What IS SAGA?
The Straight And Gay Alliance, SAGA, is a group where people can
come together to talk about issues that affect all of us, like discrimination
in all its forms, and how to handle them. There are no requirements
to join SAGA, except an open mind and a willingness to respect other
people's lifestyles and choices. We meet every Monday from 2:30
- 3:30 in Room 305.
SAGA's Mission Statement
We, the members of the SHS SAGA, are working diligently to build
a strong community of Homosexual, Bisexual, the Trans gender, the
Questioning, Queer, and Heterosexual allies within our school. We
are planning for the 2002-2003 school year to build up awareness
here at Spaulding, hold fund raisers, and have field trips. We urge
the students of Spaulding to open their minds, throw out their hateful
words, and encourage all the students here to pursue a life of wellness
and happiness regardless of ethnicity, race, age, religion, and
sexual orientation.
SAGA's Petition to the School Board
The following is a copy of the document we used when we
petitioned the school board to allow the creation of a GSA chapter,
now SAGA.
In order to further awareness, offer a safe atmosphere, and give
help to, support, advise, and educate students who are gay, lesbian,
bisexual, trans gender, questioning, allies, heterosexual and
anyone needing further education, we give you the Spaulding High
School Gay/Straight Alliance.We hope that each member of the school
board will set aside his or her personal beliefs, whether religiously
or non-religiously based, and listen, to hear what the students
of our high school are asking for. The GLBTGA students of Spaulding
are asking for a Gay/Straight Alliance. Not only do we hope to
accomplish the above goals, but to start an organization within
our school system that will be a long-lasting, effective club.The
world has changed in the last few decades. And we now know that,
as statistics show, at least 1 in 10 Americans are GLBTQ. Americans,
however, are still not very accepting of this fact. The high schools
in America are home to thousands upon thousands of GLBTQ students
and many have yet to build a place within their school system
where these students can be safe and find camaraderie. Spaulding
is one of these schools. The suicidal rate for GLBTQ teenagers
in American high schools is 28%. As a minority group in small
town America we need to have some kind of unity.In the SHS GSA
we plan to bring GLBTQA students together. In a nurturing and
safe environment we will be able to openly, honestly, and confidentially
discuss issues, personal and communal, that affect us. We will
be able to discuss ideas and problems that confront us. Right
here, in Rochester as GLBTQA students, we would like to bring
awareness to the entire community and sponsor activities, have
fundraisers, and field trips. The GSA longs to have a level of
understanding from all citizens of Rochester.