About Victoria Martin

Victoria Martin is a senior Public Health major at West Chester University of Pennsylvania. She is originally from Shippensburg, PA in Cumberland County. Victoria aspires to work in LGBT health upon graduation. She can be reached at vmartin@pennsec.org.

Court Rules PA Schools Have No Obligation to Protect Students

The United States Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit ruled on June 5th that school districts have no obligation to protect students from abuse and harassment from their peers. Brittany and Emily Morrow, siblings who attended Blackhawk High School in Beaver County, were subject to racially motivated verbal harassment and physical attacks by another student. When Brittany was assaulted in the lunchroom, she was suspended for retaliating against her attacker, who was then charged in juvenile court with harassment, terroristic threats, and assault. The school readmitted the attacker after a period of expulsion. She continued to verbally and physically attack Brittany upon returning to the school. Emily was also bullied by students at Blackhawk High School. When the Morrow’s parents approached the school board, they were advised to pull their daughters out of the school, which they did in 2008. The Morrow family sued the Blackhawk School District for violation of the fourteenth amendment.

In the ruling, the court claimed that, “Parents in [the victim’s] position should be able to send their children off to school with some level of comfort that those children will be safe from bullies… Nonetheless, the Constitution does not provide judicial remedies for every social ill.” The decision stated that public schools have no special relationship with their students which necessitates that they protect their students from harm brought about by their peers.

This verdict is incredibly troubling for a number of reasons. It conflicts with anti-bullying legislation across the country, many of which state that the school has an obligation to monitor and follow up on incidents of bullying. Additionally, if the school district has no legal responsibility for the actions students take towards one another, how are school suspensions and expulsions for violent behavior to be regulated? Under this ruling, is it possible that a school district could arbitrarily assign disciplinary action against students who exhibit violent behavior, with some students receiving no punishment at all?

There is no word yet on whether or not the Morrow family plans on pursuing the case further. Perhaps with continuing legal action, a more clear answer on school violence will emerge.

The US Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit opinion for Morrow v. Balaski can be downloaded here.

Candidate Bryan Tate Subject to Homophobic Remarks

Former Republican nominee for the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, Bryan Tate from York, reported yesterday that he had been subject to homophobic remarks by Democratic campaign volunteers, who told constituents to not vote for Tate due to his sexual orientation. Tate is openly gay, and would have been the third openly gay member of the Pennsylvania Legislature if he was elected. Democrat Kevin Schreiber, a proponent of LGBTQ rights and marriage equality, won the race.

Former city council member, Genevieve Ray, said that she heard someone wearing a Schreiber campaign shirt use an anti-gay slur in reference to Tate at the Democratic headquarters on the night of the primary elections.

York City Council President Carol Hill-Evans was told by her supporters that a volunteer for the Schreiber campaign came to her office and said to not vote for Tate, because he is gay. Hill-Evans reported the incident to the York County Democratic Party Chair, Bob Kefauver.

“They [the remarks] are ugly and bigoted and they have no place in political discourse…They are completely inappropriate and not acceptable,” Kefauver said to the York Daily Record. The Democratic Party reported that they are investigating the incident.

Kevin Schreiber said that he was unaware of any homophobic remarks being made against Tate by his volunteers. He called the incidents “disturbing and unfortunate.”

“”It flies in the face of my track record. It isn’t something that I would have endorsed…If someone did make a statement, that was absolutely wrong. But it was not reflective of myself, the campaign or my own personal beliefs.”

Tate said that he has not heard back from anyone within the Democratic Party about the investigation, as of May 24. “Nobody feels the need to apologize or stand up against bigotry,” Tate said. He told the York Daily Record that he has attempted to set up a meeting with Democratic leaders, but has not received a response. Kefauver said that he has not heard from Tate.

Tate’s candidacy has been an uphill battle from the beginning. Tate is the first openly gay Republican to run for a legislative position in Pennsylvania while being out. While he is openly gay, his Democratic opponent was endorsed by LGBTQ groups. Schreiber has strong union support, as do some major LGBTQ groups. The 95th district has been represented by a Democrat for the past twenty years.

Pennsylvania Responds to Boy Scout Policy Change

In the days following the repeal of the Boy Scouts’ former anti-gay policy on members, Pennsylvanians have reacted to the policy change. Central Pennsylvania Boy Scout Councils from Lancaster and Mechanicsburg announced their support of the new policy allowing openly gay scouts to join the organization. Voting in favor of the policy change were Tim Efinger of Manheim Township, Robert Anspach of Lebanon and Paul Ware of Lancaster, all of the Pennsylvania Dutch Council which serves Lancaster and Lebanon county. John F. Pyfer of Lancaster who served as a national delegate also voted in favor for ending the ban.

