STONEWALL DEMOCRATS of Western New York

PO Box 857, Buffalo, NY 14205 Website:

www.sdwny.org

OFFICERS February 8, 2010

Bryan Ball
President Dear City of Buffalo School Board Candidate,

Kitty Lambert Stonewall Democrats of Western New York is the lesbian, gay, bisexual and
Vice President,
Community Affairs
transgender (LGBT) Democratic voice in western New York working to elect
Democrats who are supportive on LGBT and other progressive issues.
Bruce Kogan
Vice President,
Party Affairs
We have begun our 2010 election season. As a candidate for the Buffalo School
Board, we are interested in your candidacy and would like to provide you with the
Ronald Groth opportunity to engage in our process for endorsement by Stonewall Democrats of
Treasurer WNY. As you may know, an endorsement from Stonewall Democrats of WNY is
Thomas Peglowski important to many local LGBT community members, as well as our family,
Secretary friends and supporters, as they decide whether to volunteer for particular
campaigns, and as they prepare to head for the polls to cast their vote. We are
interested in the Buffalo School Board election not only as members of the LGBT
community, but as parents of school children and taxpayers, who are residents of
the City of Buffalo and the surrounding region. We look forward to working with
candidates for school board intent on promoting the well being, safety and dignity
of all children in Buffalo schools.

To be considered for endorsement, please complete and return the enclosed

questionnaire to us by Friday, March 19, 2010, so that we may consider
endorsement for the School Board at our next meeting. In addition, you will be
asked to appear in front of the organization during the meeting on Tuesday,
March 23 at 7pm. Please contact Bruce Kogan or Tom Gleed to schedule a time
for your interview.

The completed questionnaire should be either emailed to info@sdwny.org,

faxed to (716) 853-2448 (Attention: Bryan Ball, Stonewall Democrats of
WNY) or mailed to:
Attention: Endorsement Committee
Stonewall Democrats of WNY
PO Box 857
Buffalo, NY 14205

You should also be aware that our revised endorsement process is attached.
Should you have any questions in the meantime, please do not hesitate to contact
us. We thank you and look forward to receiving your completed questionnaire for
consideration for endorsement by Stonewall Democrats of WNY.

Sincerely,

Bruce Kogan Tom Gleed

Vice-President for Party Affairs Endorsement/GOTV Committee
 (716) 886-7283 (716) 510-5507

Stonewall Democrats of Western New York Endorsement Process

Candidates for elected office who wish to be considered for endorsement must complete our
questionnaire and schedule an interview appointment with the membership at a general meeting.

Endorsement of a candidate requires a vote of sixty percent of the membership present at that meeting. If
no candidate receives the required sixty percent vote for endorsement, subsequent ballots shall be taken
deleting the candidate receiving the least number of votes or no votes on the previous ballot.

If, after the completion of balloting, no candidate has received the sixty percent of the vote required,
candidates may be rated as “acceptable,” “unacceptable,” or “no position,” depending upon the
candidate’s record and/or position statements. If sixty percent of those voting cannot agree on a rating,
the candidate will be assigned the rating of “no consensus.”

If a candidate is endorsed, the remaining candidates will not be rated.

Stonewall Democrats WNY – NYS Legislature Questionnaire 2010, page 2

STONEWALL DEMOCRATS of Western New York
PO Box 857, Buffalo, NY 14205 Website:
www.sdwny.org

2010 ENDORSEMENT QUESTIONNAIRE – CITY OF BUFFALO SCHOOL

BOARD

Name:______________________________________________________________________

Campaign Address:___________________________________________________________

Daytime Phone:_________________________ Evening Phone:________________________

Fax Number:____________________________ E-mail:_______________________________

School Board District Office

Sought:______________________________________________________________________

Before you continue, please understand that:

• Stonewall Democrats of WNY may publicize your responses in press releases and voters’ guides, on our
web site, and via other channels of communication. Stonewall Democrats of WNY will also identify
candidates who fail to respond to this questionnaire.
• Stonewall Democrats of WNY will hold you publicly accountable for actions inconsistent with your
responses during your campaign and if elected during your term in office.
• Stonewall Democrats of WNY will not consider endorsement of any candidate if they support any state or
national version of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) legislation.
• Stonewall Democrats of WNY will not consider endorsement of any candidate if they advertise on or
support any homophobic website, including but not limited to, politicswny.com/politicsny.net.

Part 1:

Please submit your typewritten responses to the following questions on a separate sheet.

1) Why are you seeking this office?

2) Why are you seeking the endorsement of the Stonewall Democrats of WNY?

3) What three issues do you consider to be most important to the people served by the office you seek? For each
issue:
a) Provide an example of specific action you have previously taken--either as a public official or as a private
citizen--to bring about positive change relative to this issue; and
b) Specify what additional action in regard to this issue you intend to propose if elected to the office you seek.

