Pri School Atlanta looks to be regn’s first LGBT school – Geia Voice – Gay & LGBT Atlanta News

Contents:

• GAY MEANS HAPPY?: ATLANTA TEENS SPEAK ON HOW BEG LGBT IMPACTS HIGH SCHOOL LIFE
• DO THE SOUTH NEED AN LGBT SCHOOL?IT GETS BETTER?ONE ATLANTA TOR IS TRYG TO START A SCHOOL FOR LGBT STUNTS, TEACHERS, AND FAI.SAMANTHA ALLENUPDATED APR. 14, 2017 12:07PM EDT / PUBLISHED FEB. 24, 2015 5:25AM EST PHOTO ILLTRATN BY SARAH ROGERS/THE DAILY BEASTWHEN TRANSGENR SCHOOL TEACHER CHRISTIAN ZSILAVETZ MOVED TO ATLANTA A FEW YEARS AGO, HE WAS NERVO ABOUT HIS REER PROSPECTS SPE THE CY’S REPUTATN AS AN LGBT OASIS THE SOUTH.“IT WAS REALLY DNTG MOVG TO GEIA AS A TRANS GUY,” ZSILAVETZ TELLS ME. “I N’T AFFORD TO BE DROPPED TO SOME RANDOM SCHOOL, NOT HAVG ANY IA WHAT’S GOG TO HAPPEN IF I’M OUTED OR CHOOSE TO BE OUT.”BEFORE G TO ATLANTA—AND BEFORE HIS TRANSN—ZSILAVETZ WORKED AS A MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER SEATTLE. IN 2006, HE TEMPORARILY QU TEACHG AND TRANSNED TO MALE THE MORE CLANSTE OCCUPATN OF LIMOE DRIVER. TWO YEARS LATER, AFTER TTOSTERONE HAD DONE S WORK, HE RETURNED TO THE CLASSROOM AND LARGELY LEFT HIS PAST OUT OF HIS PROFSN.BUT NOW, ZSILAVETZ IS SPEARHEADG AN EFFORT TO CREATE PRI SCHOOL ATLANTA (PSA), THE FIRST SCHOOL THE AREA FOR LGBT AND ALLIED STUNTS, TEACHERS, AND FAI. ZSILAVETZ HOP TO LNCH THE SMALL NONPROF SCHOOL AUGT WH FULL-TIME TUN SET AT AROUND $12,000, WH LOWER PRICE POTS AVAILABLE FOR PART-TIME HOMCHOOLERS. THE MISSN STATEMENT PROMIS “A SAFE AND FUN LEARNG ENVIRONMENT, EE OF HOMOPHOBIA AND TRANSPHOBIA—A PLACE THAT HONORS [STUNTS’] INTI SO THEY N BE THEMSELV.” IF LNCH AS PLANNED, PSA WOULD JO A MERE HANDFUL OF SCHOOLS THE U.S. SIGNED TO BE SAFE SPAC FOR LGBT STUNTS, CLUDG HARVEY MILK HIGH SCHOOL NEW YORK AND THE ALLIANCE SCHOOL MILWKEE. AND IF PROV TO BE SUCCSFUL, PSA ULD BEE THE FIRST SCHOOL OF S KD TO THRIVE THE SOUTH—WALT WHMAN COMMUNY SCHOOL DALLAS ONLY MANAGED TO STAY OPEN OM 1997 TO 2004 BEFORE S FUNDG WAS WHDRAWN. UNLIKE THE OTHER SCHOOLS, PSA WILL LNCH WH A FOC ON CHILDREN GRAS PRE-K TO 8 WH AN EYE TOWARD EXPANSN.IN FACT, WAS ZSILAVETZ’S YOUNGT FAY MEMBERS THAT MOTIVATED HIM TO TAKE UP THE TASK OF LNCHG AN LGBT SCHOOL. NOW A MARRIED MAN WH TWO CHILDREN, AG 6 AND 3, ZSILAVETZ REALIZ THE IMPORTANCE OF PLACG THEM A SCHOOL “WHERE ’S OK FOR THEIR DAD TO BE TRANS.” WHEN HE TOLD HIS SUPERVISOR AT A PRIVATE SCHOOL ATLANTA THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO E OUT TO THE STUNTS BEFORE HIS 5-YEAR-OLD OUTED HIM, SHE REPORTEDLY REPLIED: “I’D RATHER DIDN’T E OM YOU.” IN THE ENSUG NVERSATN, SHE SUGGTED HE START HIS OWN SCHOOL IF HE WANTED TO BE OUT ON THE JOB. AND THAT’S PRECISELY HOW HE GOT THE IA TO START PSA.WH SAME-SEX MARRIAGE BANS FALLG LIKE DOMO, THE TABLISHMENT OF A SEPARATE SCHOOL FOR THE LGBT MUNY MIGHT SEEM LIKE AN EXTREME MEASURE TO TAKE A RAPIDLY CHANGG CLIMATE. BUT THE SPEED WH WHICH MARRIAGE BATTL ARE BEG WON THE JUDICIARY IS RADILLY OUT OF STEP WH THE LACKLTER PACE OF LGBT ACCEPTANCE ON A CULTURAL LEVEL. AND NOWHERE IS THIS DISJUNCTURE FELT MORE ACUTELY THAN WH THE U.S. SCHOOL SYSTEM. IN THE MOVEMENT FOR LGBT EQUALY, THE GAP BETWEEN LEGAL PROTECTN AND SOCIAL ACCEPTANCE IS ONLY GETTG WIR AND CHILDREN ARE THE ON FALLG THROUGH THE CRACKS. IT’S AN SPIC TIME TO BE AN LGBT ADULT BUT ’S STILL A MISERABLE MOMENT TO BE A GAY KID.NEARLY THREE-QUARTERS OF THE U.S. POPULATN LIVE A STATE WHERE SAME-SEX MARRIAGE LICENS ARE AVAILABLE BUT A SIAR PROPORTN OF LGBT YOUTH ARE STILL EXPERIENCG SEVERE LEVELS OF BULLYG SCHOOL. ACRDG TO GLSEN’S 2013 NATNAL SCHOOL CLIMATE SURVEY, THE MAJORY OF LGBT MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUNTS THE U.S. REGULARLY HEARD HOMOPHOBIC REMARKS AT SCHOOL THAT YEAR, SOMETIM EVEN OM SCHOOL STAFF. EIGHTY-FIVE PERCENT OF LGBT STUNTS REPORTED EXPERIENCG VERBAL HARASSMENT AT SCHOOL