Mission Statement
To provide a forum for the discussion of issues pertaining to the provision and maintenance of a working environment free from harassment.
To help prevent harrassment by working towards the elimination of discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation.
To educate the school community on the types of incidents of behaviour which may be offensive, embarrassing, humiliating and/or patronizing and which deny individuals dignity and respect based on their sexual orientation.
To create safer schools by woking to eliminate poisoned environments associated with discrimination based on sexual orientation and by dispelling the stereotypes, myths, and negative ideas that are part of these poisoned environments.
Membership
Any staff member or student concerned about discrimination and harrassment based on sexual orientation.
Expectations
Members of the GSA shall:
respect each other
learn from each other in an environment which is supportive of people of all sexual orientations
provide all members with the opportunity to speak if they choose
respect the privacy of all members
respect the confidentiality of dicussion within the GSA
avoid discriminatory language
avoid vulgarities and put-downs
EVENTS:
Ally Week 2012
Dunbarton helped raised awareness about bullying on Oct. 15th -19th with Ally Week. Its aim was to stop bullying towards ALL people, including students who identify, support and celebrate Allies against anti-LGBT language, bullying and harassment in schools in Canada. On Thursday, Oct. 18th, the Gay-Straight Alliance was at the front foyer of North Campus handing out stickers for the day and selling buttons in support of this anti-bullying initiative. Also, they got parents during parent-teacher interviews to sign a pledge to stop bullying, including our Pickering trustee, Chris Braney and our own Principal, Randy Tennant. Teachers, administrators, staff and students came together to support this initiative within the school. Way to go Dunbarton!
LGBT Month - October, 2012
http://www.glsen.org
WORLD AIDS DAY - Dec. 1st (Nov. 30th @ DHS)
Periods 3 & 4
Feb. 27th, 2013
The event was held to stop bullying around the school. Students and teachers wore a pink t-shirts, tops,
sweatshirts, or ribbons to show the community that Dunbarton does not tolerate bullying.
Full article about the day and the boys who started the movement. (see above)
CBC Article
GSA Board Day Conference (DDSB)
International Day of Silence
April 19th, 2013
Students teachers, EAs, amidministrators, and secretaries joined together to combat the silence of students who re repressed
within our schools and communities. The GSA presented the Day of Silence (DOS)on behalf of all those repressed groups, i
ncluding those of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people.
We hope to continue it in the 8th annual year @ DHS.
http://www.dayofsilence.org
International Day Agianst Homophobia
May 17th, 2013
http://www.homophobiaday.org
PRIDE Week
June 24 - July 3, 2013
http://www.pridetoronto.com
PAST EVENTS:
On Dec. 1st, 2010, students,teachers and administrators attended two assemblies on the AIDS pandemic that is occurring around the world. In attendance were representatives from the Aids Committee of Durham and Councillor Jennifer O'Connell (acting mayor for Pickering). In addtion, Mr. Chris Braney and Mr. Larry Jacula were in attendance representing the Durham District School Board. The event included all the clubs and councils at Dunbarton High School and through sales, they raised $700 in one day for CANFAR (Canadian Foundation for AIDS Research). Mr. Hopkins, Alana Shaw and Kaitlyn Snowdon hosted the event on behalf of the Gay-Straight Alliance. The presidents for the Health Committee and the MSA spoke on behalf of their councils. It was an emotional event with singers, Kira Guthrie and Roman Slifkas singing "True Colors" and "Imagine" (acoustic versions) and Ms. Hadaway's dancers puttting on a great performance. Way to go Dunbarton!
World AIDS Day 2010
MORE THAN 1,400 SCHOOLS ACROSS CANADA ARE TAKING PART IN HAVE A HEART THIS FEBRUARY!
CONGRATULATIONS! THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMITMENT AND SUPPORT!
Have a Heart is CANFAR's national awareness and fundraising program organized by the where youth become active in educating their peers about HIV/AIDS.
Every year around Valentine's Day, students in schools across Canada take part in Have a Heart by selling “Heart o'Grams” to their peers. CANFAR will supply your school with all the HIV/AIDS materials and supplies to create Heart o' Grams at no cost!
Since the start of the Have a Heart program in 1993, over 2 million students across Canada have raised awareness about HIV/AIDS and have generated funds for youth specific research through CANFAR.
Last year, a record breaking 1,237 schools participated in the program.
WHERE YOUR DOLLARS GO
100% of the money you raise by running Have a Heart in your school goes towards youth-related research.
THE HEART AWARD
The Heart Award is presented annually to the high school that has demonstrated outstanding dedication and community spirit while raising research funds and HIV/AIDS awareness among their peers.
The 2007 Heart Award went to Dunbarton High School from Pickering, Ontario. Prior to participating in Have a Heart 2007, Dunbarton had never held a HIV/AIDS awareness campaign. Thanks to their dedication and enthusiasm, they raised in spreading awareness about HIV/AIDS and raised $500 for AIDS research! Have a Heart founding school Northern Secondary School was represented by student Selena Zhang, recipient of the 2007 Have a Heart Scholarship, who presented the Heart Award to a group of student and teacher representatives of Dunbarton High School.
http://www.canfar.ca
TERMS:
Ally - A person regardless of his or her sexual orientation or gender identity, who supports and stands up for the human and civil rights for the LGBT community.
Bisexual - A person who is attracted physically or emotionally to both males and females.
Gay - A person who is attracted physically or emotionally to someone of the same sex. The word gay can refer to both males and females, but is commonly uses to idenify males only.
Heterosexualism: - The assumption that everyone is heterosexual and that this sexual orientation is superior. Heterosexism is a form of oppression that targets LGBT people and is often expressed in more subtle forms than homophobia.
Heteosexual - A person who is attracted physically or emotionally to someone of the opposite sex. Also commonly referred to as straight.
Homophobia - Fear and/or hatred of homosexuality in others, often exhibited by prejudice, discrimination, bullying or acts of violence.
Lesbian - A female who is attracted physically or emotionally to other females.
Transgender - A person whose gender identity, outward appearance, expression and/or anatomy does not fit into conventional expectations of male or female. Often used as an umbrella term to represent a wide range of gender variants or gender non-forming identities and behaviours.
Transsexual - A peron who experiences intense personal and emotional discomfort with their assigned birth gender. Some tanssexuals may undergo treatments to physically alter their body and gender expression to correspond with what they feel their true gender is.
Two-spirited - Some Aboriginal people identify themselves as two-spirited rather than as lesbian, gay, bisexual or trans-identified. Historically, in many Aboriginal cultures, two-spirited persons were respected leaders and medicine people. Before colonization two-spited persons were often accorded special status based upon their unique abilities to understand both male and female perspectives