4) What three civil rights issues do you perceive to be the most important to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and
transgender (LGBT) community? For each issue:

Stonewall Democrats WNY – NYS Legislature Questionnaire 2010, page 3

a) Provide an example of specific action(s) you have previously taken--either as a public official or as a private
citizen--to bring about positive change relative to this issue; and
b) Specify what additional action(s) in regard to this issue you intend to propose if elected to the office you seek.

5) Stonewall Democrats of WNY strongly believes that candidates have a responsibility to provide voters with
truthful, fair and clean campaigns for public office and to conduct themselves in a manner conducive to a civil,
issue-oriented debate with their fellow candidates. Will you sign a written pledge to conduct your campaign
accordingly?

6) If endorsed by the Stonewall Democrats of WNY, will you list the endorsement on all applicable campaign
literature (i.e., all literature listing any other endorsements)?

7) If endorsed by the Stonewall Democrats of WNY, will you attend a LGBT community forum to introduce
endorsed candidates?

8) What are you doing or what will you do to advocate for greater LGBT representation and empowerment at the
ballot box and in elected office locally?

9) Are you aware of the Dignity for All Students Act? As a member of the Buffalo School Board, what can you
and the Board do to create a discrimination, intimidation and harassment free environment for all children in
Buffalo schools? Explain.

10) Should teachers and administrators receive specific training about harassment, bullying and intimidation of
LGBT students and staff? Explain.

11) Do you support the voluntary formation of Gay-Straight Alliance clubs in public high schools and community
colleges? Explain.

12) Would you advocate for the right of students to take a same-sex partner to school functions? Explain.

13) Do you believe that entities receiving public funds or resources should be allowed to violate non-
discrimination policies? (For example, the Boy Scouts being allowed rent-free facilities at the public’s expense?)
Explain.

14) Do you support the inclusion of age-appropriate education about lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender
issues? What kinds of instruction and when?

15) Would you work to include lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered parents in school activities? Explain.

16) Would you support mandatory diversity training for public education employees that includes LGBT issues?
Explain.

17) Would you advocate on behalf of a student who identifies as gendered other than that of her or his biological
gender, and, if so, what accommodations in school are appropriate? Explain.

18) Do you support the right of LGBT teachers, teacher’s aides, counselors, coaches or administrators to be “out”
to their students? If so, under what circumstances? Explain.

19) Would you support the inclusion of domestic partner benefits in all school contracts? Explain.

20) Do you support equal marriage laws, permitting same-gender couples to marry under state law just as
opposite-gender couples are able to? Explain.

Stonewall Democrats WNY – NYS Legislature Questionnaire 2010, page 4

21) Would you oppose a state constitutional amendment initiative that would seek to limit marriage to a union
between one man and a woman? Explain.

22) Would you seek endorsement of or advertise on any homophobic websites, including but not limited to,
politicswny.com/politicsny.net?

Yes No

23) Have you advertised on, supported or intend to advertise on such websites for your election or reelection?

Yes No

Part 2:

Please indicate your level of support or non-support for the legislative priorities listed below. Though you may
never be afforded the chance to vote on this legislation, it concerns issues important to the LGBT community and
youth.

Legislation Support Oppose

A 3661-B | S1987-A “Dignity For All

Students Act": Authorizes the
commissioner of education to establish
policies and procedures affording all
students in public schools an
environment free of harassment and
discrimination; requires reporting
harassment and discrimination to such
commission.

A5710-A | S 2406-A – “Gender

Expression Non-Discrimination Act
(GENDA)”: Prohibits discrimination
based on gender identity or expression;
defines "gender identity or expression"
as having or being perceived as having
a gender identity, self image,
appearance, behavior or expression
whether or not that gender identity, self
image, appearance, behavior or
expression is different from that
traditionally associated with the sex
assigned to that person at birth; further
includes offenses regarding gender
identity or expression within the list of
offenses subject to treatment as hate
crimes.

Stonewall Democrats WNY – NYS Legislature Questionnaire 2010, page 5

A 3261 | S1985- Requires a course of
instruction in the awareness of hate
crimes, to educate every child in New
York State on the issue of hate crimes.

I attest that this questionnaire represents my opinion of the issues on this questionnaire:

Candidate’s Signature:_________________________________________________________________

Date: _____________________________________

Please complete the attached issues surveys, sign below and return questionnaire, surveys and your resume by
Friday, March 19, 2010 by either by email to info@sdwny.org, faxed to (716) 853-2448 (Attention:
Bryan Ball, Stonewall Democrats of WNY) or mailed to:
Attention: Endorsement Committee
Stonewall Democrats of WNY
PO Box 857
Buffalo, NY 14205

Stonewall Democrats WNY – NYS Legislature Questionnaire 2010, page 6