Breaking through the Wall of Silence: Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Issues for Middle Level Educators

would have to be at my own hands Steven, 18 (Governors Commission, 1993, p 12). On November 6, 1993, at the Annual Business Meeting of the National Middle School Association in Portland, Oregon, the membership adopted a resolution that encouraged middle level schools to gather information on school policies and programs addressing the needs and problems of gay, lesbian, and bisexual youth so that these schools could organize a d conduct staff development initiatives designed to elevate staff awareness and sen sitivity in order to ensure safe and equitable school environments for youth of every sexual orientation. The question raised at the Open Resolutions Hearing the previous day and at the Annual Business Meeting was Why? Why is it necessary for NMSA to include a resolution regarding gay, lesbian, and bisexual youth in its list of resolu tions which serve to focus the Association's efforts during the coming years? This may be a question that you raised as you read that this resolution was passed. Why does my middle school association have to deal with this issue? Surely, homosex uality is not a big concern for young adolescents. And besides, should the middle school be dealing with such an issue anyway? And, if it should, in what ways can it do that? To answer these questions is the purpose of this article.