DOCUMENT RESUME ED 418 175 UD 032 235 AUTHOR Reis, Beth TITLE Safe Schools Report of the Anti-Violence Documentation Project from the Safe Schools Coalition of Washington. Will You Be There for Every Child? Fourth Annual Report. INSTITUTION Safe Schools Coalition of Washington, Seattle. PUB DATE 1997-00-00 NOTE 36p.; For the accompanying resource guide, see UD 032 236. AVAILABLE FROM Northwest Coalition Against Malicious Harassment, P.O. Box 16776, Seattle, WA 98116; e-mail: [email protected]; World Wide Web: http://members.tripod.com/-claytoly/ssp home PUB TYPE Reports Descriptive (141) EDRS PRICE MF01/PCO2 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS American Indians; Elementary Secondary Education; *Homophobia; *Homosexuality; *Incidence; *Partnerships in Education; Responses; *School Safety; Sexual Harassment; Surveys; *Violence IDENTIFIERS *Washington ABSTRACT The Safe Schools Coalition of Washington is a public-private partnership of 90 offices, agencies, and organizations, as well as many individuals. The Coalition's Anti-Violence Documentation Project is an ongoing statewide qualitative study examining the phenomenon of anti-gay sexual harassment and violence in kindergarten through grade 12. In the first 4 years of this 5-year study, over 90 incidents have been reported to the Project. They have come from at least 59 public schools, including 1 reservation school, and 1 private school, in 30 school districts and 9 counties. They have included 8 gang rapes and 19 physical assaults. There have been 14 incidents of physical harassment or sexual assault short of rape and 34 incidents of ongoing verbal and other harassment. Of the total reported incidents, 41 were considered serious enough to warrant possible criminal allegations. In half the reported incidents, where there were adult witnesses, the adults stood by in silence. These reports are undoubtedly a small subset of all antigay harassment in Washington State, but they provide a portrait of the range of anti-gay bullying activities and the response of adults. Part 2 of the report reviews some quantitative studies of actual prevalence of harassment of gay and lesbian students. One of these studies, the Seattle Teen Health Risk Survey, was actually conducted in Washington in 1995. (Contains one table and four figures.) (SLD) ******************************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. ******************************************************************************** The fourth Annual Safe Schools Report of the Anti-Violence Documentation Project from the Safe Schools Coalition of Washington Fa 11 1997 6. The Ninety Offices, Agencies And Organizations Which belong To The Safe Schools Coalition of Washington ington, Bremerton/Kitsap County, Burien/South + American Friends Service Committee King County, Clarkston-Lewiston/Quad Cities, + Association For Sexuality Education and Training Ellensburg, Everett/Snohomish, Grant County, (ASSET) Olympia, Seattle, Spokane, Tacoma, TriCities, Van- Bainbridge Island School District's Multicultural couver/SW Washington, Wenatchee Valley, Whidbey Advisory Council Island, Yakima/Yakima Valley Benton/Franklin Council for Children and Youth Planned Parenthood of Central Washington Center for Human Services + Central Washington Comprehensive Mental Health Planned Parenthood of Western Washington Ravenna United Methodist Church + Central Washington University Women's Resource + Region V AIDSNet Center + Community Youth Services School Nurse Organization of Washington + Empowerment Safety Respect America Seattle City Office for Civil Rights Seattle Commission for Sexual Minorities Equality Washington (formerly Hands Off Washing- Seattle Counseling Service for Sexual Minorities ton), Central Office and its twenty-six local coalitions: Seattle Education Association Bainbridge, Clallam County, East King County, Grant Seattle-King County Department of Public Health County, Grays Harbor, Island County, Jefferson Seattle Public Schools' Inter-High (Student) Council County, Kitittas County, Kitsap County, Lewis Seattle Public Schools' Office of Comprehensive County, Long Beach, Longview, Pierce County, Health Education Skagit County, Snohomish County, South King + Seattle Public Schools' Office of Drug/Alcohol County, Southwest Washington, Spokane County, Intervention Stevens County, Thurston County, Tri-Cities, Walla + Sexuality Educational Services (Olympia) Walla, Wenatchee, Whatcom County, Whitman Snohomish Health District's GLOBE Youth Program County, Yakima Snohomish County Human Services Department Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network Stonewall Recovery Services (GLSEN) of Washington Tacoma-Pierce County Department of Public Health + Issaquah High School Student Body Association The Eastside Network (TEN) King County Sexual Assault Resource Center + Lake Washington Education Association University of Washington School of Medicine, Adolescent Medicine Program Lambert House + Lavender Families Resource Network + Washington Education Association Washington State Superintendent of Public League of Women Voters of Washington + Northwest Coalition Against Malicious Harassment Instruction + Parents, Family & Friends of Lesbians & Gays + Yakima Education Association Yakima Youth Commission (PFLAG), Pacific Northwest Regional Office and its nineteen local chapters: Aberdeen/Harbor