Senate Set to Vote on Protecting LGBT Students
National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) Executive Director Mara Keisling and Director of Policy Harper Jean Tobin join DC-area transgender students on Capitol Hill today and tomorrow to advocate for the Student Non-Discrimination Act (SNDA). SNDA would explicitly prohibit discrimination in public K-12 schools on the basis of gender identity and sexual orientation. It is a basic, necessary protection for LGBT students across the country. SNDA is going to be proposed as an amendment to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act Reauthorization, currently being debated in the Senate.
There is a compelling need for the federal government to act to protect LGBT students. Every day, students who are (or are perceived to be) lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender are subjected to widespread discrimination, including harassment and bullying. Most report facing anti-LGBT harassment, and more than 55% report feeling unsafe at school because of who they are, according to research by the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (GLSEN). Among trans students, more than 75% say they feel unsafe. The same study found that students facing hostility at school were more likely to miss class, get poorer grades, not be involved in extracurricular activities, and to say they were not planning for college.
“When I was in school, I didn’t believe the school staff had my back—that they would stand up for me rather than treat me as the problem because I was different,” said Harper Jean Tobin. “I want better for my nieces and nephews and for every student.”
Modeled on the federal Title IX law—which the Department of Education currently interprets to protect LGBT students from gender-based discrimination—SNDA would secure clear and certain protections for LGBT students nationwide. Passing SNDA is a critical step towards making all schools safer for LGBT youth, helping them focus on succeeding in school. Everyone deserves an equal opportunity to learn, and NCTE to be working to help make this a reality.
We also urge anyone who has faced discrimination in school to consult our Know Your Rights resources and consider filing a Title IX complaint. You can also use the NCTE/GLSEN Model School District Policy and GLSEN’s Transgender Student Rights resources to advocate with your local schools district.