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The Community Foundation of Santa Cruz County has awarded the Queer Youth Task Force (QYTF) a grant of $7,000 for its Safe Schools Project. The award will be used to support a collaborative effort to eliminate harassment and discrimination against LGBTIQ youth in Santa Cruz County schools.
The Safe Schools Project of Santa Cruz County (SSP) was created in the Fall of 2003 to: Raise awareness of the harsh atmosphere queer youth face on school campuses in Santa Cruz County; Advocate for the enforcement of AB 537, The California Student Safety and Violence Prevention Act of 2000; and be a catalyst for action in each school district to make schools safer for all youth.
Ron Indra, a Harbor High School teacher for over 25 years, will lead the Safe Schools Project and the mandate of the grant. Mr. Indra was the founding Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) Advisor for Harbor's "Rainbow Society" GSA 10 years ago and is a member of the Santa Cruz City Schools (SCCS) GLBT Task Force and helped implement AB537 in the SCCS school district. Mr. Indra has degrees in Political Theory, Philosophy and a JD and sits on a number of boards of directors as their legal advisor.
Jacob Breslow, a UCSC student, will support the project as a research assistant. Mr. Breslow is a Point Foundation Scholar, a fellow with the Trevor helpline, and coordinator of the 2009 Queer Youth Leadership Awards.
One of the grant objectives is to create a “Safe Schools Evaluation” on the status of safety for queer youth in each school district in Santa Cruz County.
Another grant objective is to identify “safe persons” within each school district – and within each campus -- to turn to regarding AB 537 enforcement. A website in both English and Spanish will host such information.
Some of the community organizations who have pledged to be part of the SSP collaboration include: United Way/Together for Youth; Temple Beth El; Triangle Speakers; STRANGE, a program of Youth Services, Santa Cruz Community Counseling Centers, Inc.; The Diversity Center; Gay/Straight Alliances (GSAs); and several local businesses and public institutions.
The overall goal of the Safe Schools Project is for every queer and queer-friendly student, parent, and staff person in the K-12 system within Santa Cruz County to know of AB 537 and the rights that each has to be safe on campus without bullying or harassment. When students are empowered with the knowledge of their safety rights and school administrators enforce AB 537, schools have proven to be safer for all students on campus.
In addition to AB 537, as of January 1, 2008, school districts will also have to follow the mandate of two new bills signed by Governor Schwarzenegger recently – the Student Civil Rights Act (SB 777) and the Safe Place to Learn Act (AB 394).
The Task Force, through its Safe Schools Project, looks forward to working with the community in securing safer campuses for LGBTIQ youth and their allies.
The mission of the Task Force, founded in 1997, is to improve the quality of life for all lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and questioning youth in Santa Cruz County, as well as children and siblings raised in homes where LGBTIQ people live. In addition to the Safe Schools Project, the Task Force produces the annual Queer Youth Leadership Awards. QYTF is an affiliate of the Diversity Center.
For more information on the Safe Schools Project, please contact the Task Force at
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
or (831) 427-4004.
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