Evanston Township High School senior Charlie Morris still recalls when a classmate shouted an insult at him on the football field during gym class because he is gay. Morris immediately walked off the field and refused to play, but his teacher told him his grade would suffer if he did not participate.

The teacher never did anything to correct the other student’s behavior, he said.

Morris decided to start the Gay-Straight Alliance almost three years ago to “effect political and social change and make school comfortable for (gay) students.”

The alliance organized a workshop on Feb. 11 to show about 45 new teachers how to be more sensitive to issues of sexual orientation.

Teachers were split into groups and discussed different terms that gay and lesbian students use to identify themselves and their gender roles, Morris said. Students tried to convey what it is like for teenagers who feel like they are alone, he said.

“A lot of GSA students don’t have anyone to turn to about their sexuality,” Morris said.

The workshop also suggested ways to include homosexuality in curriculum by teaching gay history, using more integrated word problems in math classes and discussing homosexuality in biology classes, said Eric Brown, ETHS biology teacher and faculty director of GSA.

The workshop, which lasted 90 minutes, was part of a larger mentor program at ETHS in which established teachers are assigned to new teachers to help them adjust to the school, Brown said. The GSA will conduct a workshop during one of the program’s meetings every year, he said.

GSA members also passed out more than 300 rainbow ribbons to students last October on National Coming Out Day and created a program called Safety Zone. They gave teachers decals for their classroom doors to show that the use of any derogatory language against gays in their classes would not be tolerated.

“Tons of teachers have it on their doors and will speak up and say they don’t find (negative) language acceptable,” Morris said.

The group had about 30 regular members earlier this year, but membership declined to about eight due to students’ busy schedules, Morris said. Although many students are unable to make weekly meetings, they still volunteer for various GSA activities, he said. Morris, who came out during his sophomore year, said students who join GSA are never asked about their sexuality.

“It’s our policy not to ask students what their orientation is … to foster inclusion,” he said. “I’d like to think we’re an even mix.”

ETHS students will participate in the National Day of Silence in April. Students will stay silent for an entire day in recognition of gays and lesbians who were killed or forced to hide their sexual identities. He said he does not remember any incidents of physical assaults on gay or lesbian students at ETHS.

Morris said he wants to expand GSA by planning more activities, like making a bulletin board of gay role models and inviting speakers to ETHS.

The majority of GSA members are underclassmen, he said.

“I was really happy knowing that freshmen felt comfortable coming to the GSA,” Morris said. “I know I wouldn’t have been my freshman year.”

ETHS math teacher Scott Knapp, who attended the workshop, said he supports GSA’s activities and that most students who showed insensitivity toward gays and lesbians were just unaware of the issues.

“I think a lot of students just don’t think it exists in Evanston and are naive about it,” Knapp said. “I thought (the GSA) was great and very comfortable in talking about such a tough subject.”