For Local Community Members
Why should I be involved?
Even if you as a community member within the St. Vrain Valley School District area do not currently have school-aged children the experience of students in our schools affects our entire community. When our students are unable to feel comfortable and safe in school they are unable to excel to the best of their abilities and this can have short-term as well as long-term impacts on our community.
Local and national studies have shown us that our schools are not always a safe place for LGBTQ students. According to the 2011 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS), 51.6% of LGBQ-identifying students in Boulder County reported being harassed on school property, and 15.5% did not go to school due to feeling unsafe at school. In addition, the YRBS indicates that LGBQ students are at a higher risk than their straight counterparts for many risky behaviors such as suicide, self-harm and drug-use. All of these statistics are fearfully alarming for those who are the family members and friends of these students, but we must also recognize as a community that if students are not attending school and are participating in risky behaviors it not only affects the students and their loved ones it affects our entire community.
As a member of our community you have an opportunity to be a voice of change to contribute to policy and school culture shifts that can make schools a safe place for all students. The future of our community rests on the shoulders of our children. It is our responsibility to prepare our children as best we can to gain the skills, knowledge, and experiences to best carry forward that future and that can only happen if our children can safely learn and be enriched in a supportive school environment.
What can I do to help?
- Let it be known that you are an ally
- Familiarize yourself with local, statewide and national policies regarding inclusion, bullying and non-discrimination
- Educate yourself - learn current terminologies and how to recognize at-risk behavior in your children and their friends
- Attend school board meetings to learn more about what is happening in our district
- Join the St. Vrain Valley Safe Schools Coalition – community partners are key to the coalition's mission, and all are more than welcome to join us for our monthly meetings
- Talk to other potential allies in the St. Vrain community – the more voices we have the more impact we can make!
What resources are there for me?
One Colorado
One Colorado is a statewide advocacy organization dedicated to securing and protecting equality and opportunity for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) Coloradans and their families. They work toward that goal by advocating for LGBT Coloradans and their families and by lobbying the General Assembly, executive branch, and local governments on issues like safe schools, relationship recognition, and LGBT health and human services. One Colorado: Website
StopBullying.gov
This site provides information from various government agencies on how kids, teens, young adults, parents, educators, and others in the community can prevent or stop bullying. If you or someone you know is being bullied, find help here. Stop Bullying: Website
OASOS (Open & Affirming Sexual orientation & gender identity Support)
An organization within Boulder County Public Health which provides support for LGBTQ youth. If you know a youth who identifies as LGBTQ and lacks support either at home or in school you might refer them to OASOS. Boulder County OASOS
PFLAG National - Parents and Friends of Lesbian and Gays
PFLAG promotes the health and well-being of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered persons, their families and friends through: support, to cope with an adverse society; education, to enlighten an ill-informed public; and advocacy, to end discrimination and to secure equal rights. PFLAG provides opportunity for dialogue about sexual orientation and gender identity, and acts to create a society that is healthy and respectful of human diversity.
PFLAG Website and Safe Schools Legislation (PFLAG Website)
Youth Risk Behavior Survey Results (YRBS)
The Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS), developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), provides reliable local data on risk behaviors among our county's high school students and Boulder Valley School District (BVSD) middle school students.
Data and reports from each of the two school districts, BVSD and St. Vrain Valley School District (SVVSD), as well as aggregate data for the county, can be found in the following documents. The narrative reports include survey background, methodology, results, tables, graphs, and observations.
Youth Risk Survey Results
Saint Vrain Valley School District
The School Board: SVVSD School Board
Bullying Prevention Policy : SVVSD Bullying Prevention and Education
Non-Discrimination Policy: SVVSD Equal Educational Opportunities