As part of a planned increase in education enrichment programs, the White House will host a conference next week at which President Obama will address concerns surrounding anti-LGBT bullying.
In the wake several high-profile, bullying-related suicides last year, the issue of LGBT bullying and its effect on education and safety has received new attention and drawn support across partisan lines.
According to the Washingotn Blade, White House domestic policy adviser Melody Barnes said that next Tuesday’s conference will bring together students, parents, teachers and other community leaders who have been touched by bullying. Participants in the conference will have the opportunity to raise issues to the President and other high-level officials in an effort to brainstorm solutions to bullying in schools.
Barnes described the issue of anti-LGBT bullying as “very, very near to the president and the first lady’s heart,” and noted Obama’s appearance in the televised “It Gets Better” campaign in support of LGBT youth.
So far, representatives from the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN), the Trevor Project and the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) have announced their intention to attend the White House conference, scheduled for March 10, 2011. LGBT advocates from these and other groups hope that the conference will pave the way to passage of anti-bullying measures as part of the Education & Secondary Education Act reauthorization. The act is expected to come before lawmakers during the 112th Congress.
