Source: Southtown Star
University Park, Ill. -- School violence -- including shootings, teasing and bullying -- will continue across the country until education leaders take a closer look at gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender issues that affect young people, an expert at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) said.

Patrick Finnessy, director of gay, lesbian and transgender concerns at UIC, delivered this message to a group of about 30 teachers, counselors and other youth advocates from across the Southland on Friday at Governors State University (GSU) in University Park.

The seminar was part of the national Safe Zone workshop series.

Of all the recent school shootings across the country, Finnessy said in an interview Monday, "100 percent of the perpetrators were taunted or mocked for being gay or effeminate," he said.

"Until schools look at this issue, this violence will continue," he said.

Alicia McCray, a director of public education programs at GSU, said one of Finnessy's most memorable points was that youth supervisors need to take small, but important, steps to curb teasing and bullying.

One technique, she said, could be making the phrase "that's so gay," against the rules in schools or other adult-supervised settings.

This and other types of insensitive language and put-downs lead to some of the more severe "bullying that happens (in schools)," and "adults really need to clamp down on that," McCray said.

"Time after time, silence (about the issues) equals death," she said.

Finnessy said he speaks about the issues as they relate to youth all over the world, and his lectures are gaining popularity in youth settings.

But, he said, while teachers and counselors are likely to participate or be interested in the subject, school board members and administrators are less amenable to hosting events like Safe Zone. He said top school officials' participation and openness are critical to raising awareness about gay and lesbian issues and youth.

Full article: The SouthtownStar :: News