Terri Miller.

As a teacher and administrator in the Oklahoma City public school district for nearly 30 years, Terri Miller has seen all too many gay and lesbian students harassed and assaulted. Now the 59-year-old out lesbian assistant principal, who lives with her partner of 34 years, Cindy Simms, says she has seen enough. Even though she is in the "buckle of the Bible Belt," Miller sponsored a gay-straight alliance at Northwest Classen High School and launched a national letter-writing campaign urging the district to add sexual orientation to its nondiscrimination policy.

In what ways are gay students mistreated in your school district?

When they're sitting in their classrooms, teachers make comments that are rather damaging to their self-esteem because they may refer to gay people as abnormal or "against God's plan." The [gay] student who hears that message becomes demoralized. And then kids make fun of them in the hall.

What role do you play in helping them?

They're afraid to discuss why they are being [harassed] with other teachers, so they come to see me. I deal with the individual who is harassing or threatening them and explain to them in no uncertain terms that this is not going to be tolerated.

Is your gay-straight alliance also helping?

Sometimes if you can get the organization started, even if it's only with three kids, you start bringing certain things to the table. A lot of people only know about gays from movies and stereotypical things about gay people. They don't know that these kids have goals, aspirations.

How can a nondiscrimination policy make a difference?

I think the nondiscrimination policy would say, "You are a recognized group of people, and you have something in place saying that we will protect you or we will be held accountable."

What kind of response have you had to your letter-writing campaign?

I was notified that the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association sent a letter to the district superintendent. The International Lesbian and Gay Association from Brussels sent a letter. The Gay and Lesbian National Hotline sent a letter. The point I'm trying to make with the campaign is that the local gay community has tried and tried, and the district is not listening. I figured we have people in the district who tend to respond when they are in the national spotlight.

Is the struggle of your gay students part of a larger battle?

Yes. I see it as a struggle throughout the country. I think [having sexual orientation added to the nondiscrimination policy] would be an encouragement to other areas that have lived in silence for a long time. Oklahoma City is in the middle of the country, so places like Kansas, Arkansas, and Arizona may find this encouraging.

Has the political climate in Oklahoma contributed to antigay harassment in your district?

Our politicians for the most part don't pay attention to [gay issues]. They don't even like to talk about it. They think, Well, gays are just Oklahomans, and we protect all Oklahomans. But they don't. You hear a lot of that "love the sinner, hate the sin" nonsense in this part of the country. Pretty soon our kids start acting invisible because they just don't want to be challenged.

If sexual orientation is added to the nondiscrimination policy, what's next for you?

Well, I'll be retiring in a couple years--I'm not going to do this forever! Then I'll probably become more actively involved in community activities and projects. And I do like to have just a little bit of a home life.