AND NEARLY A THIRD SAID THEY HAD MISSED SCHOOL SOMETIME THE LAST MONTH OUT OF NCERN FOR THEIR OWN SAFETY OR FORT. STUNTS WHO EXPERIENCED THE MOST DISCRIMATN HAD LOWER GPAS, LOWER SELF-TEEM, AND WERE LS LIKELY TO PLAN ON ATTENDG LLEGE.BUT THE POTENTIAL NSEQUENC OF BULLYG ARE OFTEN MORE TRAGIC THAN A BAD REPORT RD. THE 2013 SURVEY ALSO NOT THAT NEARLY 40 PERCENT OF LGBT STUNTS HAD BEEN PHYSILLY HARASSED THE LAST YEAR AND NEARLY 20 PERCENT HAD BEEN ASSLTED. LGBT YOUTH HAVE TO AL WH THE FULL SPECTM OF VLENCE SCHOOL—STICKS, STON, WORDS AND ALL. IN THIS NTEXT, IS SADLY NOT SURPRISG THAT LBIAN, GAY, AND BISEXUAL YOUTH ARE FOUR TIM MORE LIKELY TO ATTEMPT SUICI THAN STRAIGHT YOUTH AND THAT NEARLY A QUARTER OF TRANSGENR YOUTH REPORT HAVG ATTEMPTED SUICI.SET AGAST THIS BACKDROP, TOO, THE UBIQUO “IT GETS BETTER” SLOGAN—IALLY TEND AS A MSAGE OF HOPE FOR LGBT YOUTH—REVEALS A CERTA ATTU OF PASSIVE FEATISM TOWARD THE PROBLEMS THE CHILDREN FACE THE PRENT. WHILE THE MASTREAM LGBT MOVEMENT HAS BEEN BY PLAYG THE MARRIAGE EQUALY GAME, LGBT YOUTH AND CHILDREN OF LGBT PARENTS HAVE BEEN FIGHTG THEIR OWN BATTL DURG RECS, HOMEROOM, AND SOCCER PRACTICE—STGGL THAT OFTEN PASS UNNOTICED AS SAME-SEX MARRIAGE NTU TO DOMATE THE HEADL.OVER THE URSE OF FUNDRAISG FOR PSA, ZSILAVETZ HAS BEEN TOLD THAT “PEOPLE WILL TALK MORE ABOUT WHAT YOU’RE UP TO” ONCE THE MARRIAGE BATE STARTS TO DIE DOWN. BUT HE DON’T WANT TO WA THAT LONG TO, AS HE PREFERS TO SAY, “MAKE BETTER” FOR LGBT FAI.“WHAT HAPPENS WHEN KIDS [OF SAME-SEX PARENTS] GO TO SCHOOL AND THEY TALK ABOUT HOW THEIR PARENTS GOT MARRIED?” HE ASKS.AS ZSILAVETZ POTS OUT OUR TERVIEW, TOO, PERCEIVED REGNAL DIFFERENC LGBT ACCEPTANCE ARE FLATTENED THE SPACE OF THE HIGH SCHOOL HALLWAY. THE SCHOOL CLIMATE GEIA, FOR EXAMPLE, IS IGHTENGLY SIAR TO THE SCHOOL CLIMATE CALIFORNIA, WHICH IS OFTEN REPUTED TO BE THE MOST LGBT-IENDLY STATE. IN BOTH OF THE STAT, OVER 80 PERCENT OF LGBT MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUNTS FELT EXCLUD BY THEIR PEERS, OVER HALF REGULARLY HEARD DISPARAGG REMARKS ABOUT TRANSGENR PEOPLE, AND AROUND 40 PERCENT HAD THEIR PROPERTY STOLEN OR DAMAGED. THE SUATN IS THE SAME WASHGTON, OREGON, AND CONNECTICUT—ALL STATNS FOR LGBT ADULTS.FOR ANYONE OVER THE AGE OF 20, THERE MAY BE A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BEG OUT SAN FRANCIS AND BEG OUT STONE MOUNTA. BUT WHEN TO CREATG SAFE SPAC FOR LGBT YOUTH, SCHOOLS ON THE LEFT COAST AND THE DEEP SOUTH ARE JT AS LIKELY TO POST A FAILG GRA.“THERE’S STILL NO SCHOOL WHERE TWO BOYS N HOLD HANDS THE HALLWAYS,” SAYS ZSILAVETZ.WHEN WE SAY THAT TN IS THE GREAT EQUALIZER, THAT ISN’T WHAT WE SHOULD MEAN.AS UNNTROVERSIAL AS AN CLIVE PRIVATE SCHOOL MIGHT SEEM, THE NSERVATIVE MEDIA IS ALREADY STARTG TO ATTACK PSA. ERIC OWENS OF THE DAILY CALLER SCRIB THE SCHOOL WH THE POLILLY CHARGED LANGUAGE OF SEGREGATN AND GHETTOIZATN—LCULATED TERMS THAT RRY A SPECIAL WEIGHT THE HEART OF THE JIM CROW SOUTH. BUT NSERVATIVE SRE TACTICS ASI, THE IA OF SEPARATG LGBT STUNTS OM STRAIGHT AND NON-TRANSGENR STUNTS ULD BE WORRYG IF ONLY FOR THE REASON THAT IENDSHIPS BETWEEN LGBT AND NON-LGBT PEOPLE HAVE BEEN CENTRAL TO SOCIAL CHANGE OVER THE LAST 40 YEARS. IF MORE PARENTS WHDREW THEIR LGBT CHILDREN—AND LGBT PARENTS TOOK THEIR STRAIGHT CHILDREN ELSEWHERE, TOO—WOULD PUBLIC SCHOOLS SIMPLY BE LEFT TO MARATE THEIR OWN BIGOTRY? IS PSA TAKG THE SOCIALLY NSERVATIVE MAND TO “KEEP OUT OF OUR SCHOOLS” TOO LERALLY?FOR ZSILAVETZ—AS FOR MANY PARENTS—THE ANSWERS TO THE QUTNS MAY BE LS IMPORTANT THAN THE IMMEDIATE WELFARE OF ONE’S OWN CHILDREN.