LOS ANGELES – For too many LGBT youth, high school equates to a four-year sentence of taunting, exclusion and sometimes physical abuse.
Nearly nine out of 10 LGBT students (86.2 percent) experience harassment at school because of their sexual orientation, and 60.8 percent feel unsafe, according to the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network’s (GLSEN) 2007 National School Climate Survey.
As reported in the Ventura County Star, however, for 15-year old Larry King it was more than a little taunting. An openly gay student who had recently begun wearing effeminate clothing to campus, King was in the school’s computer lab when he was shot by a classmate on Feb. 12, 2008. Two days later he died.
Educators and community activists in the Los Angeles area have established a new school aimed at preventing cases such as King’s. The new charter school provides LGBT and LGBT-friendly youth the opportunity to earn their high school diploma in a safe environment, free from persecution.
The first of its kind in Southern California, the new school is a collaboration between Opportunities for Learning (OFL) and the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center program LifeWorks. OFL provides the teacher and educational resources, while LifeWorks will provide the location and access to Center services, such as LifeWorks’ Youth Space, Cyber Lab/Internet Center and various mentoring programs.
“A bright future begins with a solid education, but it’s impossible to learn in an unsafe environment,” said Michael Ferrera, director of LifeWorks. “Our goal is to provide a safe space where these students will have access to all of the resources they need to have a healthy, happy and full high school life.”
Although there is no traditional campus and students study independently at home, other staples of high school life, such as field trips, student council and a prom, will still be available.
Teacher talks about LGBT school
“I love school and I love education,” Molly Sircher says. “I think it’s the way to empower young people