Iowa GOP Lawmakers Publicly Endorse Anti-LGBT Bullying in Schools

Two Iowa Republican state legislators have introduced a bill that would remove sexual orientation and gender identity/expression from a list of enumerated categories already listed in the state's anti-bullying law.

The reason, beyond wanting to see LGBT students bullied? To use children as pawns.

Schultz told NBC affiliate WHO-TV that the rationale behind the move is to force a vote on a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage, since the Iowa Supreme Court pointed to laws like Iowa’s Safe Schools Law in making its April decision to legalize same-sex marriage.

Iowa Pride Network Executive Director Ryan Roemerman summed it up well.

“When our state is facing record budget deficits and unemployment, House Republicans feel their time is best spent picking on Iowa’s LGBT youth.”

Iowa Pride Network also recently released its 2009 Iowa School Climate Survey, which found that more than 3 out of 4 Iowa LGBT students had been verbally harassed because of their sexual orientation.

Natl. Association of Secondary School Principals Supports the Student Non-Discrimination Act

Last week, U.S. Representative Jared Polis and 60 bipartisan cosponsors introduced the Student Non-Discrimination Act (SNDA), a bill that would institute protections in public schools against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity/expression.

Federal law already prohibits discrimination in schools on the basis of race, nationality, gender, religion and disability, and it's great that Solis and other members of Congress understand the need to extend these statutes. As GLSEN's 2007 National School Climate Survey revealed, nearly 9 in 10 LGBT middle and high school students have faced some form of bullying or harassment--whether verbal or physical--in school. Passing and enacting SNDA is a huge step forward in combating these alarming figures.

SNDA has already seen wide support from an array of professional and advocacy organizations, such as the American Civil Liberties Union, the Human Rights Campaign, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Action Fund and the School Social Work Association (not to mention GLSEN!). Recently, the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) threw its support behind SNDA, citing the detrimental effects that bullying and harassment can have on students' emotional well-being and academic performance. As NAASP's Executive Director, Gerald N. Tirozzi, stated:

A safe and secure learning environment is vital to the educational success of all students...This legislation will enhance the ability of teachers and administrators to deliver a valuable education in public schools that are free of bullying, harassment and other forms of harmful discrimination.

It's great to see that national education organizations such as NASSP recognize the need to protect and best serve all students, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity/expression. Be sure to stay tuned to the GLSEN Blog--we'll be providing updates about SNDA as the bill moves forward in Congress!

DC Agenda Article on Student Non-Discrimination Act Shows White House Support

Rep. Jared Polis introduced the Student Non-Discrimination Act last week to protect students from discrimination on the basis of actual or perceived sexual orientation and gender identity/expression.

Chris Johnson from DC Agenda, whose staff comprises much of the former Washington Blade reporters and editors, wrote a nice article about the bill, including some good news from the White House.

The White House also expressed support for the legislation in response to a query from DC Agenda.

“The president believes that every child should learn in a safe and secure school environment,” said Shin Inouye, a White House spokesperson.

New York Times Lesson Plan for Discussing 'Don't Ask Don't Tell'

Kudos to The New York Times' blog, The Learning Network, for posting a lesson plan today on discussing 'Don't Ask Don't Tell,' the military policy toward LGBT people serving.

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Department of Justice Renews Interest in Bullying in Schools

GLSEN Public Policy Association Alison Gill takes a look at a positive development in the Department of Justice in terms of interpreting Title IX to include protections from discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity/expression.

After a decade of virtually no enforcement, the Department of Justice has once again taken an interest in issues of sex and gender discrimination in schools. The Department of Justice intervened in the case of Sullivan v. Mohawk Central School District et al., which was originally brought by the NY Civil Liberties Union on behalf of a 14-year-old gay boy named Jacob who attended the Mohawk Central School District in New York.

Jacob suffered a pattern of harassment and abuse by fellow students and even teachers, including verbal harassment, assault and physical harm, and destruction of his property. Although Jacob and his supportive family reported this abuse to his school principal and other school authorities promptly and regularly, no action was taken to protect Jacob. For a complete account of the harassment perpetuated on Jacob and the school administration’s refusal to act, you can read the affidavits of Jacob and his father.

The Department of Justice is pursuing this suit under Title 9 of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which does not allow students “on the basis of sex, [to] be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.” 20 U.S.C. § 1681(a). While this law explicitly covers sex discrimination, DOJ lawyers argue that the law also covers discrimination based on gender stereotypes — that is to say, boys who are beaten up for being effeminate. While some courts have ruled that Title IX covers gender expression and sexual orientation, the law is uncertain in this area. This case may help to establish this principle more generally.

Of course all children are entitled to a safe and nurturing space in which to learn. Unfortunately, the type of bullying and harassment from which Jacob suffered is all too common for LGBT students in schools around the country. GLSEN’s research shows that 60.8% of LGBT students feel unsafe at school because of their sexual orientation, and only about a third of students who reported incidents of victimization to school staff said that the problem was addressed effectively.

While the Department of Justice intervention shows a renewed interest in protecting the rights of LGBT students, Jacob’s case again demonstrates the need for anti-bullying policies and legislation so that schools can take steps to prevent this sort of harassment in the first place.

No Name-Calling Week Gives Students A Chance to Walk In Another's Shoes

No Name-Calling Week (which took place in schools across the country last week) was introduced at Huntington Middle School with creative activities to remind students to respect and get a long with one another despite their differences. Thanks in large part to school counselor Jenny Hattaway's acknowledgment of the rise in bullying during middle school, teachers and students embraced the intention of the "outside the box" themed days.

Seventh-grader Paige Brudnicki summed up her No Name-Calling Week experience with thoughtful optimism.

“At school and for the rest of our life, we are in this world together. Getting along and being nice to others makes a difference.”

For more on Huntington's effectual, “walk a mile in my shoes” Monday, “appreciate our differences” Tuesday, and a day in which students and teachers wear their shirts backwards to signify 'having one anothers back,' visit here.