23 US Senators Introduce Student Non-Discrim. Act for LGBT Youth

by Susan Marie Kovalinsky | May 23, 2010 at 05:15 am

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Senator Al Franken and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand are joined by twenty-one other US Senators as they introduce the Student Non-Discrimination Act. The act is intended to protect Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender students from bullying, harassment and intimidation at school.

Bullying towards LGBT youths is a common problem, and far too many (one is far too many!) commit suicide over the constant harassing. Others may end up putting up fronts and even adopt behaviors which are self-destructive including doing drugs and alcohol because of the bullying. While some such as Kentucky candidate Rand Paul might believe that people will do the right thing, bullying occurs because people will not do the right thing and treat people with respect. Thus, we need laws to try and curb behaviors which hurt others and society as a whole.

Said Senator Franken, “Kids need to feel safe in their schools in order to learn. Our nation’s civil rights laws protect our children from bullying due to race, sex, religion, disability, and national origin. My proposal corrects a glaring injustice and extends these protections to our gay and lesbian students who need them just as badly. No student should have to dread going to school because they fear being bullied.”

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand asserted that the public school setting must be a safety zone for these students to realize "their God-given potential".

According to statistics, 9 in 10 LGBT youths have been bullied. A recent example is Mississippi student Constance McCullen: She ended up having to transfer schools in order to get away from the harassment.

New York City Councilor Christine Quinn - who is openly Lesbian - stated “We have a responsibility to provide every student with a safe and inclusive learning environment. For the past two years, we’ve been working with advocates and community members to expand our Respect for All program in New York City.

However, this is an issue of national scope and I thank Senator Gillibrand for recognizing this. Because of her work on the Student Non-Discrimination Act students across the nation will be provided create safe, supportive learning environments, and I commend her for this act of leadership.”

Hetrick-Martin Institute Executive Director Thomas Krever said that The Hetrick-Martin Institute is our nation’s oldest and largest LGBTQ youth service provider, and that it " commends Senator Gillibrand and those vanguards of human rights who recognize that education – free of discrimination, bullying, victimization and abuse – is not a privilege, but a right .".

According to their recent press release: “The Student Non-Discrimination Act (SNDA) would establish a comprehensive federal prohibition against discrimination in public schools based on actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity. It would forbid schools from discriminating against LGBT students or ignoring harassing behavior. SNDA would also provide meaningful and effective remedies (loss of federal funding and a legal cause of action for victims) for discrimination in public schools based on actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity, modeled after Title IX.”

The full list of sponsors : Senators: