Changes are coming to Atlanta, Georgia. The capital will soon be home to a private school specifically for young people in the LGBTQI community. There are a small number of these schools throughout the United States, but the one opening its doors in Atlanta will be the first of its kind in the southeast.
“Pride School Atlanta is a K-12 institution designed to be an alternative for LGBT students, though the school is open to any student who believes they’re not getting the support they need for “being different,” says Pride School founder Christian Zsilavetz.
Pride School will open its doors at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Atlanta and is expected to open for the 2016/17 school year. Tuition is expected to be around $13,000, with financial assistance available for students who need it.
There are some concerns about this school and how it will separate these youths from the dangers they face, while there are still unknown numbers of young people who are still suffering.
"All students, including LGBTQIA students, deserve safe, affirming schools. Harassment affects their grades and development, as well as their mental and physical health. Schools specifically for queer students may have a place and fill a need, but our efforts should simultaneously be focused on making sure all LGBTQIA have positive school environments" said Ken Jackson, a professional school counselor in the Atlanta area.
Atlanta area groups have worked very hard in recent years to combat the bullying issues that face so many young people not just those in the LGBT community.
Gay rights group Georgia Equality was one of the groups that lobbied state lawmakers to create legislation to reduce bullying of all kinds in schools. After an anti-bullying bill was signed into law in 2010, the group investigated school district policies in Georgia to see which districts had LGBT-specific bullying-prevention policies. It found fewer than 30 percent did.
It's been consistently proven that bullying is a serious problem that needs to be addressed for the safety of all young people no matter what race, religion or orientation.
According to the mental health organization Mental Health America, 33 percent of middle-school youth report being bullied at school. This is just the number who suffered such severe attacks that they felt the need to report it. The number of kids who don’t report it is thought to be much greater.
“Young people who are bullied are more likely to skip or drop out of school, engage in violence and have mental health problems such as depression, thoughts of suicide and anxiety, Ken Jackson said, “In addition, straight, cis-gender (non-transgender) students benefit from having safe schools for their LGBTQIA peers. Schools that are safe for even LGBTQIA students are safer and more affirming schools for all."
Brian Williams, a homosexual young man who was taken out of school and homeschooled to escape bullying commented when asked what he thought about the school, “I don’t think this school is a bad idea at all, but I do think it should function as one small part of a larger solution".
When youth are forced to leave the public school system due to bullying and threats to their safety, they will still have the option of homeschooling or attending a traditional private school. An LGBT private school will be an alternative option for them, similarly to how there are Black colleges or all-female boarding schools.
However, intolerance is the root of the problem here, and an LGBTQ school won’t be able to fix that on its own.
"Even as a homeschooler, I was harshly bullied, particularly at the middle school age. Not even continuing my education at home protected me from acts of aggression, particularly verbal,” said Williams, who currently attends Flagler College.
Brian also says, “If, because of this school, even one less queer kid is killed, kills themselves, or hates themselves—it’s worth it. But people also need to take action against the many inequalities in America; we need to worry about the ‘disease’ too, not just the symptoms.”
Any perceived difference, whether it be appearance, faith or orientation opens kids up to painful and unfortunately sometimes life threatening attacks from their peers.
I am not sure if segregating kids because of their differences will help them in the long run. We need to continue to work on creating change in the public schools, change that will let every child no matter what makes them unique, feel safe.
No child should ever fear going to school.
If we can mold a generation of young people to be confident in themselves and respect those around them, even if they do not share beliefs or orientation with them, then perhaps we will not only save a generation of young people, but those young people will grow up to change the world around them.