Area, Youth Eastside Services (YES) + Youthcare Bainbridge Island, Bellevue, Bellingham/NW Wash- The Safe Schools Coalition is a public-private partner- ship of 90 agencies and many individuals. Its mission is to help make Washington State schools safe places where every family can belong, where every educator can teach, and where every child can learn, regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation. Permission is granted to photocopy this report. The Research Team accepts full responsibility for its contents. Author and Principal Investigator: Beth Reis Research Team Co-chair: Tom Page Safe Schools Research Team: Arlis Stewart Jerry Painter Tracy Flynn Katharine Brown Pearson Frieda Takamura Tom Nussbaum Michelle Munro Nancy O'Mara Other Contributors: Linda Gasparovic Teri Tomatich Editors, Reviewers, and Consultants: Nancy Peterfreund Maureen Considine Roberta Adams Kathryn Horsley Patricia Fullmer Susan Carmel Joan Helmich Gail Stringer Allen Cheadle Design and Production: Karen K. Reed Website: Gabi Clayton Poster: Sheri Simonsen Public Service Announcements: Fishtale Films, Lisa Cohen and Emilie Coulter Grant, Award and In-kind Funding for the Safe Schools Project has been provided by: American Friends Service Committee Seattle Counseling Service for Sexual Minorities The City of Seattle Seattle-King County Department of Public Health Providence Medical Center Northwest Coalition Against Malicious Harassment Trade Printery Pride Foundation The King County Commission for Children, Washington Education Association Youth and Families The Research Team and the Coalition also want to express appreciation to: Pamela Hillard and the Seattle Public Schools for offering the Coalition access to the Teen Health Risk Survey data Minnie Orr for her assistance coordinating the printing of the poster. We are indebted to the work of: Jorge Espinosa and the Education Committee of the Northwest Coalition Against Malicious Harassment, creators of the "Anti-Bias Education Resource Guide" The GLSEN-Detroit Research Team, creators of "Bruised Bodies, Bruised Spirits: An Assessment of the Current Climate of Safety for GLB Youth in Southeastern Michigan Schools" Linda Gasparovic and Ravenna United Methodist Church, creators of the Website, "Washington State Open and Affirming Congregations" The Public Service Announcements were produced with generous support from: Eastman Kodak Semra Lind Kelsey McCallister QFC Noah's Bagels Alpha Cine Laboratories Zach McCallister Cameron Fraser Pinnacle Productions M & R Produce Sean Talley Colleen Bell Aaron Shepherd Honey Bear Bakery Tim Bartter Glazers Camera Supply Patrick McMurchie Sean Nuzzo Kastoria, Inc. Ivey Seright Photo Lab Sarah McMurchie Pacific Grip & Lighting DAA Le Jhon Cotton Saraswati Noel Electric Cattle Productions Kid Biz Ben Ryan Richard Nelson Mike Gullo ABC Kids Garret Veley Benedict bugger Anonymous Casting Real People Kathleen Seymour Samantha Sherman Aubrey Lindley Jane & Eli Cohen Trent Siegel Hy Comen Ian McGlocklin Kathleen Cassidy Planet FX Dan Defrance James Madison Middle School Page & Bob Coulter Karen Bass Odwalla Polly & Andy Grow Peter Wobber Abigail Taitano Queen Anne Thriftway Charles Mayer Christine Taylor Gilmore Research Group Kaitlin Olson Northwest Research Group Starbucks Dave Oxley Adam Bell Morgan Scherer Lucy Woodworth & Erich PCC Nicholas Pearson Randy Carmical Bad Animals Productions Lauffer MIST COPY AVAELABLT aReasons Why the Safe Schools Coalition Is Providing this Report and Resource Guide to Schools Because every child is entitled to equal opportunity to learn, in an emotionally and physically safe place. Because children come from diverse kinds of families and have diverse orientations and identities and public schools are sup- ... posed to serve them all. Because learning can only take place when the teacher and the student feel respected and secure. Because anti-gay harassment and violence make schools unsafe for everybody, gay and straight. Because many incidents never come to the attention of the school and it's time we understood what students (faculty, parents) expe- rience. Because schools cannot address what they do not know is happen- ing. Because once we know that harassment is happening, we can edu- cate. Only education can prevent harassment; rules are not enough. Because we cannot educate without tools. We need tools with which to prevent harassment, respond to it, recover from it ... and allies in the larger community to support our efforts. We are a vil- lage. We can be there for every child. Together. 5 Contents Executive Summary 1 The Safe Schools Anti-Violence Documentation Project PART ONE: Introduction 3 Purpose of the Safe Schools Project 3 Methodology of the Safe Schools Project 3 Incident Categories and Narratives 5 Findings of the Safe Schools Project, 1994-1997 14 A Caution About Interpreting the Findings of the Safe Schools Project 22 Quantitative Studies of Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Youth PART TWO: and Schools The Demographics of Sexual Orientation and Experience 23 The Prevalence of Anti-Gay Harassment and Violence 25 Coming-of-Age and the Frequency of Self-Destructive Behavior 25 Recommendations 27 FART THREE: 6 Will You Be There For Every Child? The Fourth Annual Report of the Safe Schools Anti-Violence Documentation Project Executive Summary: Fall, 1997 The