High School Holds G/L/B In-Service Michael Warner Middlebury Union High School took a for- mal step “out of the closet” on January 25, 1993, when, during a regularly scheduled in-service day, a program on gay and les- bian issues was held for senior high faculty. Attendance was mandatory at the moming- long presentation for sixty plus MUHS fa- culty members. Also in the audience were administrators, ten student teachers from nearby Middlebury College, guests and at least one junior high faculty member. The program was organized by John Beat- tie, a counselor from the Addison County Counseling Service, who also works with students at the high school. Facilitating along with Beattie was Dot Brauer, former Director of Outright Vermont Their ob- jective was understanding gay and lesbian issues in the school setting in order to en- sure that a nurturing and supportive at- mosphere for gay, lesbian and bisexual students exists at the high school. The day began with Beattie’s introduction which included a letter from an an at- tomey with the National Education As- sociation (NEA) spoke on issues of equity and the law. When the session recessed for a short break, index cards were handed out for audience members to write questions. Af- ter the break, the primary focus of the day shifted to a panel discussion. The panel was made up of 3 MUHS alumni, the mother of one of the alumni-panelists, a senior from Middlebury College and Howdy Russell, a therapist from the Par- ent Child Center in Middlebury. Each of the six panelists spoke briefly about their experiences and also about their hopes for what high school could and should be like for gay/lesbian/bisexual youth. At this point the floor was opened to questions. The audience was very responsive throughout. Heads often nodded in under- standing and empathy. The well-received program was deemed aninitialstepinwhatneedstobeanom going process of continuing dialogue. Al- though dialogue has begun, the next chal- lenge is to move the discussion forward and out into other schools, not just at the senior high level, but at middle and even elementary schools all around Vermont.V March 1993 F \ Forconfidenfial AIDS \ ,— - -‘K 1/7 ‘\ / -H \ D. ..r_,, 2? ./ Call 1-800-882-AIDS \ J Health Resource Organizations AIDS HOTLINES: Vermont 1-800-882-2437 New Hampshire 1-800-752-2437 New York State 1-800-541-2437 Massachusetts 1 -617-522-4090 Maine 1-800-851-2437 National 1-800-342-2437 Canadian 1-613-563-2437 AIDS ‘Community Awareness Project (ACAP) PO Box 608 . St. Johnsbury VT 05819 (802) 748-1149 AIDS Community Resource Network (ACoRN) PO Box 2057 Lebanon NH 03766 (603) 448-2220 Bennington Area AIDS Project PO Box 1066 Bennington VT 05201 (802) 442-4481 or 1-800-845-2437 Brattleboro AIDS Project 67 Main Street Brattleboro VT 05302 (802) 254-4444 (Helpline) (802)254-8263 (Office) Franklin-Grand Isle AIDS Task Force 8 Ferris Street St. Albans VT 05478 - (802)524-7742 1-800-638-7834 Gay/Lesbian Alcoholics Anonymous GLAA, P.O. Box 5653 Burlington, VT 05402 H.E.A.L. Vermont (Holistic Education and AIDS Alternatives Liaison) PO Box 795 , Montpelier VT 05602 - (802) 229-4325 Lesbian Cancer Support Group (802) 660-8386 North Star (Holistic Health Care) RR2 Box 3255 Morrisville VT 05661 - (802) 888-2858 Vermont AIDS Council PO Box 275 Montpelier VT 05601 - (802)229-2557 Vermont C.A.R.E.S. (Committee for AIDS Resources, Education, and Services) PO Box 5248 30 Elrnwood Avenue Burlington VT 05401 (802) 863-2437 (Burlington) 1-800-649-2437 (Rutland and Washington Cotmty support groups) Vermont Department of Health 1-800-882-2437 (AIDS Hotline) or (802) 863-7245 (AIDS Program office) VT PWA Coalition PO Box 1055 Brattleboro, VT 05502 1-800-69-VTPWA or (802) 257-9277 I. Vermont Women's Health Center 336 North Avenue Burlington VT 05401 - (802) 863-1386