LC Democrats: Truly ‘Safe Schools’

The state of Iowa has returned to the media spotlight. Currently, Iowa is one of the only states that has a Safe Schools Law. This legislation protects all students from harassment and bullying based on any real or perceived trait or characteristic, including but not limited to age, color, creed, national origin, race, religion, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical attributes, physical or mental ability or disability, ancestry, political party preference, political belief, socioeconomic status or familial status.

This law has come into hot debate in the state of Minnesota after a student was bullied by two of his teachers and peers in Minnesota’s largest school district, Anoka-Hennepin. The school district took questionable action against the teachers but has left many questions.

This sparked a debate at the Minnesota state level on what the Minnesota Safe Schools bill should state. As of Apr. 6, 2009, over 93 percent of Minnesota schools did not protect LGBTQ students against harassment and bullying. The current Minnesota Safe Schools bill is sponsored by the Family Equality Council and Out-Front Minnesota – two organizations promoting fairness and equality for LGBTQ people.

Several high school students testified before lawmakers to call attention to the problems faced by LGBTQ teens in school.

Leah Matz, a high school junior, told lawmakers, “It’s not an issue of agreeing with homosexuality, or agreeing with whatever a person’s being hated for. It’s an issue of humanity, of treatment of humans.”

Andy Berlin, a high school senior, told a local TV station he was harassed and attacked in school to the point that it drove him to a mental breakdown. He went on to say in a Minnesota Independent interview, “When I was in sixth grade, students began to tease and bully me, calling me homophobic names. I began to skip school at least one day a week. ... My grades were deeply affected. Instead of focusing on my schoolwork, I focused on just getting through the day.”

Berlin sought help from a school administrator who implied he’d made a choice to be a homosexual and that he was being bullied because he was gay.

The issue of LGBT-related bullying is getting attention at the national level as well. US Department of Education Secretary Arne Duncan recently met with the director of the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN), a national organization focused on ensuring safe schools for all students, to talk about the importance of anti-bullying efforts to the Administration’s education reform agenda.

Secretary Duncan affirmed his commitment to make schools safe for every student, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression. Currently, only 13 states prohibit bullying and harassment in schools based on sexual orientation. The Safe Schools Improvement Act (H.R. 2262) is currently working its way into law in the house, sponsored by 88 representatives. The purposed law states that:

BULLYING

The term `bullying’ means conduct that— (A) adversely affects the ability of one or more students to participate in or benefit from the school’s educational programs or activities by placing the student (or students) in reasonable fear of physical harm; and

(B) includes conduct that is based on— (i) a student’s actual or perceived (I) race; (II) color; (III) national origin; (IV) sex; (V) disability; (VI) sexual orientation; (VII) gender identity; or (VIII) religion, (ii) any other distinguishing characteristics that may be defi ned by a State or local educational agency; or (iii) association with a person or group with one or more of the actual or perceived characteristics listed in clause (i) or (ii).

This is a huge step in the direction of protecting all our nation’s children, no matter who they are! I have no idea why this is such a partisan issue, so I ask you to call your representative and ask them to co-sponsor The Safe Schools Improvement Act (H.R. 2262). The capitol switchboard number is (202) 224 – 3121.