Safe schools are important issue

I recently attended a public forum sponsored by the East Central Illinois Safe Schools Initiative – CISSA – entitled, "Making Our Schools Safe for LGBT Students" which focused on the threats to safety directed at our students who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered – LGBT.

The nine forum panelists included four youths who are currently enrolled, or recently graduated, from area high schools, a university researcher, a middle school social worker, a high school teacher and principal, and a school district attorney.

All the panelists' remarks were enlightening. For me, the testimony from the four students was most poignant. Each described school situations of verbal and physical bullying directed to them because of their sexual orientation, bullying that was often allowed by school administrators, faculty and staff.

I was encouraged to hear about the efforts of some area schools to create safe school environments for LGBT youths through the creation of Gay, Straight Alliances and Social Justice clubs, efforts that have proven track records for increasing understanding and improving school climate.

I applaud the four youths who had the inner strength and outward support to speak at the forum. What about the countless, untold stories of youths who do not have the courage to speak out? We need to do a better job at creating safe school environments for all our students and at combating hatred and injustice when we witness it. Judging from the standing-room-only forum crowd at Parkland College Theater, many others share this view.

PEGGY PATTEN

Urbana