Grants awarded to address bullying and safe schools

[mzteris]

Fed grants awarded to begin addressing bullying and safe schools

The U.S. Department of Education announced Oct. 5 the awarding of $38.8 million in grants to 11 states from a new Safe and Supportive School program. The timing comes just days after a media blitz about the suicides of six teenagers, at least four of whom were bullied for being gay or being perceived as gay. But anybody who knows Washington knows Tuesday’s grants weren’t made in reaction to the recent news.

"It would be inaccurate to say we’re doing this as a response to recent events," said Kevin Jennings, Assistant Deputy Secretary for the Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools (OSDFS) at the U.S. Department of Education.

. . .

Jennings, in an interview, said Education Secretary Arne Duncan has also been long aware that "bullying and harassment are first and foremost an education issue," because he understands kids will not want to be in school if they are bullied and harassed.

Jennings points to Duncan’s hiring of him for the safe schools position as proof of the Secretary’s commitment, and notes that Duncan met with GLSEN student leaders even before that.

http://www.baywindows.com/index.php?ch=news&sc=glbt&sc2=news&sc3=&id=111157

[TexasObserver]

1. recommend

[mzteris]

2. this is such a great thing

why aren't others reccing it? (Can it be because they can't admit that Arne has done - !gasp! - something they approve of?!?! oh noooooooooooooooes.......

[dsc]

3. I am so glad, on the 12th aniversary of Matthew Shepard's attack

you chose to play smart ass political games with an issue about literally the death of gay kids. And you have the ever loving nerve to wonder why gays find Obama supporters here to be totally insufferable. We are burying gay kids and you post snippy, shitty posts.

[mzteris]

4. excuse me?

I posted something I thought was wonderful and worthwhile

WHO"S PLAYING STUPID ASS POLITICAL GAMES by UNRECCING THIS???

You had a chance to support this, and you chose to make some shitty snippy post.

[dsc]

5. I am referring to this

why aren't others reccing it? (Can it be because they can't admit that Arne has done - !gasp! - something they approve of?!?! oh noooooooooooooooes.......

you chose to use this issue to point out that we gays, who are all bigots and Obama haters, don't deserve to be here. And you did it on the grave of gay kids. Oh, and I recommended the thread, not that it matters to you.

[mzteris]

6. I wasn't pointing out damn thing about gays

on here - I was pointing out about those who hate Arne Duncan SO DAMN MUCH they can't even rec the fact that this awesome event occurred!


DON"T YOU EVER DARE TO SAY I DANCE ON THE GRAVE OF GAY KIDS! YOU DON'T HAVE A GD CLUE ABOUT WHO ME OR MY LIFE OR MY LOVED ONES!

[dsc]

7. the evidence speaks for itself

Yes, I have criticed Duncan but I have on every single occassion given him credit for being a very pro gay secretary of ed. I totally disagree with him on treatment of teachers overall but on gay issues he has been about the best choice Obama made. You decided, in a thread about dead gay kids to grind an axe, that speaks volumes.