The executive board of the Pennsylvania Dutch Council told their delegates to vote for the policy change. They released a statement, saying,

“This direction is reflective of the Board’s position that the proposal remains true to the longstanding virtues of Scouting and allows all youth who sincerely want to be a part of Scouting, the chance to experience this life changing program.  We acknowledge people have different opinions about this policy, but we also know kids are better off when they are in Scouting.”

Despite protests from a small group of their scouts, The New Birth of Freedom Council which serves South Central PA, issued a statement saying that the council’s executive board had urged their delegates to vote in favor of reversing the ban. Jeff Lobach, the President of the Council’s Volunteer Executive Board said,

“Earlier this month, after an extensive and open dialogue on the resolution, our Council’s volunteer Executive Board recommended that our four delegates to the national meeting support the proposal allowing youth to participate in Scouting without regard to sexual orientation, but directed each delegate to consider any new information presented at the national meeting and to vote their consciences on this issue.”

The Pennsylvania Student Equality Coalition is pleased with the repeal of the ban on openly gay scouts. Executive Director, Jason Landau Goodman, said,

“There have always been gay scouts. It’s an irrational fear based in ignorance that this is something new. Members of the scouting community participate because they care deeply about its mission, to foster responsible citizenship, character development, and self-reliance. That is all that should matter, and its members should be able to serve the organization regardless of their race, religion, or sexual orientation.”

Some representatives of scouting were unwilling to comment on the change. Lehigh Valley’s The Morning Call was unable to get a comment from Craig Poland, director of the Lehigh Valley’s Minsi Trails Boy Scout council.

Scout leaders had mixed reactions to the change. Some fear that they will lose a significant number of their membership, or that funding from religious organizations, which support 70% of Boy Scout Troops, will be revoked.

“I have no problem with it [the policy change]… I don’t know what will happen. We may have phone calls by next week from a half-dozen people saying my child will not be participating,” said Raymond Weaver, a Troop Leader in Whitehall, PA

Others are frustrated by the continuation of the ban on LGBT adult volunteers. National delegate John F. Pyfer of Lancaster called the vote a “hopeful first step,” towards allowing openly LGBTQ leaders into scouting. He indicated that delegates from Baltimore and Los Angeles were considering introducing a policy repealing the ban on LGBT adults next year.

Image from the Associated Press

Boy Scouts of America Ends Ban on Gay Youth

The Boy Scouts of America voted today, May 23, to end their controversial policy banning openly gay scouts from the organization. The new resolution reads, “No youth may be denied membership in the Boy Scouts of America on the basis of sexual orientation or preference alone.”  Over 60% of the 1,400 delegates in the National Council’s voted to remove the ban. The change will take effect on January 1, 2014.

The Pennsylvania Student Equality Coalition (PSEC) is pleased with the organization’s choice to become more inclusive and open to all boys. Many PSEC leaders are Eagle Scouts, including Kevin McKeon, of Bucks County and the Convener of the PSEC Coordinating Committee. McKeon said of the decision,

As an Eagle Scout awarded in 2007, I think this is an excellent opportunity for the Boy Scouts to move forward socially and financially.” -Kevin McKeon, Bucks County

He cited the Boy Scouts loss of funding from organizations which did not support their anti-gay policies.

Kevin McKeon“There have always been gay scouts. This decision affirms the inclusion of gay youth as integral members of the scouting community” said Jason Landau Goodman, the Executive Director of PSEC. He continued,  “The implementation of this policy will only serve to secure the safety and dignity of all members, in strengthening the Boy Scouts’ legacy of responsible citizenship, character development, and self-reliance.”

The Boy Scouts’ policies on gay membership and leaders have been the subject of much debate in Pennsylvania. Earlier this month a lawsuit, dragged through years of litigation, between the city of Philadelphia and the Cradle of Liberty Council of the Boy Scouts of America ended with the Boy Scouts being forced to vacate their city owned headquarters by June 30, because the organization’s policies are in violation of the city’s nondiscrimination ordinance. In Central Pennsylvania, a small group of scouts from the New Birth of Freedom Council protested the potential inclusion of gay scouts outside of the council headquarters, in coordination with the national group , On My Honor. Pennsylvania is home to one of the first claimed Boy Scout Troops; Troop Number 1, located in Bala Cynwyd, Montgomery County.

