On January 16, Pittsburgh’s own PNC Park hosted the Safe Schools Summit:
Bridging The Gap Between Anti-Bullying Efforts & The Experience of LGBTQ Youth. The Safe Schools Project is designed to ask and answer the question, “What will it take to make schools and communities safe for LGBTQ youth and to bridge the gap between antibullying interventions and the daily harassment experienced?”
The Summit was greatly attended by educators, business leaders, and members of various LGBTQ rights groups. Among the speakers were Laura Crothers and Jered Kolbert of Duquesne
University, who said: “Bullying usually happens under the school’s radar and isn’t reported
because the student does not feel safe. If it is reported, not all school officials report the incident to administration due to personal or religious beliefs, fear being accused of being LGBTQ themselves, or a myriad of other reasons. School professionals need to be trained and know that reporting bullying or other hate crimes is required, and not an option.”
Mayor Luke Ravenstahl assured attendees that The City of Pittsburgh is participating again in GLSEN’s “No Name Calling Week,” and that there are mayoral staff members dedicated to LGBTQ issues.
It was sponsored by PERSAD Center, PFLAG – Pittsburgh, GLSEN – Pittsburgh, and made possible with generous support from Vibrant Pittsburgh & PNC Charitable Trusts.
