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ANTI-GAY DISCRIMINATION IN SCHOOLS
Discrimination is behavior that treats people unequally because of their group memberships, ranging from name-calling to systemic oppression.
Students' Experiences
In its 2005 National School Climate Survey, the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) found:
- 75% of students heard derogatory remarks such as "faggot" or "dyke" frequently or often at school, and nearly nine out of ten (89%) reported hearing "that's so gay" or "you're so gay" -- meaning "stupid" or "worthless" -- frequently or often.
- Over a third (37.8%) of students experienced physical harassment at school based on sexual orientation and more than a quarter (26%) based on their gender expression.
- Nearly one-fifth (17.6%) of students had been physically assaulted because of their sexual orientation and over a tenth (11.8%) because of their gender expression.
- LGBTQ students were five times more likely to report having skipped school in the last month because of safety concerns than the general population of students.
- LGBTQ students who experience more frequent physical harassment were more likely to report they did not plan to go to college. Overall, LGBTQ students were twice as likely as the general population of students to report they were not planning to pursue any post-secondary education.
- The average GPA for LGBTQ students who were frequently physically harassed was half a grade lower than that of LGBTQ students experiencing less harassment.
School Structures and Policies
In 2004, GLSEN conducted an analysis of state laws related to school safety for all students, particularly LGBTQ students, and assigned letter grades to all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Those grades were based on points granted in six categories: the existence of statewide safe schools laws, statewide non-discrimination laws, support for education on sexual health and sexuality, local safe schools policies, general education issues (e.g. student/teacher ratios, graduation rates) and existence of laws that stigmatize LGBT people.
The 2004 State of the States Report revealed:
- 42 states failed, receiving an "F." New Jersey was ranked first with a score of 95 and one of only two A's on the list. Mississippi was at the bottom of the list, and the only state with less than zero points, with a score of –3.
- More than 75% of the approximately 47.7 million K-12 students in the U.S. are not legally protected against anti-LGBTQ bullying and harassment. Only 8 states and the District of Columbia currently have statewide legal protections for students based on sexual orientation. Only California, Minnesota and New Jersey include protections based on gender identity or expression.
- LGBTQ students who did not have (or did not know of) a policy protecting them from violence and harassment were 40% more likely to report skipping school out of fear for their personal safety.
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