Closet classrooms

Part 3

Education by Jason Gay

Clearly, Payzant already has his hands full trying to restore the Boston school system's educational standards. No one's saying he isn't busy. But he'd agree that during this academic rebuilding process, the safety of the city's gay and lesbian students cannot be forgotten.

Boston's isn't the only urban school system lacking an aggressive outreach system for gay and lesbian students. Other cities, including Worcester, Fall River, and Brockton, are also failing to make the grade, LaFontaine says.

But Boston has both an opportunity and obligation to set an example for other school districts in the state. It is the capital city, and its public school system is the largest in Massachusetts. It is home to the state's biggest adult gay and lesbian community and, more likely than not, the state's biggest adolescent gay and lesbian community.

If that isn't enough motivation, consider the school safety factor. No school system in the state has greater, more persistent student safety concerns than Boston does. When Westheimer says that a gay/straight alliance can have an "important impact on a school's atmosphere in general," Boston should be listening.

Finally, it's an inclusion thing. The Boston public school system is the most diverse in the state, teaching students of virtually every race, ethnicity, religion, and income bracket. And the schools are committed to celebrating the lives of those students. Gay and lesbian students have to be part of the same package, says Cambridge's Al Ferreira.

"You can always judge the health of an institution by the way it protects its most vulnerable members," he says.

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Jason Gay can be reached at jgay[a]phx.com.