While gay scouts will be allowed in the organization, the ban on LGBT adult volunteers and leaders remains in place. Until this ban on adults is lifted, LGBT parents will not be able to volunteer with their son’s troop. Matt Kridel, a PSEC Coordinating Committee member and student at Gannon University in Erie who became an Eagle Scout in 2005, said, “The decision to accept gay scouts is huge first step, but it’s not the last one. I am looking forward to the Boy Scouts of America accepting all scouts and all leaders into the organization.”

There is question as to what will happen to openly gay members who turn eighteen while enrolled in the organization. There has been speculation that the prospect of kicking these members out when they become adults will lead to a change in policy for adult leaders in years to come. However, there are no plans to change the ban on openly LGBT adults in the near future.

The Keystone Student Voice will follow how this policy is implemented at the 22 local Boy Scout councils that operate in Pennsylvania.

Justin

Justin Gilmore, a PSEC co-founder.

Harrisburg Pride Parade in Jeopardy

A meeting will be held tonight at St. Michael’s Lutheran Church in Harrisburg to discuss the future of the Harrisburg Pride Parade. Citing poor attendance and an increased cost of hosting the event, Central Voice warned that the event is in jeopardy of being canceled. While many Pride Festivals around the country are supported by corporate sponsorship, Harrisburg Pride is largely supported by community organizations. The event costs $8,000 to put on, and generates no income. Additionally, attendance at the event is down.

The meeting will be held at 7:30 pm, at St. Michael’s Lutheran Church, 118 State Street. Please consider attending to let your voice be heard. The future of Central Pennsylvania Pride is at stake.

The Board of Directors for the Pride Festival of Central PA wrote the following letter to the Pennsylvania LGBTQ community.

With festival and Parade permits in hand, the Pride Festival of Central PA Board of Directors and volunteers are busier than ever in preparing for this year’s Unity Parade and Festival.

Headliners for 2013 are outstanding: All female headliner Take 147 takes center stage as the festival’s main act. Other acts include Steel Kitty and Day Taunt.

The tents and stages are on order, you’ll see some new and familiar vendors and drag queens and boy do we have a great Headliner act lined up, Take 147, to knock your socks off, plus some other very talented performers on both stages.

No doubt, this year’s festival will be one of our best and most fabulous, but all of this takes time, effort and funds to accomplish.

Throughout the year we work very hard to raise the necessary funds for both our Parade and festival by holding drag shows, bus trips and other fundraisers that brings us together as a community to have fun while raising the money we earnestly need to put together the awesome pride events you’ve come to expect.

At the same time, we’re also pounding the pavement contacting and looking for generous businesses and individuals for sponsorships and financial donations to supplement our fundraising efforts as well as our gate receipts.

Frankly, our fundraising goals this year have not been meeting our quarterly targets, as such we have to prudently evaluate where we spend the financial resources we have for the Parade and festival. We have some tough choices to make in the days ahead and I’m writing you to ask for your help and participation.

Over the past 43 years, since the nation’s very first pride Parade took place in New York City, gay pride parades have become a tradition in Harrisburg as well as other cities across the globe, having evolved from raucous and radical marches into celebratory joyful occasions celebrating our community’s diversity and history with decorative and highly creative floats, talented marching bands and performers, and all kinds of well known and political personalities marching for equality and the other causes near and dear to our unique community.

We know how very important and symbolic the Parade is to our LGBT heritage and the Central PA Pride Festival, but it is also one of our costliest events to produce, coming in a little under $8,000. In these challenging fiscal times, regrettably the Parade is in danger of being canceled this year due to its high cost and lack of self-sustaining revenue.

This decision is not being taken lightly and which is why we want the Greater Harrisburg area LGBT community to help us select the best option going forward this year, so we’re asking for you to attend our monthly Pride Festival of Central PA Board of Directors meeting to give us your feedback and ideas on saving the Parade.

The meeting will be held on Tuesday May 21, 2013 at 7:30 PM at St. Michael’s Lutheran Church 118 State Street, Harrisburg, Pa. 17101

We hope to see as many of you there as possible to help us keep a great tradition. And if with all of our best efforts and talents the Parade happens to be canceled this year, the festival will still go on as fabulous as ever and we promise to double down our efforts with your help to bring it back next year.

Sincerely,
The Board of Directors for the Pride Festival of Central PA

Openly Gay Republican Bryan Tate Runs for Office in York

Openly gay Republican Bryan Tate is running for the Pennsylvania House of Representatives to represent the 95th district, which includes the city of York and the surrounding areas. He is being endorsed by former Pennsylvania Congressman, Todd Platts. In his term as congressperson for the 17th district, Platts endorsed the Student Nondiscrimination Act (SNDA) and the Safe Schools Improvement Act (SSIA.) Tate previously served as Platts’ chief of staff.