Safe Schools Coalition is a public-private partnership of ninety offices, agencies and organizations as well as many individuals. Its mission is to help make Washington State schools safe places where every family can belong, where every educator can teach, and where every child can learn, regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation. The Coalition's Anti-Violence Documentation Project is an ongoing statewide qualitative study examining the phenomenon of anti-gay sexual harassment and violence in schools, kindergarten through grade twelve. In the first four years of this five year study, ninety-one incidents have been reported to the Project. The Fourth Annual Report, summarized here, describes those incidents. Ninety -one incidents of anti-gay harassment and violence have been reported to the Project to date. They have come from: At least 59 public schools, including a reservation school, and one private school.' 30 public school districts (urban, suburban, small town and rural). 9 counties. They have included: Gang Rapes. (8 to date; 1 reported in the 1996/97 school year) All of the eight rapes reported to the Project to date have involved multiple assailants. In three cases, besides raping the person, the attackers also urinated on him or her. In two cases, they ejaculated on the targeted individuals. In one, they vomited on the person. In one case they broke a teen's hand. For the first time, this year, a reported rape involved an adult. Physical assaults. (19 to date; 4 reported in 1996/97) Eleven of the assaults were serious beatings in which a total of twelve people were kicked, punched, and/or injured with weapons. They resulted in cuts, contu- sions, and broken bones. One of those reported this year led to the convictions of five assailants. Physical harassment and/or sexual assault, short of rape. (14 incidents to date; 2 reported in 1996/97). In some of these incidents, students were pushed or pulled or brushed up against. In others, they were spit at or something was thrown at them. In some cases, students' clothes were pulled up or down or off. One of the two reported this year led to a teen attempting suicide and requiring mental health hospitalization. On-going verbal and other harassment, (34 incidents to date; 4 reported in 1996/97). These involved, for example, repeated public humiliation, vandalism of someone's property, spreading rumors about their sexual orientation, death threats, etc. In one case, a friend of the targeted student was upset at what she saw as minimal discipline of the offender. This friend responded by printing a "newsletter" in which she urged her peers not to harass Gay classmates. She also charged the school with failing to protect its Gay students. This friend received more serious discipline for the newsletter than the offender had for the assault. One-time, climate setting incidents. (16 to date; 3 reported in 1996/97) These entailed things such as name- calling, offensive jokes, etc. In one incident reported this year, no single individual was intentionally targeted. A teacher expressed the opinion, in class, that "Lesbians and Gays are sinners" and "people who have AIDS deserve to burn in Hell." At least one student, whose father is Gay and has AIDS, was very upset about the teacher's comments. A classmate consoled her afterwards. Incidents serious enough to warrant possible criminal allegations: forty-one. Targeted individuals who, to our knowledge, actually reported the offense to the police: six. Ratio of offenders to the people they targeted: three against one. Proportion of incidents with adult witnesses, where adults stood by in silence: half. Number of youth who report having changed schools (in some cases, multiple times) to try to escape the abuse: six. Number of youth who reported dropping out as a result of the harassment: nine. Number of reported suicide attempts: eight. Number of suicides: one. 'And possibly more; some callers (11 of 95) have declined to name their school. Two of these also declined to identify the school district. 7 PART ONE: The Safe Schools Anti-Violence Documentation Project Introduction The Safe Schools Project is a five-year, statewide study examining the phenomenon of anti-gay2 harassment and violence m schools K through 12 In its first four years, the Project has conducted in-depth interviews with a total of 95 people, regarding 91 separate anti-gay incidents.' These incidents were reported by targets, witnesses, one individual who was both a target and an offender, and other individuals who learned of an incident after the fact, such as school employees and the parents of targeted students. Purpose of the Safe Schools Project The Safe Schools Project is qualitative research, designed to help educators, parents and policy-makers under- stand the phenomenon of anti-gay harassment and violence in schools. It can help guide program planning efforts to make schools safer for every child, parent and educator. The process is designed to answer such questions as: 1) What sorts of harassing or violent behavior associated with sexual orientation occur in schools, in transit to or from schools, and at school sponsored events? 2) Are these incidents witnessed by students? 3) What are their reactions? 4) Are they witnessed by adults? 5) What are their reactions? 6) Who gets targeted? 