Missouri
GSA Network’s national work is dedicated to strengthening the work and capacity of local organizations and organizers serving trans and queer youth. Drawing on and adapting the models, curriculum and lessons learned from the GSA Network of California and the extensive expertise of our members, we provide our organizational partners with a broad range of ongoing training and technical assistance. GSA Network works with local partners to develop new curriculum, programs, and models that better fit the various communities we and our partner organizations work with.
Each member organization of the National Association is actively working with local GSA youth leaders and should join the national association in order to enhance the work they are already doing with LGBTQI+, trans and queer youth of color.
If you are a Missouri-based organization working towards racial and gender justice and would like to partner with us, please contact [email protected]
New Campaign Campaigns
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MO Care 4 Trans Queer Youth: Mike ParsonThe wave of anti-trans and anti-queer legislation both directly targets TQ youth and strengthens efforts to rollback the rights of all historically marginalized and "othered" communities. We need to not only stop these anti-TQ bills, but transform our culture toward community and collective freedom. State and local organizers have been busy fighting these bills. We're calling on all state residents, community, and allies to #ShowUp4TransYouth and queer youth by demanding politicians end efforts of dividing the people and work toward CARE FOR TRANS AND QUEER YOUTH. Is there an upcoming state or local action that we can uplift on this petition? Contact petition organizers by emailing [email protected] to share upcoming actions, efforts, and updates related to TQ youth devising freedom. Our team will work to include relevant updates to state petitions. You can also check out efforts in other states here. GSA Network will continue to update state solidarity petitions as bills and resistance movements continue to evolve throughout the next few months. Be sure to share this petition with all TQ youth leaders and allies who are committed to interrupting these ongoing attacks.0 of 100 SignaturesCreated by GSA Network C.
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Uphold Parkway Sex EdIn the Spring of 2016, the Parkway Board of Education voted to bring changes to the Sexual Education Curriculum to make it inclusive. But it is still under attack. The Parkway School Board now has a conservative majority. We must tell them that we NEED Sex Ed to keep us safe. Please sign to stand with Parkway Students.576 of 600 SignaturesCreated by Andrew B.
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Support Comprehensive Inclusive Sex Education Revisions in Parkway School DistrictBecause Students health, safety and even lives could be in danger without this type of education. Bad information leads to poor ability to make decisions and leaving students without tools needed to handle what happens when those decisions are made. We need all the information when it comes to sexual health, not just some of it.571 of 600 SignaturesCreated by Asher M.
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Help Me Fight Against Schools Punishing People For Standing Up for What's RightSchools shouldn't punish students for standing up for justice. I was fighting for my civil rights and my rights as a human being and that is why the issues surrounding Ferguson and Racism itself are important to me. I believe the school also needs to adopt better alternatives other than suspension, expulsion, and detention because this is not helping people's education but set them up for things like incarceration and pushing them away from school. This is not the first time that people of color have been unfairly targeted. We have been punished more than most of the white kids have been even though we are not behaving worse. It is important to work together and find solutions and it has been proven that current punishments do not work. Not only am I targeted but people with disabilities, other people of color, people who Identify as trans*, and much more are affected by schools current practices. We need to work together.338 of 400 SignaturesCreated by Reimi C.
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Students Need Solutions: Adopt Restorative PracticesIn November 2013, Jewlyes Gutierrez, a transgender girl from California, was outrageously charged with assault for defending herself against bullying at school. A year earlier, Dynasty Young in Indiana was expelled for bringing a stun gun to school in self-defense after enduring months of harassment based on his sexual orientation and gender expression. Jewlyes, Dynasty, LGBTQ youth, and all students deserve better. Missouri can -- and must -- take action now to make sure our students are never put in a similar position. We often hear about bullying in schools, but the anti-bullying and zero tolerance policies adopted in response pose just as much of a danger for LGBTQ youth of color. Together, hostile school environments and extreme disciplinary policies create a school-to-prison pipeline for youth of color, youth with disabilities, and LGBTQ youth, telling them that their lives are disposable and that simply trying to get an education carries a risk of jail time. LGBTQ youth make up just 5-7% of the youth population, but represent 15% of those in the juvenile justice system. We believe restorative justice practices are the best solution for school discipline problems involving bias-based bullying and harassment. We can make this happen together by building a powerful student network to push back against school push out. Further, we believe that punitive exclusionary practices (like suspensions and expulsions) hurt all students' ability to succeed and achieve their academic goals and dreams. In January, the Obama administration released guidelines for improving school climate and discipline. Those guidelines recommend best practices like restorative approaches and condemn punitive policies and court referrals. It has been proven that alternative discipline with non-punitive approaches provides better student outcomes and keeps the student community together. In March 2014, the National Education Association, the American Federation of Teachers, the Opportunity to Learn Campaign, and the Advancement Project jointly released a toolkit highlighting restorative approaches as a best practice and providing guidance to administrators and educators on implementing them. In order to keep ourselves and fellow students in school, we demand that restorative justice practices, as outlined in the "Restorative Practices: Fostering Healthy Relationships & Promoting Positive Discipline in Schools" toolkit, be implemented in Missouri.56 of 100 SignaturesCreated by Ka'Milla M.
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Add Gender Identity / Expression to the NDOAll students/faculty/staff should be able to bring their full-selves to work and class every day by adding this protected class we can further ensure this is the case.17 of 100 SignaturesCreated by Caleb-Michael F.
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Let the McKinley GSA have a pride week leading up to the Day of Silence!Many people do not remember the Day of Silence or do not know anything about it. A pride week is a great way to make people aware of the Day of Silence as well as the school GSA.123 of 200 SignaturesCreated by Malena M.