where they can be away from bullying.

If you go:

What: Meeting to organize a West River Gay Straight Alliance

When: 4 p.m. Saturday, March 29

Where: The Center West, 3601 Canyon Lake Drive, Suite 4, Rapid City

Who: Gay and straight teens and college students, and their friends and family members. Confidentiality will be maintained.

Info: Call Michael Coats at The Center West, at 348-3244