7) What seems to make the offenders think that these people are Gay (when they do)? 8) Who are the offenders? 9) How do these incidents affect those who are targeted? 10) How do they affect those who witness the bullying? 11) Do targeted children and teens let their families know what happened? 12) How do they perceive that their families respond (when they know)? 13) Are these incidents brought to the attention of the principal? 14) How do they seem to respond (when they know)? 15) How do callers wish their building administrator would have responded (if he or she had known)? 16) What else do these students (and teachers and parents and others) want us to hear? Methodology of the Safe Schools Project For the most part, reports were made over the phone, through a statewide, toll-free number (1-800-5B-PROUD) on the initiative of the respondent.' Reports were solicited in a number of ways. During the 1996/97 school year, every middle and high school nurse, librarian, and counselor in Washington State received the Third Annual Report, including a poster. Some respondents have learned of the Project from these posters; from radio and print media coverage of the Project (which was sporadic); from the Internet; or from the Gay-Lesbian-Bisexual- Transgender-Questioning Youth Info Line (206-322-7900). Most callers, however, say they learned of the Project in a more direct person-to-person way. They say that a school employee, a family member, or a Coalition member agency encouraged them to report what happened. The interviews were conducted by trained counselors from the crisis and information line of Seattle Counseling Service for Sexual Minorities, a state-licensed community mental health agency. In addition to their training as counselors, these interviewers received two hours of training specifically regarding administering the survey instrument. 2This report uses the term "anti-gay" as shorthand to include incidents motivated by bias against Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender people. 'This figure excludes 23 reports which failed to meet one or more of the criteria for inclusion (see page 4, and the Category Descriptions starting on page 5, for what constitutes "an incident.") or in which the caller declined to give Safe Schools permission for including his or her story, even anonymously, in the annual report. private, not 'All but thirteen were phone reports. The initial twelve and one this year were made face-to-face, at a focus group and several support groups fin in the presence of other focus or support group members]. ... 3 BM COPY MADAME 8 The eighty item survey instrument takes over thirty minutes to complete. A number of people have expressed concern that so long and emotionally arduous an interview probably discourages many people from reporting. However, it is less crucial in this kind of descriptive research effort to gather large numbers of incident reports, than it is to have really complete and valid data. Thus, the full half-hour interviews have been preserved in 1996/ 97 for three reasons: because of the depth of information required, to discourage false reporting and screen for internal consistency, and because callers are asked periodically throughout the interview how they are doing and whether they are able to continue with the research protocol. (A caller's need for counseling is always given precedence over completing the interview. At the end of the interview, callers are also asked if they would like to be referred or contacted about for on-going counseling and/or advocacy.) To qualify for inclusion in the Safe Schools Project, an "incident" had to meet a number of criteria: There had to be sufficient objective facts to lead to the reasonable conclusion that the offenders' actions were 1. based in whole or in part on their bias against Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, or Transgender (GLBT) people.5 The offenders may have: a. said something to indicate that they believed the person was Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual or Transgender before or during the incident, or b. used defamatory language or gestures regarding GLBT people during the incident, or c. defaced something that bore a symbol of support for GLBT civil rights (such as a pink triangle or a Safe Staff List), and The incident must have occurred since 1990, and 2. The entire incident or part of the pattern of incidents must have occurred: 3. a. on public or private school property (K-12) in Washington State, or b. on the way to or from a Washington State school (e.g., at the bus stop), or c. at an event sponsored by a Washington State school (e.g., sporting event, field trip, etc.), and The report had to be complete enough that members of the research committee could, independently of one 4. another, screen it for internal consistency (e.g., the date-of-birth and the target's age must agree) and verifi- able facts.6 Finally, an incident was excluded if the interviewer or the research team had serious reason to be skeptical about the call's legitimacy, for example if the caller's tone of voice seemed incongruent with the severity of a recent incident. 