Montana Safe School Coalition

Making Montana Schools Safer

Offered in collaboration with the Montana Safe Schools Coalition - a coalition of 9 statewide organizations - this workshop provides educators with valuable information, practical tools, and proactive tools for addressing anti-gay harassment and bullying in the schools. This workshop is rooted in concerns for safety, equal access, and equal protection, and aims to help educators ensure that every student can achieve their potential in an environment free from hostility. Thanks to generous grant funding, this workshop can be offered at a reduced rate.

Testimonial:

“The workshop was a great eye-opener for our staff. It made us aware of the various types of harassment that affects our school and gave us ideas and techniques we can use to make our school environment safe and welcoming for all students.” – Courtney Carroll, Counselor, Lolo Middle School        

 

Why We’re Here:

The Coalition formed in 2001 in response to concerns of teachers, students, and parents about severe anti-gay harassment, bullying, and violence in Montana schools. Homophobia affects the culture of the entire school—impacting those who are perceived to be LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender), those who identify as LGBT, and those with LGBT family members. Teachers across the state have asked for guidance on dealing with anti-gay bias in their schools, as well as information about the legal support they can expect.

The Goal:

The goal of the Montana Safe Schools Coalition’s workshop is to provide school districts with the skills and resources they need to fulfill their duty of providing a safe educational experience for all students. The program is simple: it educates school officials and teachers about the harmful effects anti-gay bias has on ALL students and helps them develop strategies to address it.

The Workshop:

The "Making Montana Schools Safer" workshop provides educators with valuable information and practical tools they can use to address anti-gay harassment and bullying in the hallways and classrooms, making the schools safer for all students. The workshop is not about sexual behavior; it is about safety, equal access, and equal protection. It is about making sure that every student can achieve their best in an environment free from hostility. It is about taking proactive steps to prevent anti-gay attitudes from escalating into harassment or violence.

This workshop can be tailored to meet the needs of each client school, but generally includes the following components:

• ⇒ Interactive activities aimed at assisting educators in developing skills and strategies for responding effectively to  incidents of bullying and harassment.
• ⇒ A facilitated panel discussion with students who identify as LGBT (preferably recent graduates of the school) who discuss their experiences.
• ⇒ A short legal presentation by a local attorney regarding educator’s obligations and limitations in promoting a safe school environment.

How to Schedule a "Making Schools Safer" Workshop:

The workshop lasts a minimum of three hours and should include all school staff and administrators. Funds have been generously provided to help keep the training costs accessible to schools throughout the state. To discuss your school's needs or schedule a workshop, email ncbi@ncbimissoula.org, or call (406)541-6891.

• Current organizational members:

• American Association of University Women
• ACLU Montana: American Civil Liberties Union
• Intermountain Planned Parenthood
• Montana Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence
• The Montana Human Rights Network
• National Coalition Building Institute - Missoula
• PFLAG of Montana: Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays
• Billings Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, Social Justice Committee
• Social Justice Montana