“WHY DO WE HAVE TO WA FOR THEM TO FIX THE WHOLE SYSTEM?” HE ASKS. “WHY SHOULD MY KIDS HAVE TO WA FOR THE WHOLE SYSTEM TO CHANGE?”INED, AS SCHOOLS BEE THE NEXT IOLOGIL BATTLEGROUND THE BATTLE OVER LGBT RIGHTS, MIGHT MAKE SENSE TO CRAFT TEMPORARY HAVENS FOR CHILDREN WHO ARE LIKELY TO BE UGHT THE CROSSFIRE, PECIALLY TRANSGENR STUNTS. THIS MONTH, KENTUCKY LAWMAKERS TRIED AND FAILED TO FORCE TRANSGENR STUNTS TO E RTROOMS THAT MATCH THEIR ASSIGNED SEX AT BIRTH. UTAH PULLED A SIAR STUNT LAST YEAR. CALIFORNIA ALSO BATED THE BATHROOM QUTN 2014 BEFORE LANDG ON THE SI OF TRANSGENR STUNTS. BUT WHILE TRANSPHOBIC ADULTS PLOY BASELS FEAR-MONGERG TO START THE LEGISLATIVE SPATS, TRANSGENR CHILDREN THE STAT NNOT EVEN E THE RTROOM WHOUT FEAR OF BULLYG AND PHYSIL VLENCE.“IF YOU HAVE TO FIGHT TO GET THE RIGHT TO E THE BATHROOM,” ZSILAVETZ SAYS, “THERE’S GOT TO BE SOMETHG BETTER.”A SCHOOL LIKE PSA WILL BE MORE OF A STOPGAP THAN A PERMANENT SOLUTN, PECIALLY WHEN BARRIERS OF ST, TRANSPORTATN, AND FUNDG ARE NSIRED. LGBT PRIVATE SCHOOLS ARE NOT VIABLE SUBSTUT FOR THE AFFIRMG PUBLIC SCHOOLS THAT LGBT STUNTS SO SPERATELY NEED. BUT THE CURRENT ABSENCE OF THE SCHOOLS, IATIV LIKE PSA ULD PROVE TO BE LIFE SAVG AS CULTURE PLAYS TCH UP WH THE LAW OF THE LAND. A PRIVATE SCHOOL LIKE PSA ISN’T A LUXURY—’S A WARNG THAT LGBT YOUTH NEED HELP THAT THEY’RE NOT GETTG. SAMANTHA ALLEN
• AN LGBT SCHOOL WILL BRG FREEDOM TO ATLANTA KIDS AND EDUTORSPRI SCHOOL ATLANTA AIMS TO OFFER STUNTS 'EEDOM, RPONSIBILY AND SUPPORT.'{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.25 "GRAVY",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#FFFFFF;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.25 "GRAVY",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#FFFFFF;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}ISSUBY AMANDA BELLJANUARY 6, 2016/5:03 {HEIGHT:HER;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;POSN:RELATIVE;-WEBK-FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;-MS-FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;-WEBK-ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-ALIGN:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-ALIGN:CENTER;ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-WEBK-TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;-MS-TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;} IMG{HEIGHT:100%;WIDTH:100%;OBJECT-F:VER;}{HEIGHT:574PX;WIDTH:1020PX;}GETTY IMAGA REVELER FLUTTERS A RABOW FLAG DURG THE GAY PRI PARA BOGOTA, COLOMBIA ON JUNE 28, 2015. AFP PHOTO / GUILLERMO LEGARIA (PHOTO CRED SHOULD READ GUILLERMO LEGARIA/AFP/GETTY IMAG)BY AMANDA BELLJANUARY 6, 2016 / 5:03 PM{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"NEWSARTICLE","HEADLE":"AN LGBT SCHOOL WILL BRG FREEDOM TO ATLANTA KIDS AND EDUTORS","THUMBNAILURL":","DATEPUBLISHED":"2016-01-06T22:03:25.000+0000","DATEMODIFIED":"2016-01-06T22:03:25.000+0000","IMAGE":{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","URL":","WIDTH":1920,"HEIGHT":1080},"URL":","THOR":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","NAME":"MTV"},"MAENTYOFPAGE":{"@TYPE":"WEBPAGE","@ID":"},"PUBLISHER":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","@ID":","NAME":"MTV","URL":","LOGO":{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","URL":","WIDTH":1280,"HEIGHT":720}},"CREATOR":"AMANDA BELL","ARTICLESECTN":"ISSU"}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}LOVE WS AGA -- THIS TIME FOR LGBT YOUTH OF ATLANTA, {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}A K-12 SCHOOL VOTED ENTIRELY TO PROVIDG STUNTS AND TORS A PHOBIA-EE LEARNG ENVIRONMENT IS CURRENTLY BEG TABLISHED THE SOUTHERN PAL, BEG THE FIRST OF S KD FOR THE STATE OF {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}PRI SCHOOL ATLANTA IS A PRIVATE SCHOOL -- CURRENTLY "FLOATG" OUT OF A LOL CHURCH AND AIMG TO BEE FULLY OPERATNAL SEPTEMBER, 2016 -- WHOSE MISSN IS, SIMPLY, "TO PROVI LGBTQQIAA STUNTS, FAI AND TORS A SAFE, FUN AND RIGORO LEARNG ENVIRONMENT EE OF HOMOPHOBIA AND TRANSPHOBIA - A PLACE THAT HONORS THEIR INTI SO THEY N BE THEMSELV, FD THEMSELV, AND FD IENDS AND MENTORS WHO N HELP THEM NAVIGATE THE CHALLENG OF LIFE AND TN."