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COUNCIL FUNDING, from p.34
known as gay-straight alliances.
But even the direct instruction is
spotty because city schools are not
required to implement LGBTQ curriculum.
Rather, schools are able to
opt into the curriculum.
That reality has created a ripple
effect: Because many schools do
not teach LGBTQ history, Dromm
said, many teachers do not understand
the community’s history well
enough to teach it to others.
To that end, Dromm said one
of his objectives is to get an LGBTQ
related question on the New
York State Regents exams, which
are standardized tests administered
by the state in major subjects
and often drive teachers to
shape their instruction around
the questions.
There are some other areas of
funding that will undoubtedly
have a positive impact on the LGBTQ
community. The Council is
providing $1 million toward fi ghting
the rise of hate crimes in the
city, some of which will fund nonprofi
t groups working to fi ght hate
crimes. The Council is also setting
aside $710,000 to open a new Hate
Crimes Unit.
In another related boost — this
time for LGBTQ youth and the
wider student population — the
Council is pumping more money
into funding guidance counselors
and social workers. Brooklyn
Councilmember Mark Treyger, who
chairs the Education Committee,
played a signifi cant role in pushing
for those funds.
“Social workers are not specifi -
cally for LGBT kids, but often times
LGBT kids will exhibit negative
behaviors because of bullying and
poverty and homelessness, etc.,”
Dromm said. “Having the social
workers there will be a big plus for
LGBT students.”
As Dromm welcomed those increases,
he again highlighted glaring
disparities: The Department
of Education has far more school
safety agents than they do guidance
counselors.
“What is their priority there?
It’s more the policing of the system
than helping the system,” he said.
Dromm vows to continue pushing
for more funding of LGBTQ
programs in the future, but for now
he is at least encouraged by the
Council’s success in funding initiatives
that are in need of the money
sooner rather than later.
“Because of these substantial
increases, our community’s most
at-risk members will have the resources
they need to live happy
and healthy lives,” he said. “As a
longtime gay activist who has been
fi ghting for our community’s fair
share of funding for many years,
I am elated by how far we have
come.”
➤ RITCHIE TORRES, from p.34
Diaz Sr., who Torres described as
the “the most virulently anti-gay
Democrat in the country.”
The political juxtaposition between
Torres and his anti-gay counterpart
is stark: A gay man who
would be the fi rst Latinx or black
gay member of Congress is running
against a 76-year-old homophobe
who would bring staunchly
conservative views to Washington
while representing one of the nation’s
most Democratic congressional
districts in a deeply blue city.
“The cultural, generational, and
ideological divide between Diaz
and myself couldn’t be more profound,”
said Torres, who added
that the race has the feel of a general
election.
Torres laid out his campaign
platform during a May interview
with Gay City News when he explained
that he would continue to
make housing issues a key piece of
his political agenda should he rise
to Capitol Hill.
“I’ve come to recognize that the
policies in housing and health
care are largely set at the federal
level,” said Torres, who is currently
the chair of the Committee on
Oversight and Investigations after
chairing the Public Housing Committee
during his fi rst term. “If
you’re a progressive problem solver
who is on a mission to fi ght poverty
in New York City, the impact can
only be at the federal level. That’s
why I’m running for Congress.”
As the race heats up, Torres expressed
confi dence in his own ability
to win the race, saying he believes
he will raise the most money
and receive the most institutional
support on his way to the Democratic
nomination.
“Stay tuned,” he said.
GayCityNews.com | July 4 - July 17, 2019 35
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