Q&A with Cheryl Patalano, Candidate for Northgate School Board of Directors

I am all for reforming the way charter schools source and use their money.  Paying charter schools is the biggest drain on public schools.  I am for school choice because there will always be situations where a public school is not the right fit for an individual student, but destroying public schools in the process […]

Facebook Wouldn’t Let Me Post this Content About Face Masks for LGBTQ People in My High School Alumni or Similar Groups

Sue Kerr Amy Fiore Garrison

This was originally a FB post I tried to share in several West Mifflin Facebook groups because it involves two West Mifflin alumni (see below.) Facebook rejected it, no matter how much I edited it. This was not the fault of the moderators; they never saw it. Rather than beat my head against the Facebook […]

Q&A: Dr. Heather Johnson on How Our Feelings About Math Shape Our Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic

Keeping distance from people on a day to day basis is new. I understand how long 6 feet is. It’s different from getting a feel for what keeping a 6 feet distance means. To keep our distance, we have to pay attention to people around us. It adds one more thing in a time when […]

Urgent Need for Student Sized Face Masks After Donor Changes Their Mind

Urgent Appeal for Student Face Masks

In July, the Pittsburgh Masque Project leadership group decided to increase our monthly allotment to students from 2 masks per month to 4 masks per month. We were motivated by the concerns everyone has about back to school. One small support we can offer is providing enough masks for students to deal with lost masks, […]

That Time (almost) No One Came to my High School Graduation Party

On Wednesday, May 25, 1988, I received my diploma from West Mifflin Area High School, a blue-collar suburb of Pittsburgh. A few weeks later, my parents had a graduation party for me as thousands of parents had done before. We had lots of food, tons of canned pop, and almost no guests. I don’t have […]

Pittsburgh Public Schools Struggle to Protect LGBTQ Students from Christian Bullies #SpiritDay

SPirit Day Pittsburgh

Today is Spirit Day: Spirit Day is a means of speaking out against LGBTQ bullying and standing with LGBTQ youth, who disproportionately face bullying and harassment because of their identities. Pledging to “go purple” on Spirit Day is a way for everyone — forward-thinking companies, global leaders, respected celebrities, neighbors, parents, classmates, and friends — […]

Q&A with Ember, 9, a nonbinary bisexual student who organized the first ever Pride Parade at their school

Pride Parade Elementary School

One of Ember’s parents posted this flyer on Facebook, explaining that their kid had decided to organize a Pride Parade at their school. After I read the flyer, I knew that it was important to include Ember’s voice in this blog. So I asked their parent and they worked it out amongst themselves. Ember opted […]

Peters Township School Board Director’s Racist, Sexist Social Media Content Illustrates Need for Local Non-Discrimination Ordinance

William Merrell Peters Township

Content Note: racist slurs, sexism, lying white men (vile images below) Efforts are underway in Peters Township to introduce an ordinance establishing a local Human Relations Commission and to include sexual orientation and gender identity among the protected classes. The Township Council decided that there was not evidence of local discrimination and opted to table […]

Q&A with Pam Harbin, Candidate for Pittsburgh Public School Board District 4

We are revisiting our Political Q&A series for the upcoming elections of 2019. We’ve reached out to candidates who are pro-choice and pro-LGBTQ, asking them a series of questions about their campaigns. We’ve sent out about a dozen Q&A’s to folks who agreed to participate. Candidates can be anywhere in Pennsylvania running for any level […]

Q&A with Anna Batista, Candidate for Pittsburgh Public School Board District 4

Anna Batista School Board

We are revisiting our Political Q&A series for the upcoming elections of 2019. We’ve reached out to candidates who are pro-choice and pro-LGBTQ, asking them a series of questions about their campaigns. We’ve sent out about a dozen Q&A’s to folks who agreed to participate. Candidates can be anywhere in Pennsylvania running for any level of office. […]