6The Transgender community is still "young and defining itself," according to self-described Transgender author Leslie Feinberg. So the language with which people describe themselves is in flux. This Report uses the term Transgender, as Feinberg does, as an umbrella term to include those who are Transsexual, Intersexual, or Transgender. . Transsexual persons (pre, post, or non-operative) are those who are biologically one sex (at birth), but emotionally and spiritually the other. . Intersexual people (referred to in the past as "hermaphrodites") are those who were born with both male and femal physical characteristics, chromosomally and/or anatomically. Transgender is a broad term often chosen by individuals who are emotionally neither sex or both sexes or whose gender role expression is significantly different from what society expects of people of their sex. Some Transgender people cross-dress some of the time, some cross-dress all the time, and some cross the gender lines in other ways. Gender expression is much more complex than what one wears. Some people who cross-dress (who used to be described as "transvestites") do not define themselves as Transgender. Many Transgender people are heterosexual and some are homosexual; all are vulnerable to the same kinds of harassment and violence that homosexual individuals face. See Feinberg's Transgender Warriors: Making History From Joan of Arc to Dennis Rodman (1996 Beacon Press) for more information. 61n an effort to balance the commitment of the Safe Schools Project to protect callers' confidentiality with the need to verify information, the only facts verified by the research team were those that were easily obtainable from public record. For instance, the name of the school, if provided by the caller, must be a real school and not a pseudonym. 4 BEST COPY AVAILABLE 9 Incident Categories and Narratives Note Certain language in the narratives that follow may offend some readers. It is language heard daily in our schools. The stories have been described here without censorship or softening of the sometimes brutal experiences as they were reported. However, discretion is advised when using these stories (as written) as case studies for classroom discussion. Details have, in a few instances, been omitted or changed to protect the confidentiality of the parties involved; the essence of each story is true to what was reported. Only the fourteen incidents reported to the Project between June, 1996 and June, 1997 are described below. For narratives of incident reports received in the previous two years, see the Safe Schools website: http://members.tripod.comi-claytoly/ssp_home and click on "Incident Categories and Narratives" Category 1: One-Time, Climate Setting Incidents Sixteen reports in the first four years of the Project have entailed name-calling, the telling of offensive jokes, etc. They were almost always witnessed. An incident was included in this category only if the caller did not report that it was part of an on-going pattern in which the same person was being targeted repeatedly or in which the same offender(s) were offending repeatedly. Three Category 1 incidents were reported in the 1996/97 school year: Is it Guys Bragging You Decide ... Incident #1 or is it A Recipe For a Hostile Environment? Two students start bragging about their weekend exploits. They talk about having been to Seattle. They brag that they went to a park known as a gathering place for Gay men. They say they searched for and beat up men who they believed were Gay. A teacher's aide expresses disapproval of Gay- bashing, but allows the bragging to continue. The substitute teacher feels scared and sick to her stomach. Her greatest concern is the possible intimidating effect of the bragging on two of the braggarts' classmates who have told her they are Lesbian. She's worried, too, about her job, but she approaches the principal anyway. The principal is concerned and asks the "sub" what she would like done about it. She says she would like to have a school site team talk to the three boys. She would like the school to notify their parents and file a police report. Later, she tells an interviewer that she thinks at least the conversation with a school site team will take place. She says she wishes counseling were also made available to the Lesbian students. And, in an ideal world, she says, there would be education for all staff and students about Gay and Lesbian issues to reduce the peer approval for bragging about such horrific behavior in the first place. Is it Time To "Keep It Down" You Decide ... Incident #2 or is it Don't Dare Defend Gay People? The young woman who called the Project about this incident has been observing since the third not directed at her, just in general anti-gay remarks at school grade. She says that her classmates "constantly pick at someone who they believe [is Gay or Lesbian] or [who they] just want to destroy, even when they know the person isn't Gay." But now, in eighth grade, she is learning what it feels like to be personally attacked. The sequence of events actually starts at a high school. The principal there asks a guest speaker with HIV to leave after the speaker mentions that he's Gay. Schools all over the state hear about the incident, including students at the caller's middle school. They start talking, in class, about what happened. The teacher decides to allow the discussion. Students take sides in support of and against Gay people. The most vocal of those who oppose Gay people says they should all be shot. He laughs at the half dozen classmates who support Gay rights and says that they 5 io