Thursday, January 26, 2012 By Pete Simpson [ArticleImageHyperLink] Advertising Students participate in UCLA writing contest (December 20, 2011) -- “I think a person should be whoever they want to be,” said sophomore David Keshishian. His opinion was echoed by many students in their submissions to “Stand Up Speak Out,” UCLA’s writing contest for teens interested in LGBTQ issues. Nearly 20 Clark students have chosen to take part in this contest with a wide variety of submissions. Keshishian entered the contest as part of an assignment in his humanities class, but he says that UCLA’s contest stood out to him especially because of his interest in LGBTQ issues. Keshishian said that even though he is not gay, he thinks the “Stand Up Speak Out” contest is very important for gay and lesbian youth. His entry to the contest was an essay about his opinion on gender and sexuality issues and how the government should address them. “It would be good to have programs for gay people in school,” said Keshishian. Sophomore Sheina Sakhrani entered the contest because of her unique experiences dealing with gay individuals. “I had some personal experiences where I had to defend someone,” said Sakhrani. She said that she entered the contest to stand up for LGBTQ youth.  She said she is especially bothered by people using terms like gay and homo derogatorily. “I am someone who does get offended, even though I am not a homosexual,” she said. The participating students were introduced to the contest through a writing assignment in teachers Chris Davis and Jennifer Davis’ Humanities class.  A total of 16 students in the class chose the “Stand Up Speak Out” contest to fulfill the requirement. However, Ms. Davis said that the the contest has not always been received so well. “Not many students would do that contest,” Ms. Davis said. The reception this year has been much better, with students lining up to write about gay rights and issues. “This year especially, we had an overwhelming number of students participate.” said Ms. Davis. “I also found a lot of openness and non-judgemental opinions.”   This contest is an important force in classes, with educators being pushed to promote more acceptance in classes. Starting in 2012, California public schools will be required by law to take a more accepting stance towards lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people. The new legislation, called the California Fair, Accurate, Inclusive, and Respectful Education Act (California FAIR Education Act), mandates in instruction the inclusion of LGBTQ individuals and their contributions. The FAIR Education Act also mandates the inclusion of Native American and disabled people in school lessons, with the goal of creating a more diverse classroom environment that promotes equality. With legislation like this act taking the spotlight in politics, programs like UCLA’s “Stand Up Speak Out Contest” may become a model for future programs.

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