Family Equality Council Calls On Congress To Create Safe Schools

The Family Equality Council, the nation's foremost advocate for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) parents and their children, today called on Congress to ensure students heading back to school are safe from bullying, harassment and discrimination by advancing two key pieces of legislation.

The Safe Schools Improvement Act (SSIA) would require schools and districts receiving federal funds to adopt codes of conduct that specifically ban bullying and harassment of all children, including on the basis of actual or perceived sexual orientation and gender identity.

The Student Non Discrimination Act (SNDA) would also require public schools receiving federal funds to expand protections against bullying and harassment based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

Both bills also prohibit discrimination against students who associate with individuals with these characteristics, thereby providing protection for the children of LGBT parents.

Jennifer Chrisler, Executive Director of the Family Equality Council, said passage of the bills would help protect students who are among the most vulnerable to bullying.

"No child should be afraid to walk into their school this fall," said Chrisler. "No child should worry whether they will be taunted, teased, bullied or harmed when all they want to do is learn. Congress has the power to help protect all of our nation's school children and we call on them to pass these bills and create safer schools for all students."

A 2008 survey found that 42 percent of children with LGBT parents reported experiencing verbal harassment in the previous twelve months at school.

In addition, more than one third reported that they had been verbally harassed because of their actual or perceived sexual orientation and nearly one third had experienced verbal harassment because of the way they expressed their gender.