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}INED, SCIENCE BACKS UP THE THEORY THAT LGBT YOUTH EXPERIENCE BETTER SELF-TEEM WHEN THEY'RE ABLE TO "E OUT" EARLY LIFE, BUT SHOCKGLY LTLE HAS BEEN DONE BY CONGRS TO PROTECT THE RIGHTS OF TEENS AGAST DISCRIMATN THE CURRENT TN {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}PSA WAS FOUND BY CHRISTIAN ZSILAVETZ, AN EXPERIENCED AND OPENLY TRANSGENR TOR WHO MOVED TO THE SOUTH AFTER TEACHG HIGH SCHOOL URS SEATTLE, WHO TOLD YAHOO! HE HOP THE SCHOOL WILL GIVE CHILDREN OF ALL WALKS "FULL PERMISSN TO BE THEMSELV."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}"THIS IS A PLACE WHERE THEY N JT OPEN UP AND BE THE BT PERSON THEY N BE."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;} .TWTER-TWEET-RENRED, {M-WIDTH:65%;WIDTH:TO !IMPORTANT;} {WIDTH:100%;} {MARG-LEFT:TO !IMPORTANT;MARG-RIGHT:TO !IMPORTANT;} IMG{MAX-WIDTH:100%;WIDTH:100%;} > IAME{BORR:NONE;MAX-WIDTH:100%;} > *{MAX-WIDTH:NONE !IMPORTANT;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IN ADDN TO OFFERG EEDOM OM HATE, PSA IS ALSO FOLLOWG THE MOL OF OFFERG A FLEXIBLE CURRICULUM THAT UTILIZ "TST AND MOCRATIC CISN-MAKG PROCS" AND REGNIZ THE FACT THAT WHILE SOME STUNTS RPOND WELL TO STCTURED, SOMETIM A LTLE "EEDOM" IS ALSO NECSARY TO HELP THEM {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}"IN OUR MOL, BORROWED OM LONGSTANDG SCHOOLS AROUND THE WORLD, CURRICULUM IS FLEXIBLE AND THERE IS NO MANDATORY HOMEWORK OR TTG," THE SCHOOL'S WEBSE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}"STUNTS ARE EE TO DISVER WHAT, WHEN AND HOW THEY PREFER TO LEARN, TSTED THAT THEIR NATURAL CURSY AND SIRE TO PURSUE PERSONAL GOALS WILL LEAD THEM TO A RIGORO AND RICH TN. EACH DAY WILL BE FULL OF OPPORTUNI FOR EACH MEMBER OF THE PRI SCHOOL FAY TO BEE THE BT PERSON THEY N BE, READY TO FACE THE WORLD WH NFINCE, KNOWLEDGE, AND THE ABILY TO HELP OTHERS DO THE SAME."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;} .TWTER-TWEET-RENRED, {M-WIDTH:65%;WIDTH:TO !IMPORTANT;} {WIDTH:100%;} {MARG-LEFT:TO !IMPORTANT;MARG-RIGHT:TO !IMPORTANT;} IMG{MAX-WIDTH:100%;WIDTH:100%;} > IAME{BORR:NONE;MAX-WIDTH:100%;} > *{MAX-WIDTH:NONE !IMPORTANT;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AS TAILED BY THE DAILY BEAST, PRI SCHOOL ATLANTA, ONCE LNCHED, WILL JO JT A HANDFUL OF SCHOOLS DITED TO THE LGBT STUNTS AND/OR TORS -- CLUDG HARVEY MILK HIGH SCHOOL NEW YORK, THE ALLIANCE SCHOOL MILWKEE, WISNS AND THE NOW-CLOSED WALT WHMAN COMMUNY SCHOOL DALLAS, {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}ZSILAVETZ BEGAN PSA AS A RPONSE TO HIS OWN EXPERIENC BEG A TRANSGENR TN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SCHOOL SCHOOL SYSTEMS -- HE WANTED TO RM HIS STUNTS OF HIS BACKGROUND BEFORE THEY HEARD OM SOMEONE ELSE (NAMELY HIS THEN-FIVE-YEAR-OLD) BUT WAS TOLD "I’D RATHER DIDN’T E OM YOU" BY AN {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}“I THK RIGHT NOW WHAT A LOT OF (LGBT) STUNTS FACE IS SEPARATE BUT EQUAL TN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS,” SAID ZSILAVETZ OF THE CURRENT STATE OF LGBT TEEN TREATMENT SCHOOLS ACROSS THE UNTRY. “BEE IF YOU N’T GO TO THE BATHROOM ALL DAY AND YOU N’T E THE LOCKER ROOM AND YOU’RE BULLIED THE CLASSROOM AND THE TEACHERS AREN’T STANDG UP FOR YOU, YOU DON’T HAVE A FULL SEAT AT THE TABLE.”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;} .TWTER-TWEET-RENRED, {M-WIDTH:65%;WIDTH:TO !IMPORTANT;} {WIDTH:100%;} {MARG-LEFT:TO !IMPORTANT;MARG-RIGHT:TO !IMPORTANT;} IMG{MAX-WIDTH:100%;WIDTH:100%;} > IAME{BORR:NONE;MAX-WIDTH:100%;} > *{MAX-WIDTH:NONE !IMPORTANT;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;CLEAR:BOTH;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG:0 TO;WIDTH:90%;M-WIDTH:288PX;MAX-WIDTH:1440PX;M-HEIGHT:194PX;}LATT NEWS