If elected, Bryan Tate will become the third openly gay representative in Pennsylvania, and one of the few openly gay Republicans in state legislatures. There are less than 100 openly LGBTQ individuals serving in state legislatures nationwide, and the majority of those are Democrats. There are currently two openly gay Republicans in state legislatures across the country, including Mike Fleck of Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania, who publicly came out in December of last year.

Bryan Tate is running in a special election to replace former Representative Eugene DePasquale, who left his position to become Auditor General of Pennsylvania. He is running against Democrat Kevin Schreiber, and Green Party candidate Bill Swartz, both of whom support marriage equality. Tate will likely face an uphill battle in a district which has had Democratic representation for the past twenty years. In fact, several LGBTQ groups have endorsed the Democratic candidate, Kevin Schreiber, who also has the support of several labor unions.

Do you think LGBT organizations should support out candidates, or candidates regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity?

Second PA Republican Mayor Signs Marriage Equality Statement

Mayor Lawrence Keller of New Hope, PA announced this weekend at the tenth annual New Hope Pride festival that he is signing the Mayors for the Freedom to Marry statement. He will be the 18th mayor from Pennsylvania to join the coalition and the second Republican mayor in the state to sign the statement. Mayor Keller opened the New Hope Pride parade and announced the names of the floats. The first Republican Pennsylvania mayor to sign on was Dennis O’Brien of Newtown, also in Bucks County.

Mayor Keller joins seventeen other Pennsylvania mayors in advocating for marriage equality. Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter helped form the coalition in January 2012, along with the mayors of Boston, New York, and others. Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl signed onto the statement in June of 2012, after a spokesperson said he would not support marriage equality two months earlier.

Pennsylvania mayors signed onto the Mayors for the Freedom to Marry statement are as follows

  • John Callahan – Bethlehem, PA
  • Carolyn Comitta – West Chester, PA
  • Nicholas DeSantis – New Stanton, PA
  • John Fetterman – Braddock, PA
  • Adam Forgie – Turtle Creek, PA
  • Elizabeth Goreham – State College, PA
  • J. Richard Gray – Lancaster, PA
  • Sandy Green – Kutztown, PA
  • Rick Hoffman – Macungie, PA
  • Josh Maxwell – Downingtown, PA
  • William McCall – Parker, PA
  • Tim McGuire – Homewood Borough, PA
  • Michael Nutter – Philadelphia, PA
  • Dennis O’Brien – Newtown, PA
  • Salvatore Panto – Easton, PA
  • Luke Ravenstahl – Pittsburgh, PA
  • Libby White –  Doylestown, PA

Nationwide, 350 mayors have joined the Mayors for Freedom to Marry. The following mayors have also signed onto the Mayors for Safe Schools initiative: Carolyn Commita of West Chester, Nicholas DeSantis of New Stanton, Luke Ravenstahl of Pittsburgh, Elizabeth Goreham of State College, Salvatore Panto of Easton and Sandy Green of Kutztown.

Central PA Protest Against Inclusion of Gay Scouts

A small group of Boy Scouts gathered today outside of the New Birth of Freedom Council office in Mechanicsburg to protest the possible inclusion of openly gay scouts. Next week, the national Boy Scouts of America will vote on a policy which will allow openly gay youth to be in the organization.

The rally was promoted by On My Honor, “the official coalition of concerned parents, Scout Leaders, Scouting Donors, Eagle Scouts and other BSA members who are united in their support of Scouting’s timeless values and their opposition to open homosexuality in the Scouts,” and coincided with about 50 other rallies held across the country.

State Rep. Will Tallman, (R-Adams) spoke briefly at the rally, saying that the Boy Scouts of America had been subject to, “…attack after attack because of their success in building leaders,” and that the organization was being coerced by outside parties through limiting meeting spaces and cutting off funding.

One attendee of the event, Tom Farcht of Newberrytown, told PennLive that inclusion of openly gay scouts would increase incidents of sexual assault. Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Student Equality Coalition, Jason Landau Goodman commented to PennLive, “There’s no basis for those claims. It’s clear prejudice and bigotry that would promote such an idea that LGBT people are [no more likely to] engage with those kinds of illegal and inappropriate acts. As a society, we have to dismiss those kinds of comments for what they are: untrue, baseless and deeply harmful to promoting healthy communities.”

