Safe Schools Project

Resources for Queer Youth and Educators in Santa Cruz County

SSP Supports Spreckels School District LGBTQ+ Students

By

June 23, 2022 For Immediate Release:

The Safe Schools Project joined other local and state organizations in responding to a recent lawsuit filed against the Spreckels Unified School District and in support of LGBTQ+ students. Below is the joint statement.

Joint Statement in Support of LGBTQ+ Students in Response to Lawsuit Filed Against Spreckels Union School District

We are a group of local and state organizations working to support and advance the rights of the LGBTQ+ community. Last week, a lawsuit was filed against Spreckels Union School District challenging District policies that protect LGBTQ+ students. We condemn the divisive efforts behind this lawsuit and express our strong support for LGBTQ+ youth in Spreckels and surrounding communities.

Students need policies that protect their well-being and safety and that ensure that they can be their authentic selves at school without fear of discrimination or harassment. They need policies that safeguard their right to privacy and create an environment where they feel safe to be themselves so that they can express who they are on their own terms and at their own pace. Not only are these policies guaranteed by California law–they save lives.

This is a critical moment to take a stand against the hate we are seeing across the country against trans and gender diverse people. We need to be clear that is not who we are.

To the young LGBTQ+ people in our communities–you are not alone. Your voices matter and your needs matter.

  • Epicenter
  • Equality California
  • Genders & Sexualities Alliance Network
  • Monterey Peninsula Pride
  • ONE Archives Foundation
  • Our Family Coalition
  • Pajaro Valley Pride
  • Planned Parenthood Mar Monte
  • Rainbow Speakers and Friends
  • Safe Schools Project Santa Cruz County
  • Salinas Valley Pride Celebrations
  • Santa Cruz Pride

Register Today: Queer, Trans and Allied Summit – October 5, 2019

By

Join other Santa Cruz County youth and parents to attend the Spring 2019 Queer, Trans and Allied Summit
– Saturday, October 5, 2019, 9:30am – 2:00pm
– Watsonville High School (250 E Beach St, Watsonville, CA 95076)
– All middle and high school youth welcome
– Youth to youth workshops
– Meet other students across Santa Cruz County and beyond

– Sign up to do a workshop

– Parent/Guardian Registration (no cost) for the event – Espanol

– Student Registration (no cost) for the event

Attend the Queer, Trans and Allied Student Summit on March 2

By

Queer, Trans & Allied Student Summit — Spring 2019
“Soaring Above and Beyond the Gender Binary”  (More Info Here)
Saturday, March 2, 2019
9:30 am – 2:00 pm
Lakeview Middle School, Watsonville

All High School & Middle School Students Welcome

  • Meet students throughout the Santa Cruz County area — from Watsonville, Salinas to Scotts Valley — who are working to help create safer schools in their community!
  • Breakfast, Snacks & Lunch Provided
  • Experience workshops put on by fellow youth and community resources
  • Meet LGBTIQ/Ally Community Leaders
  • New in 2019 – Parent/Guardian Workshops in Partnership with Gender Spectrum!
  • and more….
  • Learn more about the Student Summit
  • Learn more about the Parent/Guardian Summit

Grant for SC County School Administrators Received

By

It is our pleasure to announce that the Safe Schools Project of Santa Cruz County has been awarded a grant from the Community Foundation of Santa Cruz County. The purpose of the grant is to develop and implement a Safe Schools Index (SSI) for county schools in Santa Cruz County to guide school administrators in providing sustainable policies, practices and strategies that will result in safer and more inclusive school climates for LGBTQ students. We submitted this grant after hearing about this need from many school administrators across the county and we want to create a useable instrument in partnership with elementary, middle and high schools.

The first phase of the grant (Jan-March) is developing the instrument (currently we are calling this a “Safe Schools Index”) with a committee of administrators and convening small focus groups of administrators about the instrument. The second phase of the grant (March-May) is field-testing the instrument.

We hope that all school districts and administrators will participate by convening a focus group and by identifying administrators to be part of the SSI development committee.  Please email Rob Darrow of your interest (RobDarrow@Robdarrow.us) by December 19.

Here is the Letter Sent to County Superintendents via email on December 8.

Free Movie Viewing Oct. 8 – The Lavender Scare

By

The National Steinbeck Center, California Rural Legal Assistance, Salinas Valley Pride Celebrations and the Monterey County Office of Education are excited to present a FREE screening of The Lavender Scare movie (2017) on Monday, October 8th, 6PM, Salinas Maya Cinemas.

The Lavender Scare (2017) is a documentary focusing the U.S. government’s efforts to identify and fire gay and lesbian employees in the 1950’s.

This screening is part of the NEA Big Read focusing on Tobias Wolff’s memoir This Boy’s Life. The NEA Big Read Film Series is intended to give community members additional perspectives to the themes and topics covered in This Boy’s Life. The NEA Big Read is a program of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest. For more information about the NEA Big Read, please contact eric@steinbeck.org

The screening is part of Salinas Valley Pride Celebrations’ week long activities leading up to the annual Salinas Valley Pride on Sunday, October 14. The screening is also part of California Rural Legal Assistance and the Monterey County Office of Education’s programming for LGBTQ History Month.

See lesson plans, videos and resources about the movie, The Lavender Scare.

Summer 2018 Course About LGBT History

By

Teachers and others who would like to learn about the LGBT History written in the California History Social Science Framework will benefit from this course. Taught by Dr. Rob Darrow, learn about important people and events in history as well as how to integrate LGBT history into your regular curriculum. The course, taught through CSU Monterey Bay, will be completely online with weekly online meetings during 4 months in June. Students should be able to devote at least 10 hours per week to this course. Course Info.   Register by May 1 for 3 Units of credit.

Inclusive CSE Book Published

By

Just published and purchase your copy today!

  • ” Inclusive Sex Education: A Comprehensive Sex Education Guide for Teachers”
  • Author: Jamie Cutter, M.A.

This guide addresses the mandates of the California Healthy Youth Act (CHYA) that was passed in 2016 and mandates the teaching of CSE in all middle and high schools. Includes units, lessons and strategies for teachers to use.

The curriculum, based on CHYA, among other topics, must include the following:

  • Instruction and materials shall be appropriate for use with pupils of all races, genders, sexual orientations, and ethnic and cultural backgrounds, pupils with disabilities, and English learners.
  • Instruction and materials shall affirmatively recognize that people have different sexual orientations and, when discussing or providing examples of relationships and couples, shall be inclusive of same-sex relationships.
  • Instruction and materials shall teach pupils about gender, gender expression, gender identity, and explore the harm of negative gender stereotypes.

Ordering Information.