GAY MEANS HAPPY?: ATLANTA TEENS SPEAK ON HOW BEG LGBT IMPACTS HIGH SCHOOL LIFE

Acrdg the 2013 Natnal School Climate Survey by Gay, Lbian Straight Edutn Network (GLSEN), roughly 60 percent of LGBT teens hear anti-gay ments at their school. They want to be treated equal, now they want a gay school too?

“It’s not like we are gog to s around the mpfire sayg gay this and that, we are gog to walk to school. Strickland intifi as a gay male but when asked if he would nsir attendg the school he rpond wh an abpt “no.

A first-of-s kd private school Geia aimed at attractg gay, lbian, bisexual and transgenr youth and teachers is beg tablished Atlanta for stunts who feel bullied or not accepted tradnal School Atlanta is a K-12 stutn signed to be an alternative for LGBT stunts, though the school is open to any stunt who feels like they’re not gettg the support they need for “beg different, ” says Pri School founr Christian Zsilavetz.

DO THE SOUTH NEED AN LGBT SCHOOL?IT GETS BETTER?ONE ATLANTA TOR IS TRYG TO START A SCHOOL FOR LGBT STUNTS, TEACHERS, AND FAI.SAMANTHA ALLENUPDATED APR. 14, 2017 12:07PM EDT / PUBLISHED FEB. 24, 2015 5:25AM EST PHOTO ILLTRATN BY SARAH ROGERS/THE DAILY BEASTWHEN TRANSGENR SCHOOL TEACHER CHRISTIAN ZSILAVETZ MOVED TO ATLANTA A FEW YEARS AGO, HE WAS NERVO ABOUT HIS REER PROSPECTS SPE THE CY’S REPUTATN AS AN LGBT OASIS THE SOUTH.“IT WAS REALLY DNTG MOVG TO GEIA AS A TRANS GUY,” ZSILAVETZ TELLS ME. “I N’T AFFORD TO BE DROPPED TO SOME RANDOM SCHOOL, NOT HAVG ANY IA WHAT’S GOG TO HAPPEN IF I’M OUTED OR CHOOSE TO BE OUT.”BEFORE G TO ATLANTA—AND BEFORE HIS TRANSN—ZSILAVETZ WORKED AS A MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER SEATTLE. IN 2006, HE TEMPORARILY QU TEACHG AND TRANSNED TO MALE THE MORE CLANSTE OCCUPATN OF LIMOE DRIVER. TWO YEARS LATER, AFTER TTOSTERONE HAD DONE S WORK, HE RETURNED TO THE CLASSROOM AND LARGELY LEFT HIS PAST OUT OF HIS PROFSN.BUT NOW, ZSILAVETZ IS SPEARHEADG AN EFFORT TO CREATE PRI SCHOOL ATLANTA (PSA), THE FIRST SCHOOL THE AREA FOR LGBT AND ALLIED STUNTS, TEACHERS, AND FAI. ZSILAVETZ HOP TO LNCH THE SMALL NONPROF SCHOOL AUGT WH FULL-TIME TUN SET AT AROUND $12,000, WH LOWER PRICE POTS AVAILABLE FOR PART-TIME HOMCHOOLERS. THE MISSN STATEMENT PROMIS “A SAFE AND FUN LEARNG ENVIRONMENT, EE OF HOMOPHOBIA AND TRANSPHOBIA—A PLACE THAT HONORS [STUNTS’] INTI SO THEY N BE THEMSELV.” IF LNCH AS PLANNED, PSA WOULD JO A MERE HANDFUL OF SCHOOLS THE U.S. SIGNED TO BE SAFE SPAC FOR LGBT STUNTS, CLUDG HARVEY MILK HIGH SCHOOL NEW YORK AND THE ALLIANCE SCHOOL MILWKEE. AND IF PROV TO BE SUCCSFUL, PSA ULD BEE THE FIRST SCHOOL OF S KD TO THRIVE THE SOUTH—WALT WHMAN COMMUNY SCHOOL DALLAS ONLY MANAGED TO STAY OPEN OM 1997 TO 2004 BEFORE S FUNDG WAS WHDRAWN. UNLIKE THE OTHER SCHOOLS, PSA WILL LNCH WH A FOC ON CHILDREN GRAS PRE-K TO 8 WH AN EYE TOWARD EXPANSN.IN FACT, WAS ZSILAVETZ’S YOUNGT FAY MEMBERS THAT MOTIVATED HIM TO TAKE UP THE TASK OF LNCHG AN LGBT SCHOOL. NOW A MARRIED MAN WH TWO CHILDREN, AG 6 AND 3, ZSILAVETZ REALIZ THE IMPORTANCE OF PLACG THEM A SCHOOL “WHERE ’S OK FOR THEIR DAD TO BE TRANS.” WHEN HE TOLD HIS SUPERVISOR AT A PRIVATE SCHOOL ATLANTA THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO E OUT TO THE STUNTS BEFORE HIS 5-YEAR-OLD OUTED HIM, SHE REPORTEDLY REPLIED: “I’D RATHER DIDN’T E OM YOU.” IN THE ENSUG NVERSATN, SHE SUGGTED HE START HIS OWN SCHOOL IF HE WANTED TO BE OUT ON THE JOB. AND THAT’S PRECISELY HOW HE GOT THE IA TO START PSA.WH SAME-SEX MARRIAGE BANS FALLG LIKE DOMO, THE TABLISHMENT OF A SEPARATE SCHOOL FOR THE LGBT MUNY MIGHT SEEM LIKE AN EXTREME MEASURE TO TAKE A RAPIDLY CHANGG CLIMATE. BUT THE SPEED WH WHICH MARRIAGE BATTL ARE BEG WON THE JUDICIARY IS RADILLY OUT OF STEP WH THE LACKLTER PACE OF LGBT ACCEPTANCE ON A CULTURAL LEVEL. AND NOWHERE IS THIS DISJUNCTURE FELT MORE ACUTELY THAN WH THE U.S. SCHOOL SYSTEM. IN THE MOVEMENT FOR LGBT EQUALY, THE GAP BETWEEN LEGAL PROTECTN AND SOCIAL ACCEPTANCE IS ONLY GETTG WIR AND CHILDREN ARE THE ON FALLG THROUGH THE CRACKS. IT’S AN SPIC TIME TO BE AN LGBT ADULT BUT ’S STILL A MISERABLE MOMENT TO BE A GAY KID.NEARLY THREE-QUARTERS OF THE U.S. POPULATN LIVE A STATE WHERE SAME-SEX MARRIAGE LICENS ARE AVAILABLE BUT A SIAR PROPORTN OF LGBT YOUTH ARE STILL EXPERIENCG SEVERE LEVELS OF BULLYG SCHOOL. ACRDG TO GLSEN’S 2013 NATNAL SCHOOL CLIMATE SURVEY, THE MAJORY OF LGBT MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUNTS THE U.S. REGULARLY HEARD HOMOPHOBIC REMARKS AT SCHOOL THAT YEAR, SOMETIM EVEN OM SCHOOL STAFF. EIGHTY-FIVE PERCENT OF LGBT STUNTS REPORTED EXPERIENCG VERBAL HARASSMENT AT SCHOOL AND NEARLY A THIRD SAID THEY HAD MISSED SCHOOL SOMETIME THE LAST MONTH OUT OF NCERN FOR THEIR OWN SAFETY OR FORT. STUNTS WHO EXPERIENCED THE MOST DISCRIMATN HAD LOWER