Pride School does not pass
If you are even the slightest bit different, high school can be a terrifying place. In an attempt to respond to reports that gay, lesbian and transgender students often miss school because they feel unsafe, Chicago Public Schools leaders announced last week that they recommend the creation of a school to address the needs of these students. The data suggest there remains a lot of room for this kind of solution. According to the Gay Lesbian and Straight Education Network, out of 6,000 gay and lesbian middle school and high school students, almost 90 percent reported being harassed at school, and about 61 percent felt unsafe. In addition, a 2003 survey of the district shows that gay and lesbian students are three times more likely to miss school than their heterosexual peers because they feel unsafe. A new school that aims to address these issues could go a long way in assuaging these fears, but we are not completely sold.
