Two parents meet up with Pastor Casey Martinez-Tinnin in hopes to find resources for their transgender child. Unknown to Tinnin, this call was a false alibi and that he was being secretly recorded by anonymous journalists for Project Veritas, a far-right activist group. 

It has been close to two years since Roseville Joint Union High School District (RJUHSD) cut ties with The Landing Spot, a LGBTQ+ resource, following the cancellation of their student drag show at Roseville High School after receiving threats and backlash from a Project Veritas video that was recorded and released without the knowledge and consent of the Loomis Basin Congregational United Church pastor and founder of the Landing Spot Casey Tinnin. 

Project Veritas is not a stranger to lawsuits with allegations of edited and illegally recorded videos, publishing misinformation and wiretapping. The edited video led to board meetings and protests with high emotions. In the end, RJUHSD cut ties with the Landing Spot, removing an on-campus resource for LGBTQ+ students. 

Since then, the Landing Spot has been absent from RJUHSD, but there are other ways in which students have been able to seek mental health services pertaining to LGBTQ+ support elsewhere. Granite Bay High School has started to open up new on-campus resources to the LGBTQ+ community with the Health and Wellness center. For instance, Melanie Dobson, Assistant Superintendent at student services, has emphasized the district’s primary role in supporting students. 

“[The District] can provide services to [the] students on campus, which is why we don’t contract with outside organizations,” Dobson said. 

One of the resources that they restarted this year is Safe Spaces, a support group that is run by the Wellness Center for LGBTQ+ students. The group has ten to fifteen sessions that meet up once a week for 45 to 50 minutes. However, to attend these meetings the students’ parents/guardians will be notified and need to sign a consent form.  

The wellness center is available to everyone. People who want individual therapy and group therapy sessions can attend them at the Wellness Center. It is also open for students who want to drop by and talk to someone without consistent sessions and for students who feel like they need a break, the center offers tea, fidget toys and coloring pages along with many other resources. 

RJUHSD has also partnered with Care Solace, an online resource that is available 24/7 where students can find local mental health programs and counseling services. If students prefer a virtual option in addition to the in-person Wellness Center, Care Solace offers online appointments via text, audio call and video chat. Regardless of the medium, Care Solace communications will remain anonymous and confidential. 

Another resource on campus is our GBHS Genders and Sexualities Alliances (GSA), formerly known as Gay-Straight Alliances. On Nov. 12, 2024, the GSA attended the GSA Summit that took place at Antelope High School where they connected with GSA groups from other schools to create a support district wide community, according to GBHS GSA President Fynn Gaillard. 

“[The GBHS GSA] had the summit meeting … where they went to a bunch of GSA clubs and officials from all over the district, and they went and had a meeting about different topics like LGBTQ students in schools … (or) somewhere to go to talk about something,” Akasha Rose Dixon, a sophomore member of the GBHS GSA, said. 

Sometimes, support is not necessarily found through established programs nor clubs; in fact, students have expressed how LGBTQ+ wellness services can be found through confiding in friendships. 

“Instead of me going to people, people often go to me, which I love. I love that people go to me, but at the same time, I feel like there should be more space. The biggest place that’s supportive I feel like on campus is honestly the Wellness Center,” Taylor DeFreece, a senior, said. “But I’m glad I’m an anchor for people, but there should be a better anchor that’s a professional.”