GPAS, LOWER SELF-TEEM, AND WERE LS LIKELY TO PLAN ON ATTENDG LLEGE.BUT THE POTENTIAL NSEQUENC OF BULLYG ARE OFTEN MORE TRAGIC THAN A BAD REPORT RD. THE 2013 SURVEY ALSO NOT THAT NEARLY 40 PERCENT OF LGBT STUNTS HAD BEEN PHYSILLY HARASSED THE LAST YEAR AND NEARLY 20 PERCENT HAD BEEN ASSLTED. LGBT YOUTH HAVE TO AL WH THE FULL SPECTM OF VLENCE SCHOOL—STICKS, STON, WORDS AND ALL. IN THIS NTEXT, IS SADLY NOT SURPRISG THAT LBIAN, GAY, AND BISEXUAL YOUTH ARE FOUR TIM MORE LIKELY TO ATTEMPT SUICI THAN STRAIGHT YOUTH AND THAT NEARLY A QUARTER OF TRANSGENR YOUTH REPORT HAVG ATTEMPTED SUICI.SET AGAST THIS BACKDROP, TOO, THE UBIQUO “IT GETS BETTER” SLOGAN—IALLY TEND AS A MSAGE OF HOPE FOR LGBT YOUTH—REVEALS A CERTA ATTU OF PASSIVE FEATISM TOWARD THE PROBLEMS THE CHILDREN FACE THE PRENT. WHILE THE MASTREAM LGBT MOVEMENT HAS BEEN BY PLAYG THE MARRIAGE EQUALY GAME, LGBT YOUTH AND CHILDREN OF LGBT PARENTS HAVE BEEN FIGHTG THEIR OWN BATTL DURG RECS, HOMEROOM, AND SOCCER PRACTICE—STGGL THAT OFTEN PASS UNNOTICED AS SAME-SEX MARRIAGE NTU TO DOMATE THE HEADL.OVER THE URSE OF FUNDRAISG FOR PSA, ZSILAVETZ HAS BEEN TOLD THAT “PEOPLE WILL TALK MORE ABOUT WHAT YOU’RE UP TO” ONCE THE MARRIAGE BATE STARTS TO DIE DOWN. BUT HE DON’T WANT TO WA THAT LONG TO, AS HE PREFERS TO SAY, “MAKE BETTER” FOR LGBT FAI.“WHAT HAPPENS WHEN KIDS [OF SAME-SEX PARENTS] GO TO SCHOOL AND THEY TALK ABOUT HOW THEIR PARENTS GOT MARRIED?” HE ASKS.AS ZSILAVETZ POTS OUT OUR TERVIEW, TOO, PERCEIVED REGNAL DIFFERENC LGBT ACCEPTANCE ARE FLATTENED THE SPACE OF THE HIGH SCHOOL HALLWAY. THE SCHOOL CLIMATE GEIA, FOR EXAMPLE, IS IGHTENGLY SIAR TO THE SCHOOL CLIMATE CALIFORNIA, WHICH IS OFTEN REPUTED TO BE THE MOST LGBT-IENDLY STATE. IN BOTH OF THE STAT, OVER 80 PERCENT OF LGBT MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUNTS FELT EXCLUD BY THEIR PEERS, OVER HALF REGULARLY HEARD DISPARAGG REMARKS ABOUT TRANSGENR PEOPLE, AND AROUND 40 PERCENT HAD THEIR PROPERTY STOLEN OR DAMAGED. THE SUATN IS THE SAME WASHGTON, OREGON, AND CONNECTICUT—ALL STATNS FOR LGBT ADULTS.FOR ANYONE OVER THE AGE OF 20, THERE MAY BE A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BEG OUT SAN FRANCIS AND BEG OUT STONE MOUNTA. BUT WHEN TO CREATG SAFE SPAC FOR LGBT YOUTH, SCHOOLS ON THE LEFT COAST AND THE DEEP SOUTH ARE JT AS LIKELY TO POST A FAILG GRA.“THERE’S STILL NO SCHOOL WHERE TWO BOYS N HOLD HANDS THE HALLWAYS,” SAYS ZSILAVETZ.WHEN WE SAY THAT TN IS THE GREAT EQUALIZER, THAT ISN’T WHAT WE SHOULD MEAN.AS UNNTROVERSIAL AS AN CLIVE PRIVATE SCHOOL MIGHT SEEM, THE NSERVATIVE MEDIA IS ALREADY STARTG TO ATTACK PSA. ERIC OWENS OF THE DAILY CALLER SCRIB THE SCHOOL WH THE POLILLY CHARGED LANGUAGE OF SEGREGATN AND GHETTOIZATN—LCULATED TERMS THAT RRY A SPECIAL WEIGHT THE HEART OF THE JIM CROW SOUTH. BUT NSERVATIVE SRE TACTICS ASI, THE IA OF SEPARATG LGBT STUNTS OM STRAIGHT AND NON-TRANSGENR STUNTS ULD BE WORRYG IF ONLY FOR THE REASON THAT IENDSHIPS BETWEEN LGBT AND NON-LGBT PEOPLE HAVE BEEN CENTRAL TO SOCIAL CHANGE OVER THE LAST 40 YEARS. IF MORE PARENTS WHDREW THEIR LGBT CHILDREN—AND LGBT PARENTS TOOK THEIR STRAIGHT CHILDREN ELSEWHERE, TOO—WOULD PUBLIC SCHOOLS SIMPLY BE LEFT TO MARATE THEIR OWN BIGOTRY? IS PSA TAKG THE SOCIALLY NSERVATIVE MAND TO “KEEP OUT OF OUR SCHOOLS” TOO LERALLY?FOR ZSILAVETZ—AS FOR MANY PARENTS—THE ANSWERS TO THE QUTNS MAY BE LS IMPORTANT THAN THE IMMEDIATE WELFARE OF ONE’S OWN CHILDREN.“WHY DO WE HAVE TO WA FOR THEM TO FIX THE WHOLE SYSTEM?” HE ASKS. “WHY SHOULD MY KIDS HAVE TO WA FOR THE WHOLE SYSTEM TO CHANGE?”INED, AS SCHOOLS BEE THE NEXT IOLOGIL BATTLEGROUND THE BATTLE OVER LGBT RIGHTS, MIGHT MAKE SENSE TO CRAFT TEMPORARY HAVENS FOR CHILDREN WHO ARE LIKELY TO BE UGHT THE CROSSFIRE, PECIALLY TRANSGENR STUNTS. THIS MONTH, KENTUCKY LAWMAKERS TRIED AND FAILED TO FORCE TRANSGENR STUNTS TO E RTROOMS THAT MATCH THEIR ASSIGNED SEX AT BIRTH. UTAH PULLED A SIAR STUNT LAST YEAR. CALIFORNIA ALSO BATED THE BATHROOM QUTN 2014 BEFORE LANDG ON THE SI OF TRANSGENR STUNTS. BUT WHILE TRANSPHOBIC ADULTS PLOY BASELS FEAR-MONGERG TO START THE LEGISLATIVE SPATS, TRANSGENR CHILDREN THE STAT NNOT EVEN E THE RTROOM WHOUT FEAR OF BULLYG AND PHYSIL VLENCE.“IF YOU HAVE TO FIGHT TO GET THE RIGHT TO E THE BATHROOM,” ZSILAVETZ SAYS, “THERE’S GOT TO BE SOMETHG BETTER.”A SCHOOL LIKE PSA WILL BE MORE OF A STOPGAP THAN A PERMANENT SOLUTN, PECIALLY WHEN BARRIERS OF ST, TRANSPORTATN, AND FUNDG ARE NSIRED. LGBT PRIVATE SCHOOLS ARE NOT VIABLE SUBSTUT FOR THE AFFIRMG PUBLIC SCHOOLS THAT LGBT STUNTS SO SPERATELY NEED. BUT THE CURRENT ABSENCE OF THE SCHOOLS, IATIV LIKE PSA ULD PROVE TO BE LIFE SAVG AS CULTURE PLAYS TCH UP WH THE LAW OF THE LAND. A PRIVATE SCHOOL LIKE PSA ISN’T A LUXURY—’S A WARNG THAT LGBT YOUTH NEED HELP THAT THEY’RE NOT GETTG. SAMANTHA ALLEN

