Goal
1
1. Based on the needs of your
community and GLSEN’s Public Policy Platform, what goal has your
Chapter chosen to meet or
partially meet a need? What specifically will constitute a victory?
Our goal is to include easily accessible resources and referral information for LGBT or questioning students in the guidance offices. Victory would be having pamphlets set in a private yet accessible place for students.
2. What short-term or partial
victories can you win as steps toward your goal?
We can provide guidance
counselors pamphlets that they could distribute to students if they decide they
do not want to leave the pamphlets in an easily accessible and private place.
1. In specific numbers, list
the resources (volunteers, money, coalitions, media contacts, etc.) that
your organization brings to
the campaign (a campaign is a series of activities undertaken to attain
a specific goal).
We need to get educational
pamphlets for all of the Sioux Falls Schools (aprox. 500 of each
pamphlet). We need volunteers to distribute them (5-10). We need to talk to the guidance counselors
so they know how to get more pamphlets and how to contact us if they run
out. We need to talk to LaQuita
Buckneberg at the Main Office to get the flyers approved for distribution in
the Schools.
2. In the same terms, list the
ways in which you want this campaign to strengthen your
organization.
We want this campaign to
create a relationship and communication with guidance counselors and the schools. Also, this would strengthen our chapter by
reaching out to students through the pamphlets.
3. List any internal
organizational problems that may prevent the Chapter from being successful on
the campaign.
Lack of funds is probably the
biggest hindrance to completing this goal at the present time.
1. Who cares about this issue
enough to join in the campaign? Into what already existing groups are
they organized?
The center has been trying to
get informational materials to the schools (who have been requesting them) but
while they are firmly established they have yet to receive the funds to make it
happen.
2. Which ally organizations
will be willing and able to help your campaign?
The red cross have been very supportive
in providing us with resources on health issues they may have additional
resources that could help us.
3. Who will actively invest
resources and organize against you (not who’s merely philosphically
oppossed)?
Church groups would backlash. One of the reasons that the school systems have been so hesitant about educating students about LGBT issues has been their fear of backlash from “family preservation” groups.
1. Who has the power to give
you what you want? What power do you have over them?
Local school board members,
the district superintendent, the districts head of guidance counseling all have
the power to help us. One asset that we
have is the fact that they are seeking the information and the superintendent
of the district is interested in working with GLSEN as much as possible.
First, talking to the Superintendent about distributing the pamphlets. Then, sending a letter to the head guidance counselor seeking permission to deliver or send the pamphlets to all the guidance counselors in the Sioux Falls School District. Then distributing the pamphlets to the schools.
Goal
2
1. Based on the needs of your
community and GLSEN’s Public Policy Platform, what goal has your
Chapter chosen to meet or partially
meet a need? What specifically will constitute a victory?
Add issues of sexual
orientation and gender identity to the diversity and “safe schools” curriculum
all future teachers attending the state’s largest college of education are
required to take.
2. What short-term or partial
victories can you win as steps toward your goal?
Including discussions or
forums on sexual orientation and gender identity required for education majors.
1. In specific numbers, list
the resources (volunteers, money, coalitions, media contacts, etc.) that
your organization brings to
the campaign.
Contacts with the university
may have some pull with the decision makers.
Sample letters that can be written to the University. Media contacts who can promote the cause
(print and television). Volunteers to
help lead a forum or discussion on sexual orientation and gender identity if
the University would request it.
2. In the same terms, list the
ways in which you want this campaign to strengthen your
organization.
This campaign would show the
community that GLSEN Sioux Falls can help in educating educators. It would establish a link to educating
facilities for resources. It can also
provide information to increase the diversity of our membership. And help gain experience in leading
discussions and public forums.
3. List any internal
organizational problems that may prevent the Chapter from being successful on
the campaign.
Again, lack of funding seems
to be the biggest hindrance at this time.
1. Who cares about this issue
enough to join in the campaign? Into what already existing groups are
they organized?
The universities LGBT
organizations would be an invaluable asset in this campaign. Also the Coalition for Social Justice would
probably be able to help too. The
Center would also be able to help.
2. Which ally organizations
will be willing and able to help your campaign?
The Coalition for Social
Justice is one.
3. Who will actively invest
resources and organize against you (not who’s merely philosphically
oppossed)?
The same “family preservation”
groups as were discussed above.
1. Who has the power to give
you what you want? What power do you have over them?
The Board of Regents, and the
Education Department could try to stand in our way. We have members who are involved with GLSEN who are students in
their program who would fight for this change.
Also, the education has had problems with students harboring
heterosexist attitudes and wants to include more training on sexual orientation
and gender identity.
2. Is there a secondary
decision maker, or someone who has power over your primary decision
maker? What power do you have
over them?
The Board of Regents has power
over the Education Department. No.
1. List the tactics the
Chapter will use.
We will use a letter writing campaign. Offer to lead discussions and public forums. We will lobby the Board of Regents. And we will lobby the Education Department faculty. If it is necessary, we will use the local media to further lobby the college.