Who We Are
editOur History
editOriginally called GLSEN South Florida, Safe Schools South Florida (SSSF) was founded in Miami-Dade in 1991 to create safer schools for students and staff. It is the only South Florida organization comprised of professional educators whose sole mission is to help create safer schools for students who self-identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) students, or those perceived as such; and for children of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) parents.
During the early 1990's, Safe Schools South Florida was the lead organization in creating Miami-Dade County Public Schools school board policy and United Teachers of Date (UTD) union contract changes in the Miami-Dade school district to include protection from discrimination and harassment with regard to sexual orientation and sexual presentation. Our work helped promote similar advances in the other South Florida Counties. Safe Schools South Florida was also instrumental in the creation of domestic partnership benefits in the four major South Florida school districts.
Safe Schools South Florida is the designated education organization of the Children's Trust-funded Alliance for GLBTQ Youth to provide training in Miami-Dade County Public Schools. Our work and programs have been recognized nationally by the American Federation of Teachers and state-wide by the Florida Governor's Commission on Best Practices for Youth Suicide Prevention.
Board of Directors
editRobert Loupo, Co-founder, Executive Director
editRobert Loupo, co-founder and executive director of Safe Schools South Florida, has degrees in English, History and English Education. After fourteen years as a high school English teacher, he became a TRUST counselor at a Miami-Dade middle school and earned a National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS)—National Board Certification as a school counselor. Robert has been an unflagging advocate for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth, as well as educators for fifteen years.
Bruce W. Presley, President
editBruce W. Presley publishes high school and college text books on computer-related topics through his company, Lawrenceville Press. He holds a degree in industrial engineering and taught physics at private schools in Massachusetts and New Jersey prior to entering the publishing business. In addition to being president of the Safe Schools South Florida board, he is a member of several other non-profit organizations.
Why We Are Needed
editThe statistical information available on LGBTQ students is limited and largely dated, although a quick search on Google reveals some progress is being made. As a marginalized group, LGBTQ students have rarely been included in general surveys of the nation's student population. When they have been included, many researchers consider the result suspect because of fear of coming out or being outed.
Nevertheless, the statistical information we do have is important. Here are some samples:
- Nearly 70% of LGBTQ students report verbal, sexual or physical harassment in their schools. [Ref 1]
- Over 90% of LGBTQ students regularly hear anti-gay comments at schools; over a third from school staff. [Ref 1]
- LGBTQ youth are 4 times more likely to skip school because they feel unsafe. [Ref 1]
- Nearly one-third of LGBTQ students drop out of high school to escape the violence, harassment, and isolation they face there - a dropout rate nearly three times the national average. [Ref 1]
- Bisexual and lesbian teens are twice as likely as their heterosexual counterparts to become pregnant (6% vs 3%). [Ref 1]
- 24% of gay youth are thrown out of their homes when parents learn they are gay. [Ref 1]
- Up to 40% of all homeless youth identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender. [Ref 2]
- Gay students are five times more likely to attempt suicide than their heterosexual counterparts. [Ref 3]
- 75% of the nation's teachers have received no training about the needs of LGBTQ students. [Ref 1]
The age at which LGBTQ students are coming out is getting younger and younger. This information from 1993 is still accurate based on newer research. Studies indicate that on average youth realize they are gay between the ages of 8 and 11 but most do not come out until later. The problem is, however, that coming out sooner just makes LGBTQ students targets of harassment and bullying at a younger age and for longer periods of time.
| Year | Males | Females |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 19.3 | --------- |
| 1980 | 16.3 | --------- |
| 1982 | 15.0 | 20.0 |
| 1987 | 14.0 | --------- |
| 1993 | 13.1 | 15.2 |