High school for LGBT students and allies proposed in Chicago

Tue. September 9, 2008 12:00 AM

Chicago, IL - LGBT advocates have proposed a Chicago high school designed with LGBT students in mind. The Greater Lawndale Little Village School for Social Justice submitted the proposal to Chicago Public Schools, which will make a decision about the school by the end of October.

The school, named Pride Campus, would serve students who feel isolated and unsafe at their current schools. "We hope this venue will further the process by providing a venue where policy and practices supportive of LGBTQA students can be formulated and spread throughout the rest of Chicago Public Schools," Pride Campus design team spokesperson Bill Graves told the Windy City Times.

Pride Campus would open in fall 2010. There is currently one school in the United States specifically serving LGBT students, New York City's Harvey Milk High School. The executive director of the Harvey Milk High School also works as part of the Pride Campus design team.

"If we're going to set up a separate school, let's put the bullies in the school and not our gays kids," Rick Garcia of Equality Illinois told the Chicago Tribune. "Kids should be able to go to school in a safe environment wherever they are."

Community members will have a chance to discuss Pride Campus at a community forum to be held at the Center on Halsted Sept. 18.

Source: Glaad.org
 

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