Pri School would be the first of s kd the Southeast and, acrdg to gay rights advot, a signifint velopment for the LGBT movement. South, for gay rights group GLAAD.

”Nearly 9 10 LGBT stunts report experiencg harassment wh the last school year, and three 10 report missg a class bee they felt unsafe, acrdg to gay rights group Geia Equaly.

AN LGBT SCHOOL WILL BRG FREEDOM TO ATLANTA KIDS AND EDUTORSPRI SCHOOL ATLANTA AIMS TO OFFER STUNTS 'EEDOM, RPONSIBILY AND SUPPORT.'{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.25 "GRAVY",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#FFFFFF;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.25 "GRAVY",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#FFFFFF;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}ISSUBY AMANDA BELLJANUARY 6, 2016/5:03 {HEIGHT:HER;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;POSN:RELATIVE;-WEBK-FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;-MS-FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;-WEBK-ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-ALIGN:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-ALIGN:CENTER;ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-WEBK-TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;-MS-TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;} IMG{HEIGHT:100%;WIDTH:100%;OBJECT-F:VER;}{HEIGHT:574PX;WIDTH:1020PX;}GETTY IMAGA REVELER FLUTTERS A RABOW FLAG DURG THE GAY PRI PARA BOGOTA, COLOMBIA ON JUNE 28, 2015. AFP PHOTO / GUILLERMO LEGARIA (PHOTO CRED SHOULD READ GUILLERMO LEGARIA/AFP/GETTY IMAG)BY AMANDA BELLJANUARY 6, 2016 / 5:03 PM{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"NEWSARTICLE","HEADLE":"AN LGBT SCHOOL WILL BRG FREEDOM TO ATLANTA KIDS AND EDUTORS","THUMBNAILURL":","DATEPUBLISHED":"2016-01-06T22:03:25.000+0000","DATEMODIFIED":"2016-01-06T22:03:25.000+0000","IMAGE":{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","URL":","WIDTH":1920,"HEIGHT":1080},"URL":","THOR":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","NAME":"MTV"},"MAENTYOFPAGE":{"@TYPE":"WEBPAGE","@ID":"},"PUBLISHER":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","@ID":","NAME":"MTV","URL":","LOGO":{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","URL":","WIDTH":1280,"HEIGHT":720}},"CREATOR":"AMANDA BELL","ARTICLESECTN":"ISSU"}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}LOVE WS AGA -- THIS TIME FOR LGBT YOUTH OF ATLANTA, {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}A K-12 SCHOOL VOTED ENTIRELY TO PROVIDG STUNTS AND TORS A PHOBIA-EE LEARNG ENVIRONMENT IS CURRENTLY BEG TABLISHED THE SOUTHERN PAL, BEG THE FIRST OF S KD FOR THE STATE OF {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}PRI SCHOOL ATLANTA IS A PRIVATE SCHOOL -- CURRENTLY "FLOATG" OUT OF A LOL CHURCH AND AIMG TO BEE FULLY OPERATNAL SEPTEMBER, 2016 -- WHOSE MISSN IS, SIMPLY, "TO PROVI LGBTQQIAA STUNTS, FAI AND TORS A SAFE, FUN AND RIGORO LEARNG ENVIRONMENT EE OF HOMOPHOBIA AND TRANSPHOBIA - A PLACE THAT HONORS THEIR INTI SO THEY N BE THEMSELV, FD THEMSELV, AND FD IENDS AND MENTORS WHO N HELP THEM NAVIGATE THE CHALLENG OF LIFE AND TN."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}INED, SCIENCE BACKS UP THE THEORY THAT LGBT YOUTH EXPERIENCE BETTER SELF-TEEM WHEN THEY'RE ABLE TO "E OUT" EARLY LIFE, BUT SHOCKGLY LTLE HAS BEEN DONE BY CONGRS TO PROTECT THE RIGHTS OF TEENS AGAST DISCRIMATN THE CURRENT TN {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}PSA WAS FOUND BY CHRISTIAN ZSILAVETZ, AN EXPERIENCED AND OPENLY TRANSGENR TOR WHO MOVED TO THE SOUTH AFTER TEACHG HIGH SCHOOL URS SEATTLE, WHO TOLD YAHOO! HE HOP THE SCHOOL WILL GIVE CHILDREN OF ALL WALKS "FULL PERMISSN TO BE THEMSELV."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}"THIS IS A PLACE WHERE THEY N JT OPEN UP AND BE THE BT PERSON THEY N BE."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;} .TWTER-TWEET-RENRED, {M-WIDTH:65%;WIDTH:TO !IMPORTANT;} {WIDTH:100%;} {MARG-LEFT:TO !IMPORTANT;MARG-RIGHT:TO !IMPORTANT;} IMG{MAX-WIDTH:100%;WIDTH:100%;} > IAME{BORR:NONE;MAX-WIDTH:100%;} > *{MAX-WIDTH:NONE !IMPORTANT;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IN ADDN TO OFFERG EEDOM OM HATE, PSA IS ALSO FOLLOWG THE MOL OF OFFERG A FLEXIBLE CURRICULUM THAT UTILIZ "TST AND MOCRATIC CISN-MAKG PROCS" AND REGNIZ THE FACT THAT WHILE SOME STUNTS RPOND WELL TO STCTURED, SOMETIM A LTLE "EEDOM" IS ALSO NECSARY TO HELP THEM {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}"IN OUR MOL, BORROWED OM LONGSTANDG SCHOOLS AROUND THE WORLD, CURRICULUM IS FLEXIBLE AND THERE IS NO MANDATORY HOMEWORK OR TTG," THE SCHOOL'S WEBSE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}"STUNTS ARE EE TO DISVER WHAT, WHEN AND HOW THEY PREFER TO LEARN, TSTED THAT THEIR NATURAL CURSY AND SIRE TO PURSUE PERSONAL GOALS WILL LEAD THEM TO A RIGORO AND RICH TN. EACH DAY WILL BE FULL OF OPPORTUNI FOR EACH MEMBER OF THE PRI SCHOOL FAY TO BEE THE BT PERSON THEY N BE, READY TO FACE THE WORLD WH NFINCE, KNOWLEDGE, AND THE ABILY TO HELP OTHERS DO THE SAME."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;} .TWTER-TWEET-RENRED, {M-WIDTH:65%;WIDTH:TO !IMPORTANT;} {WIDTH:100%;} {MARG-LEFT:TO !IMPORTANT;MARG-RIGHT:TO !IMPORTANT;} IMG{MAX-WIDTH:100%;WIDTH:100%;} > IAME{BORR:NONE;MAX-WIDTH:100%;} > *{MAX-WIDTH:NONE !IMPORTANT;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AS TAILED BY THE DAILY BEAST, PRI SCHOOL ATLANTA, ONCE LNCHED, WILL JO JT A HANDFUL OF SCHOOLS DITED TO THE LGBT STUNTS AND/OR TORS -- CLUDG HARVEY MILK HIGH SCHOOL NEW YORK, THE ALLIANCE SCHOOL MILWKEE, WISNS AND THE NOW-CLOSED WALT WHMAN COMMUNY SCHOOL DALLAS, {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}ZSILAVETZ BEGAN PSA AS A RPONSE TO HIS OWN EXPERIENC BEG A TRANSGENR TN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SCHOOL SCHOOL SYSTEMS -- HE WANTED TO RM HIS STUNTS OF HIS BACKGROUND BEFORE THEY HEARD OM SOMEONE ELSE (NAMELY HIS THEN-FIVE-YEAR-OLD) BUT WAS TOLD "I’D RATHER DIDN’T E OM YOU" BY AN {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}“I THK RIGHT NOW WHAT A LOT OF (LGBT) STUNTS FACE IS SEPARATE BUT EQUAL TN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS,” SAID ZSILAVETZ OF THE CURRENT STATE OF LGBT TEEN TREATMENT SCHOOLS ACROSS THE UNTRY. “BEE IF YOU N’T GO TO THE BATHROOM ALL DAY AND YOU N’T E THE LOCKER ROOM AND YOU’RE BULLIED THE CLASSROOM AND THE TEACHERS AREN’T STANDG UP FOR YOU, YOU DON’T HAVE A FULL SEAT AT THE TABLE.”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;} .TWTER-TWEET-RENRED, {M-WIDTH:65%;WIDTH:TO !IMPORTANT;} {WIDTH:100%;} {MARG-LEFT:TO !IMPORTANT;MARG-RIGHT:TO !IMPORTANT;} IMG{MAX-WIDTH:100%;WIDTH:100%;} > IAME{BORR:NONE;MAX-WIDTH:100%;} > *{MAX-WIDTH:NONE !IMPORTANT;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;CLEAR:BOTH;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG:0 TO;WIDTH:90%;M-WIDTH:288PX;MAX-WIDTH:1440PX;M-HEIGHT:194PX;}LATT NEWS

