Announcing the 2010-2011 Activism Project!

This year, the 7th and 8th graders have titled their activism project SAFE: Schools Are For Everyone. We, the students of the Fifth Floor, see the bullying of students for their sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, gender, religion, class, or any difference as a violation of civil rights. Recent media has drawn attention to bullying of Lesbian, Gay, Transgender, Bisexual, Questioning or Intersex (LGBTQI) youth. LGBTQI young people, as well as straight kids that do not fit gender norms, are often verbally and physically abused by peers in schools intentionally or unintentionally. We believe that students can only reach their full potential when they feel safe and accepted in school. Through this project we hope to become more conscious of the power of our words, to raise awareness within the MCS community about how to take a stand against bullying, and to build partnerships with other New York City schools to create more safe spaces for all youth.