Way to go Chicago! I really do think this is a progressive way of thinking about fair education for the LGBT community, especially for a city in the midwest.
I was lucky, I enjoyed my high school and wouldn't have change my experience at all. This idea isn't for everyone, many won't flourish in a niche school, but I believe this is a great option for those who feel it is hard to get an education for just being who you are or the way you were born. I applaud this proposal and hope to see it come to reality in Chicago.
As reported in the Chicago Tribune this morning:
The Chicago Public Schools' first high school designed for gay, lesbian and transgender teens is recommended to the school board today by CPS Chief Arne Duncan.
The proposed schools range from technology-focused high schools to the School for Social Justice Pride Campus, which officials said would cater to but not focus exclusively on gay youth.
"If you look at national studies, you see gay and lesbian students with high dropout rates...Studies show they are disproportionately homeless," Duncan said. "I think there is a niche there we need to fill."
Supporters have said the Pride Campus would help students find a safe school environment because studies have shown that gay youth are at a greater risk of dropping out of school and abusing drugs and alcohol, and are two to three times more likely to attempt suicide. A 2003 district survey shows that gay and lesbian youths are three times more likely to miss school because they don't feel safe.
New York has a similar high school, named for pioneering San Francisco politician Harvey Milk. Opened in 2003, the school has a student body of less than 100 that is largely African-American and Latino. In Chicago, officials expect a school of up to 600 students, and those familiar with the project expect a high population of minorities.
Officials said the school could open in 2010 at an undetermined site.
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