Cobb County was one of the first Geia to implement an anti-bullyg, no-harassment policy that clud sexual orientatn and genr number of pro-LGBT anizatns known as Gay-Straight Allianc at public high schools has also grown Geia, to rights advot pot to other notable velopments Geia as well.

The dire suatn facg lbian, gay and bisexual stunts was monstrated by the recently released Centers for Disease Control survey of 15, 600 high school stunts that clud qutns for the first time about sexual-orientatn inti.

The survey, which did not ask stunts about beg transgenr, showed that about 1 12 stunts intified themselv as lbian, gay or bisexual, and that the stunts were at greater risk than others.

The most recent biennial survey of about 7, 900 sixth- through 12th-grars done by the Gay, Lbian and Straight Edutn Network (GLSEN), a natnal tn and advocy group, shows, for example, that LGBTQ stunts were twice as likely to experience physil harassment and asslt the South as the Northeast.

“Kids would say, ‘God says gay kids are gog to hell, ’” he rells.

In the short time Pri School has been open, Zsilavetz has received onle attacks, such as an email wh the subject le “homo school” and the followg msage: “My kid’s a fag. A first-of-s-kd private school Geia aimed at attractg lbian, gay, bisexual and transgenr youth and teachers is beg tablished Atlanta for stunts who feel bullied or not accepted tradnal School Atlanta is a k-12 stutn signed to be an alternative for LGBT stunts, though the school is open to any stunt who believ they’re not gettg the support they need for “beg different, ” says Pri School founr Christian Zsilavetz. Zsilavetz hop to open Pri School Atlanta this summer, the first school the Southeast to foc on gay, lbian, bisexual, transgenr, queer, qutng and tersex (born wh both female and male characteristics) opens Augt, will be one of the first LGBT schools the natn to ter to stunts as early as pre-krgarten.

Teachers will be able to disclose whether they are gay, lbian or stunts will be able to wear drs or grow their hair, hold hands the hallway or e whichever rtroom they want whout fear of parents wele the ia of a private LGBT school Atlanta, the progrsive hub of the Bible Belt and home to the largt gay and lbian populatn the Southeast. Although Geia is one of 13 stat wh a nstutnal amendment agast gay marriage, many schools Atlanta, and even some suburban and ral areas, have ma signifint headway on LGBT attus are shiftg across the state as stunts set up gay-straight allianc, take members of the same sex to prom, and petn for genr-ntral many other stat, such as California and New York, Geia has no statewi anti-bullyg or nondiscrimatn laws that protect LGBT stunts.

Yet recent years, 20 unti — verg 58% of the state’s public stunts — have troduced polici that prohib bullyg on the basis of sexual orientatn and genr inty, acrdg to Geia Equaly, the state’s largt gay rights, tensns rema. Acrdg to a 2013 study by the Gay, Lbian and Straight Edutn Network, which surveyed nearly 8, 000 U.