All students should be able to receive an education in an environment that is safe and inclusive. Unfortunately, many schools in the Anoka-Hennepin School District in Minnesota presented a frightening and harmful toxic environment for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) students. Many students in the district had been harassed every day by their peers because of their actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender expression. NCLR joined the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC),...
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Statement by NCLR Federal Executive Director Kate Kendell, Esq. (San Francisco, CA, October 11, 2011)—On October 9, 2011, California Gov. Jerry Brown signed Seth’s Law (AB 9), providing California schools with tools to address the pervasive problem of school bullying and to create environments where all students can be safe. Seth’s Law—named after 13-year-old Seth Walsh, who was the target of anti-gay bullying and died by suicide—was authored by Assemblymember Tom Ammiano (D-San Francisco) and...
Statement by NCLR Federal Executive Director Kate Kendell, Esq. (San Francisco, CA, October 11, 2011)—On Saturday, October 8, 2011, California Gov. Jerry Brown signed the state’s Dream Act into law, eliminating discrimination against undocumented students who graduate from high schools and are on a path toward citizenship, who will now be able to apply to the state’s public universities as residents. The new law grants equal access to in-state tuition and allows students access to both private...
(Sacramento, CA, September 2, 2011)—Yesterday, the California State Senate approved Seth’s Law (AB 9) in a 24-14 vote. Seth’s Law is designed to address the pervasive problem of school bullying by providing California schools with tools to create a safe school environment for all students. The bill is authored by Assemblymember Tom Ammiano (D-San Francisco) and co-sponsored by a coalition of organizations advancing LGBTQ equality, including Equality California, the ACLU of California, National...
Discriminatory Gag Policy Perpetuates Hostile Anti-LGBTQ Environment on School Campuses (Minneapolis, August 9, 2011)—Today, the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) filed a lawsuit in federal district court in Minneapolis on behalf of a sixth student, an out lesbian, who experienced severe harassment while attending school in the Anoka-Hennepin School District, where a discriminatory gag policy prevents staff from addressing lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender issues, including...
(Minneapolis, MN, July 21, 2011)—The National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR), the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), and Faegre & Benson, LLP, filed a federal lawsuit today challenging the pervasive anti-gay harassment in schools within the Anoka-Hennepin School District as well as the district’s “gag policy” that prevents teachers from discussing issues related to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people. NCLR, SPLC, and Faegre & Benson filed the suit on...
Statement by NCLR Executive Director Kate Kendell (San Francisco, CA, July 14, 2011)—Today, California Governor Jerry Brown signed into law Senate Bill 48, known as the Fair, Accurate, Inclusive and Respectful (FAIR) Education Act. The FAIR Education Act amends the California Education Code to include instruction on the contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people. The new law also prohibits discriminatory instruction and discriminatory materials from being adopted by...
AB 9, authored by Assemblymember Ammiano and sponsored LGBTQ equality organizations, seeks to create a safer school environment for California students (San Francisco, CA, June 22, 2011)—The Senate Education Committee today passed Seth’s Law (AB 9) in a 7-2 vote. Seth’s Law is designed to address the pervasive problem of school bullying by providing California schools with tools to create a safe school environment for all students. The bill is authored by Assemblymember Tom Ammiano (D-San...
AB 9 is an important step toward creating a safer school environment for California students LGBTQ equality organizations disappointed by removal of key provisions (Sacramento, CA, June 2, 2011)—Yesterday the California State Assembly passed Seth’s Law (AB 9), in a 52-26 vote. Seth’s Law is designed to address the pervasive problem of school bullying by providing California schools with tools to create a safe school environment for all students. The bill is authored by Assemblymember Tom...
Investigation Finds Policy Contributes to Hostile Environment for LGBTQ Students (San Francisco, CA, May 24, 2011)—Today, the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) and Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) sent a letter to Minnesota’s Anoka-Hennepin School District demanding that District officials immediately repeal the gag policy that prevents teachers from discussing issues related to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people, and take immediate action to address the bullying...