Calgary high school students making PSA about GSAs

A group of Calgary high school students is filming a public service announcement about gay-straight alliances (GSAs).

The Forest Lawn High School film features personal stories from young people who were bullied or isolated.

"I know of a few friends in my GSA, my school's GSA, where without the GSA they wouldn't be in the school," said student Sam Dyck."They probably wouldn't be alive right now, and it's created a giant family. Our GSA is like our family."

The students plan to create a full social media campaign to convince the government of the need for GSAs in school.

The Tory-sponsored Bill 10 came under fire earlier this month for not making it mandatory for school boards to allow GSAswhen requested by a student.

After heated debate in both the legislature and social media, Premier Jim Prentice announced the bill would be put on holdpending further consultation.

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"All citizens of this province, starting with our youth in our schools, should feel safe, should feel welcomed ... and should feel included," said Kevin Jesuino, a member of Antyx Community Arts who ishelping the students with the campaign.

The film will feature more than 30 people including pastors, fellow students and politicians reading from the same script.

Liberal MLA Kent Hehr says the provincial debate over the high school clubs is a shame.

"We were the last province to recognize same sex marriage, we were the last province to recognize sexual orientation in our human rights code," he said. "We had Bill 11, which was very divisive,... now we're still fighting against gay-straight alliances."

The full social media campaign is set to launch in the new year. People will be encouraged to share their own stories using the hashtag #safeAB.