Today’s White House anti-bullying summit marks a major breakthrough in national support of LGBT safety initiatives.
Together with the bicameral introduction of the Tyler Clementi Higher Education Anti-Harassment Act and the Student Non-Discrimination Act, as well as the Senate introduction of the Safe Schools Improvement Act earlier this week, the White House conference reinforces a renewed emphasis on civil rights and protection for LGBT youth in the eyes of national leaders.
How will legislation introduced today affect the lives of LGBT students?
The Tyler Clementi Higher Education Anti-Harassment Act would require any colleges and universities that receive federal student aid funding to initiate a policy prohibiting discriminatory harassment or cyber-bullying of any kind, and implement mental health resources and counseling for any student victims of harassment.
Modeled on Title IX, the Student Non-Discrimination Act would establish a federal prohibition against discrimination in public schools based on issues relating to sexual orientation or gender identity. The act would encourage schools to avoid liability by protecting LGBT students from discrimination and to uphold similar policies for LGBT students as those established to protect students from discrimination based on race or gender.
The Safe Schools Improvement Act was also re-introduced in the Senate earlier this week. If passed, the act would implement protocols similar to those proposed in the Tyler Clementi Higher Education Anti-Harassment Act in federally-funded primary and secondary schools.
Then what?