In the post, One Million Transgender Youth And Young Adults In The US?, I discussed the statistics gathered by the San Francisco Unified School District on Transgender, Bisexual, Lesbian, Gay and Questioning students. The numbers are staggering. From their survey, they estimated that 2% of their students identify as Transgender. The study also revealed that in total approximately 12% of students identify as Transgender, Bisexual, Lesbian or Gay.
Due to the survey and its results, the San Francisco Unified School District's board has decided to maintain $120,000 in their budget that is facing a $113 million shortfall. In other words, there is a meaningful number of TBLG students with needs that cannot be ignored. They will find the funding some place.
Other states and localities need to stand up and take notice. S.F. school board OKs new gay support program (emphasis added)
Jill Tucker, Chronicle Staff Writer
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
(02-09) 21:43 PST SAN FRANCISCO -- The San Francisco school board added to the district's massive $113 million shortfall over the next two years by voting Tuesday night to fund a substantial increase in instruction and services related to gay and lesbian issues.
Though the district is facing layoffs and significant program cuts, board members unanimously agreed that the estimated $120,000 annual price tag was worth it to support gay and lesbian students - children who are more likely to experience bullying and skip school because they are afraid.
The resolution calls for adding a district position to manage "lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning" youth issues. It also requires the district to keep tabs on harassment and discrimination based on sexual orientation and distribute educational packets every year to parents encouraging them to discuss sexuality, gender identity and safety with their children.
The measure, sponsored by the city's Youth Commission and Human Rights Commission and the district's Student Advisory Council, requires district staff to seek outside funding to cover the costs, but guarantees at least a half-time position and other services regardless.
About 13 percent of San Francisco's middle school students and 11 percent of high school students self-identified as gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender, according to a district survey.
Despite San Francisco's reputation as a gay-friendly city, gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students more frequently experience harassment and are more likely to consider suicide, district officials said during the meeting.
In addition, 43 percent of those middle schools students - 430 children - said they didn't go to school because they didn't feel safe compared with 11 percent of heterosexual students.
"It's the data that's driving my decision," said board member Norman Yee, his voice filling with emotion as he wiped away tears.
More than two dozen students, teachers and parents lined up to urge the board to fund the measure - enough money to cover the salaries of two classroom teachers.
The unanimous support among the public speakers stood in stark contrast to the public outcry in Alameda last year over a proposed - and ultimately approved - 45-minute annual lesson on gay and lesbian topics.
The San Francisco students said homophobic graffiti is not uncommon on school property and that their friends have been beaten up for being gay.
Jimmy Zhang, a senior at Thurgood Marshall Academic High School, said coming out as gay at school hasn't been easy.
"I feel uncomfortable and sometimes unmotivated to attend school," he said. "The truth is there needs to be more understanding at my school."
E-mail Jill Tucker at jtucker@sfchronicle.com.
This article appeared on page C - 3 of the San Francisco Chronicle
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