Several of the Boy Scouts in attendance at the rally spoke to PennLive about their beliefs as to why openly gay members should not be allowed. One scout stated that he would be uncomfortable sharing a tent with a scout who was sexually attracted to him. Another said that introducing a sexual agenda would “distort the organization.”  Scoutmaster Don Smith of Troop 107 in McSherrystown told ABC27 news that those rallying hoped to send a message to their delegates within the New Birth of Freedom Council to vote “no” on the proposal. Smith said that he opposed allowing openly gay scouts on the grounds that the Boy Scouts was not a proper place to discuss sexuality, and that it is “not my place as a scoutmaster, even if it is imposed on me from a national policy [to do so.]”

Even if the proposal by the Boy Scouts of America to allow openly gay youth passes, adult LGBTQ scoutmasters and volunteers will be barred from the organization.

Image via PennLive

Issak Wolfe Speaks at School Board Meeting

Red Lion Area Senior High School student, Issak Oliver Wolfe, spoke at the Red Lion Area School District meeting on Thursday, asking that the school district give their transgender students equal treatment, and that his correct male name be read at graduation. The meeting was heavily attended by the Pennsylvania LGBTQ community, who wore green to symbolize their solidarity with Issak. Stickers which read, “His name is Issak,” were given out to those in attendance.

Advocates came from all over the state, some traveling from Philadelphia and Harrisburg to show their support. Transcentral PA, a transgender advocacy organization working in Central Pennsylvania, was represented at the meeting. Only tax-payers within the Red Lion school district were able to speak.  Caden Krawchuk, a student at Mechanicsburg Area Senior High School and transgender youth advocate, told the Keystone Student Voice that community members spoke in support of Issak.

After being switched from the ballot for prom king to prom queen without his knowledge, Issak’s friends and family reached out to social media for support. When the school threatened Issak and his girlfriend, Taylor Thomas, with potential legal action and being barred from prom, Issak contacted the Pennsylvania Student Equality Coalition, who put him in touch with the Pennsylvania ACLU. The ACLU wrote a letter to the district, asking that Issak’s proper male name be read at graduation, that he be allowed to wear a black gown with the other male students, and that Red Lion Area School District adopt a transgender inclusive nondiscrimination policy. The district is allowing Issak to wear a black gown, but has not budged on reading his female name, or refusing to adopt a new nondiscrimination policy.

While the school district went through other business first to allow Issak and his supporters time to speak, witnesses reported that Red Lion Senior High School Principal, Mark Shue, was using his phone during Issak’s remarks.

Issak spoke to the Associated Press after the meeting, saying, “Reading my male name at graduation wouldn’t hurt anyone. Reading my female name would hurt me immensely. Is it more important to push around a teenager than it is to make the school a safe place for students?”

The results of the meeting were inconclusive. Caden reported that the school district said they would “talk about it,” in regards to reading Issak’s male name at graduation, but made no changes to their current decision.

Issak told the Keystone Student Voice, “…why I’m doing all of this is not just about me. When I started fighting I realized that I can make a difference for someone… I’m not the first and not the last trans* student.”

Issak Wolfe to Speak at School Board Meeting

ACTION ALERT

The Pennsylvania Student Equality Coalition asks that you attend the Red Lion Area School District meeting Thursday evening, May 16, in solidarity with Isaak Oliver Wolfe, a senior at Red Lion Area Senior High School. Issak will be speaking at the meeting, or making comments to the media after the event. In April, Isaak, who is transgender, was removed from the running for prom king and placed on the prom queen ballot without his knowledge. After his friends and family took his story to social media, the school district threatened to bar Isaak and his girlfriend from prom, and pursue legal action against them.

Isaak and his girlfriend, Taylor Thomas, were allowed to attend prom after the intervention of the Pennsylvania ACLU, and the school district agreed to allow Issak to wear a black gown with other males at graduation. However, despite the requests of the ACLU, Red Lion School District does not plan to read Isaak’s correct name at graduation, nor was he allowed to run for prom king. Most troubling of all is the district’s refusal to implement a nondiscrimination policy, which would protect the district’s transgender students.

Speaking at Midtown Scholar bookstore in Harrisburg last Saturday at an anti-bullying summit, Isaak asked that a sit-in be held during the school district meeting to put public pressure on Red Lion to end discriminatory practices and allow Isaak to have his proper male name read at graduation.

The presence of the LGBTQ community at this meeting is vital. A message must be sent to the Red Lion Area School District that transgender students are valuable members of our communities, and they must have the same rights as their peers. In school districts across the state, transgender students face discrimination everyday. This is an opportunity to show that discrimination against transgender students will no longer be tolerated, and that school districts cannot continue to deny their transgender students the same rights which they afford their other students.

Those attending the meeting should wear green to show their support for Issak. The meeting will be held at 7:30 PM, on May 16 at The Red Lion Area Education Center; 696 Delta Road, Red Lion PA.

Issak