Day 31 - Students need to be heard

TGIF!!! Watsonville HIgh School puts on a yearly show called "Whats in a Name?".  It is about 10 years running and was first started as a result of a lawsuit to the school from the family of an out gay student who was beat up and bullied.  The family thought the school did not protect their son. A judge agreed and one punishment was a mandated LGBTQ/tolerance/bullying/acceptance assembly for the entire school.  The drama teacher Kip Allert and his students were allowed artistic freedom for this assembly and every year the students write a new version of this play.  I saw it for the first time today. WOW! Word on the street is this is one of the best years, but me personally I have nothing to compare it too. I will say I can compare it to other school performances and assemblies as far as student behavior.  There were many times you could hear a pin drop in the Mello (our auditorium)- talk about engaged! Kids want to hear from other kids and thats what this was all about- touching on issues of body image, suicide, rape, consent, sexting, LGBQTIA and the main theme- LOVING YOURSELF, just the way you are.

Proud to be a part of a school that knows how important it is to make these topics visible, accessible and talked about all over campus.

A-ha: Students need to be heard and have places to use/find their voice