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You may find the statistics below rather startling. Please report all incidents of bullying. Yes you can do something about it. If you get no satisfaction from the school authorities, contact your State Representatives. There are rules already in place that must be adhered to.
Our Letter To The Editor of the News Journal appeared Friday 10-8-10.....slightly edited. Here is the original:
Where Is The Outrage? Raymond Chase, 19; Tyler Clementi, 18; Billy Lucas, 15; Asher Brown, 13; Seth Walsh, 13. Five gay-related teen suicides in 3 weeks! All having to do with bullying in their school/college. Today's gay-bashing climate in politics & religion has much to do with this. Our thoughts & prayers go out to the families & friends of these young people.
Part of the why gay bashing/bullying thrives >> Andrew Shirvell, an assistant attorney general in Michigan created a blog to harass openly gay student body president, Chris Armstrong, of The University of Michigan. Or how about this> Senator Chambliss of Georgia appoligized to the gay community for an internet slur that came from a staffer in his office that said "all gays must die". Or, why does the Pope think our gay children are "intrinsically disordered". With this type of climate, what are our young people who are questioning their sexual orientation to think? This is heart-breaking. Please help to stop the hate NOW!  According to the Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network (GLSEN), 9 out of 10 queer teens are the victims of anti-queer bullying. Nine out of 10! Being picked on or physically or verbally abused or harassed, because of one's sexual orientation or gender identity is not just homophobia. Such actions brings with it a whole host of negative results that effect both the well being of the student as well as his or her academic achievements. Low self-esteem, self-hating and even suicide become the results--none of which are acceptable in a just society. GLSEN reports the following: 86.2% of LGBT students reported being verbally harassed. 44.1% reported being physically harassed. 22.1% reported being physically assaulted at school in the past year because of their sexual orientation. 73.6% heard derogatory remarks such as "faggot" or "dyke" frequently or often at school. 60.8% of students reported that they felt unsafe in school because of their sexual orientation. 38.4% felt unsafe because of their gender expression. 31.7% of LGBT students missed a class and 32.7% missed a day of school in the past month because of feeling unsafe, compared to only 5.5% and 4.5%, respectively, of a national sample of secondary school students. The reported grade point average of students who were more frequently harassed because of their sexual orientation or gender expression was almost half a grade lower than for students who were less often harassed (2.8 versus 2.4). [Source: About.com] Discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity contributes to high rates of absenteeism, dropout, adverse health consequences, and academic under achievement among LGBT youth. When left unchecked, such discrimination can lead, and has led to, life-threatening violence and suicide.
(Source: Human Rights Campaign)
What can we do to affect positive change? Help to pass the Student Non-discrimination Act of 2010 (SNDA),
H.R. 4530 in the U.S. House of Representatives!
According to Human Rights Campaign, SNDA "would prohibit discrimination against any public school student on the basis of actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity. In addition, the SNDA prevents discrimination against any public school student because of the actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity of a person with whom that the student associates or has associated." SNDA was introduced by Congressman Jared Polis (D-CO), is bi-partisan, and has 60 co-sponsors.
"Our public schools are mandated to support all students in their pursuit of academic achievement and social stability. LGBT students have historically been alienated, harassed, and bullied in their schools, with little or no intervention from school personnel. And far too many have underperformed or 'dropped out' in response to the lack of safety and support. No student should have to be fearful when walking through the doors of their school, and this legislation would require immediate and appropriate action to stop the discrimination that our youth have endured for far too long." __
Human Rights Campaign President - Joe Solmonese
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