Seven leading education organizations representing millions of students, families, and educators submitted an amicus brief to the U.S. Supreme Court in support of Gavin Grimm in the case of G.G. v. Gloucester County School Board. Several of the organizations issued this joint statement regarding the brief:
“This case brings to the nation’s highest court an issue GLSEN has advocated for decades: providing basic rights for transgender students in schools. All students, including transgender students, have a right to a safe, supportive and inclusive learning environment. Gavin Grimm’s story is one of countless transgender youth who suffer discrimination in schools and GLSEN is confident that the law is on our side. We have seen a tremendous increase in visibility of and public education about the trans community of late and this historic case will mark a milestone in American civil rights history,” said Dr. Eliza Byard, Executive Director of GLSEN, the leading national education organization focused on ensuring safe and affirming schools for LGBTQ students.
“Every child deserves to receive a great education in a safe, supportive, positive and inclusive environment. However, like Gavin, the vast majority of LGBTQ students are bullied, physically assaulted and feel unsafe in school because of their actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity,” said Laura Bay, president of National PTA, the nation’s oldest and largest child advocacy association. “There is a need for explicit protection of LGBTQ youth as it is critical to their overall health and well-being and long-term success. National PTA is pleased to team up with GLSEN and other education organizations on the amici curiae brief in support of Gavin and all LGBTQ students and to ensure every child is treated fairly and equally under the law.”
“Childhood and adolescence is a time of tremendous intellectual, emotional and physical growth for students as well as crucial periods of exploration and discovery about themselves and their identity. Schools and educators should provide all the support they can to help students navigate these times of change and should not be constrained by policies that marginalize or discriminate against certain students,” said Richard Wong, Ed.D., executive director of the American School Counselor Association. “ASCA is proud to support this important effort to ensure safe and positive learning environments for all students.”
“The National Association of School Psychologists strongly supports clear federal guidance protecting all students civil rights under Title IX,” states NASP President Melissa Reeves. “Schools nationwide are increasingly supporting and affirming these rights for transgender students; however, federal guidance that more explicitly clarifies this protection is needed in order to ensure the protection of students’ civil rights in every school in the country. These basic rights are essential to students learning and well-being and should not be dependent on where they live.”
The following organizations signed on to the amicus brief:
GLSEN – www.glsen.org
National PTA – www.pta.org
American School Counselor Association – www.schoolcounselor.org
National Association of School Psychologists – www.nasponline.org
National Association of Independent Schools – www.nais.org
Colorado Association of School Executives – www.co-case.org
Massachusetts Association of School Committees – www.masc.org
