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> Jed Hoffberg
 Abandoned
by School Principal He Vows to Change Board of Ed
Meet
Colin Higgins Courage Award Winner Jed Hoffberg
Jed
squeaked past his freshman year at Santa Fe High relatively unscathed.
Sophomore year he wasn't so lucky at the 4000-student campus that
serves half the public school students in Santa Fe. Almost from
the first day of his sophomore year, Jed was harassed between classes
and even during class for being gay. His desk in math class was
carved with death threats, homophobia and anti-Semitic slurs. Outside
of class, the student who did the carvings bragged about how he
was going "hunting" for "fags" and "Jews."
But
if math class was dreaded, art class was worse. "It was common
practice for one student to distract the teacher while nearly the
entire class took turns spewing hate," said Jed. The hostility
escalated until one day following class, five students ganged up
on Jed and attacked him on campus, spitting on him, sticking gum
in his hair and hitting him to the point of severe bruising.
Seeking
the help of the principal did more harm than good. The principal
deferred to the art teacher who threw the five students out of the
class. This action only fueled the abuse so that Jed had to watch
his back wherever he went on campus. He often ditched class for
the safety of the school library or a nearby Hardee's restaurant.
When
a manager at the Hardee's called the school on Jed, he was forced
to return to the unchanged environment at the school. The harassment
and violence came to a head when a substitute teacher showed up
for his chemistry class. During class, a school football player
began calling Jed names and screaming homophobic slurs. At one point
he grabbed a pair of shoes and threw them at Jed, hitting him in
the face.
With
no help from the substitute, Jed left class and reported the incident
to the principal who told Jed to inform the security guards. When
the security guards questioned Jed and his attacker together. They
took the side of the attacker and stated, "we don't tolerate
faggots at our school."
That
night Jed went home and convinced his parents to send him to a private
school. The private school was less than ideal and Jed ultimately
chose to go for his GED, which he earned at the end of his junior
year.
Jed
is being recognized by the Colin Higgins Foundation because he was
able to redirect the hate and hostility he faced into a determination
to bring about positive changes in the Santa Fe public schools.
Jed
began volunteering for the People of Color Aids Foundation, teaching
safe sex and AIDS awareness classes in the school system. Soon he
was speaking up to other groups, including P-Flag meetings and law
enforcement and security conferences.
This
work led him to become involved in Project Glyph, a program aimed
at ending homophobia in Santa Fe schools. A tight-knit, supportive
group of gays, straights and children of gay parents spent a summer
producing a video about homophobia. Later, Jed made a landmark presentation
to the Santa Fe Public School Board. Jed's speech garnered a standing
ovation and helped convince the board to adopt the Glyph curriculum
that instructs all administrators, teachers and students in the
Santa Fe Public School district on homophobia.
Like
most 20 year olds, Jed is currently trying to figure out what he
wants to do with his life. Though his parents, especially his Mom,
have always been supportive, he's currently living happily on his
own. To support himself, he works two jobs, but still finds time
to intern for the Theater Residency Project. He's also managed to
squeeze in a few semesters at the Academy of Art College in San
Francisco and hopes to continue his studies.
Standing
up for gay rights is still a priority. This April, the religious
right persuaded the school board to abandon the Glyph curriculum.
"They haven't defeated me yet, and I'm not about to let them
now," said Jed whose already rehearsing for his next opportunity
in front of the board.
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