"The Safe Schools Project provides a smart and sensitive approach to help teachers and administrators create a school climate that accepts and promotes diversity.  Comments from our staff members regarding The Safe School Project were overwhelmingly positive. ‘This is information we can use……bring these people back.’ I would highly recommend this program for any school wishing to create schools that are free from bullying and harassment.” 

Brad Faust, Principal, Whitmer High School, Toledo.

Our Mission

The Safe School Project strives, through education and advocacy, to create a culture of safety that will make Ohio schools free from harassment, bullying and other forms of violence against any student or group of students.  The Project aims to protect all students, including racial and religious minorities, gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students, students with disabilities, and students who are targeted because of their appearance or expression, from violence and harassment.

Implementation Steps

1.       Establish “Safe School” training events and programs at area high  schools.

2.       Assist students and faculty in forming Gay-Straight Alliances, which significantly improve the learning environment for all students.

3.       Implement “Safe Space” programs, identifying supportive teachers, guidance counselors, coaches, staff, and school administrators who are willing and able to provide safe spaces for vulnerable students.

4.       Offer mediation services through the University of Toledo College of Law for disputes involving harassment, discrimination or bullying in area schools.

5.       Develop educational programming about Safe Schools for the
community.

Our History

Through the diligent efforts of legal interns and the leadership of Attorney Rob Salem at the University of Toledo College of Law Legal Clinic, Toledo Public Schools instituted a non-discrimination policy to protect lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender students from bullying, harassment, and discrimination.

In spite of non-discrimination policies, LGBT youth and youth perceived to be LGBT continue to be routinely harassed and physically assaulted, and suffer property damage; school employees fear the loss of their employment and lack domestic partner benefits. 

The Project founders investigated the issue of bullying based not only on LGBT status, but other real or perceived traits.  The Project then initiated a program to address the serious problem of bullying and other forms of violence in our schools and to employ innovative methods to promote awareness and prevention of bullying.


The Northwest Ohio/Southeast Michigan
Safe Schools Project

 All students deserve a school environment that is free from bullying and harassment. The Safe Schools Project provides a practical approach for helping teachers and administrators create an atmosphere where all students feel safe and protected.

 The Safe Schools Project is unique in the field of anti-bullying and harassment trainings. Using extant research data and curriculum materials produced by national and legal organizations, University of Toledo professor, Dr. Susan Telljohann, Attorney Robert Salem and interns at the University of Toledo College of Law Legal Clinic have created a dynamic and interactive presentation that educates staff, faculty, and administrators to the truth about what constitutes bullying and harassment, its prevalence and destructive consequences to the victims’ and bullies’ academic, social and personal success.  The 60-minute presentation also provides practical advice on how to stop bullying and harassment of students based on body image, race, socio-economic background, gender, and sexual orientation.

 Key Components of the Presentation:

  • Presentation facilitated by a professional educator and master teacher.
  • Cutting edge legal information presented by legal experts.
  • Tips on how to intervene in bullying/harassment situations
  • Personal testimonies from students who were bullied in high school
  • Information about local support groups and resources for gay and lesbian students.

The Safe Schools Project provides interactive discussions about the law and how it is applied to bullying and harassment of children in an educational environment, along with scenarios that help the individual participant practice effective responses to a variety of verbal, relational and cyber bullying.  An emphasis is placed on cases and scenarios that are not commonly addressed in anti-bullying and harassment programs, helping educators better cope with more difficult situations.


ENDORSEMENTS

Organizations:
ACLU of Ohio
Interfaith Justice and Peace Center
ACLU – Northwest Ohio Chapter
Toledo Area Jobs with Justice Coalition
Toledo Area Ministries

Academic:
University of Toledo Commission on Diversity
University of Toledo Judith Herb College of Education, Center for 
        Nonviolence and Democratic Education

Civic Organizations: 

Board of County Commissioners, Lucas County, Ohio
Toledo Board of Community Relations

Individuals:
State Senator Teresa Fedor
State Representative Peter Ujvagi
State Representative Edna Brown
State Representative Matt Szollosi, Esq.
Toledo School Board Member Steve Steel
Lucas County School Board Member Karen Krause
Toledo City Councilman Joseph McNamara, Esq.
Toledo City Councilman Frank Szollosi, Esq.
Cindy Voller, Esq.
Kurt Young, Esq.

Businesses:
Owens Corning, Inc.

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 The Toledo Blade reported in an article published February 3, 2008, that area Gay Teens Are Finding More Acceptance

(more . . . )  

Rob Salem, Legal Coordinator of the Safe Schools Project, interviewed by Channel 13, October 22, 2007, about recent bullying incident at Rogers High School

 (more . . . )

ARTICLES OF INTEREST

August 28, 2007: The Board of County Commissioners, Lucas County, Ohio pass a resolution supporting the Safe Schools Project (more . . .)

Northwest Ohio Safe Schools leaders testify before Ohio Senate (more . . .)

AREA HIGH SCHOOL GSA ORGANIZATIONS

Bowling Green High School

Bowsher High School

Monroe High School

Waite High School

Whitmer High School

Maumee Valley Country Day School

GSA RESOURCES

Lambda Legal

The Trevor Project



A Coalition of

EqualityToledo

Rainbow Area
Youth

The University of Toledo
College of Law
Legal Clinic

 

 

EqualityToledo  •  Rainbow Area Youth  •  UT College of Law Legal Clinic

Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN)Email

Copyright © 2006, Safe Schools Project