The Commission is empowered to make recommendations to the Governor and to state and private agencies about the creation of programs and policies on behalf of gay and lesbian students in Massachusetts. As expressed by the Governor in the preamble to the executive order, abolishing prejudice and discrimination against gay and lesbian youth is the goal and charge of the Commission. No person shall be excluded from or discriminated against in admission to a public school of any town, or in obtaining the advantages, privileges, and courses of study of such public school on account of race, color, sex, national origin or sexual orientation . Massachusetts is in its fourth year of funding for the safe schools program for gay and lesbian students, a joint project of the Department of Education and the Governor's Commission. School administrators have the power to change this reality for the next generation of gay and lesbian adults.
Parents have a special role to play as adult community members and taxpayers.
You can alert your local school systems to the need for every school in the Commonwealth to be a safe environment where every student can learn free from fear and harassment. Testimony from students at Commission hearings and events point to GSA's as being the single most important factor in preventing student dropout and youth suicide. Mahar Regional schools now fly their rainbow diversity flag under the American flag on their school flagpole. Arlington High School rallied for a yearly gay and lesbian awareness day at their school. Greater Lawrence Vocational Tech. held workshops for faculty, staff and their community on ending homophobia.