Gay Bill: Kids would need adult OK to join GSA’s

By Nancy C. Rodriguez

Lawrence (MA) Eagle-Tribune March 30, 2001

BOSTON -- Gay students who want to participate in gay-straight alliances at their schools could be forced to "out" themselves at home, under a bill being backed by two Merrimack Valley legislators.

The bill -- whose primary author is state Sen. Bruce E. Tarr, R-Gloucester,  is being fought by gay advocacy groups and others, who say it will leave vulnerable teen-agers with nowhere to turn. For many teen-agers, the groups help them gain the support and confidence they need to tell their families about their homosexuality, they say.

"You're taking away the one thing they have where they can sort of feel good about themselves," said Pam Garramona, director of the Safe Schools Project, which helps Massachusetts schools set up gay-straight alliances and offers suicide prevention counseling for gay teen-agers.

In the bill, which is also backed by state Sen. James P. Jajuga, D-Methuen, schools would be forced to notify the parents or guardian of a student attending any after-school activities dealing with "human sexual education or human sexuality issues." State law already requires schools do that when it comes to in-school classes or activities. Under the existing law, a parent can opt to exempt a child from those classes or activities without the child being penalized by the school. When asked about their bill, Sens. Tarr and Jajuga appeared surprised by its ramifications, saying they never considered the effect it might have on gay-straight alliances.

"I just think if you're going to be teaching content on human sexuality, parents should know," Sen. Tarr said.  Specifically, the lawmakers said they were trying to close a loophole that allowed a private group last year to host a sexuality seminar at Tufts

>University. During that event, two presenters from the state Department of Education discussed sexual acts in graphic detail. Both were later fired by Education Commissioner David P. Driscoll. But the incident gave conservative groups the ammunition they needed to demand the state stop spending money on the Safe Schools Program. The backlash has continued this legislative session, with three bills, including Sen. Tarr's, calling for increased parental notification and consent when it comes to sexuality issues being discussed in schools.

"I'm not sure it's worded the way I thought it was worded," Sen. Jajuga said. "Certainly if that is the case, I will work on straightening it out as it goes through the process," he said. "That is what is good about the legislative process. Not only is there the hearing process, but we have the wonderful press to bring it to our attention."

Sen. Tarr said he will consider amending the bill to exempt the gay-straight alliance, which he viewed more as "peer support, 

Counseling and social."  "We're trying to walk a fine line. I wouldn't want it to have a chilling effect on that (alliances). It's probably a pretty scary time for a teen-agers," he said. Locally, a number of schools have gay-straight alliances, including Methuen and North Andover. In January, gay students at Haverhill High organized the Gay, Straight, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Alliance, a support group to discuss problems facing young homosexuals. The groups deal with problems ranging from name calling to dealing with parents to violence against the students because of their sexual orientation.

Ms. Garramona -- whose program is run by the Massachusetts branch of Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays -- said the legislation as it is now is unnecessary and detrimental. "If you're a kid and you're thinking you might be gay the hardest 

thing to do is tell your parents," she said. "So that (an alliance) is the safest place to go where they can be with others kids and get the support they need." If the law were changed, teen-agers would be less likely to seek out support offered through alliances, which may leave them isolated and ignorant of healthy sexual habits. That alienation could lead to depression or suicide, she said. Studies have shown gay teen-agers are four times more likely to attempt suicide, over three times more likely to miss school because of feeling unsafe, and three times more likely to have been injured or threatened with a weapon at school.

Contrary to what the public may think, most students who belong to gay-straight alliances are heterosexual, and become members to show their respect for difference and tolerance, Ms. Garramona said.