Addressing the Mistreatment of LGBT Students in the U.S. Public and Private Schools

Documenting the Nature and Extent of the Problem

The mistreatment of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered students is still persistent and pervasive in the U.S. public and private schools today. Harassment of LGBT students remains socially and culturally acceptable, and too often educators fail to take action when confronted with student behaviors that may begin with teasing and name-calling and can escalate over time to include threats, ostracism, open discrimination, and actual gay bashing. Such behaviors may in fact be fueled by educator comments and actions as well, and by a curriculum that fails to reflect in any way, shape, or form the broad consensus among experts in the field that gays are wired differently and that being gay is not a matter of choice but a basic, immutable identity.

As a result of this mistreatment, the National Mental Health Association has classified LGBT students as an at-risk population: "Gay and lesbian teens are at high risk because ‘their distress is a direct result of the hatred and prejudice that surround them,’ not because of their inherently gay or lesbian identity orientation." NMHA, Bullying in Schools: Harassment Puts Gay Youth At Risk.

Data from the 1999 Massachusetts Youth Risk Behavior Survey of Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual students is generally seen as reflecting the effects of the above behaviors, and thus exemplifies the nature and extent of the problem in this area today.

The survey – administered by the Massachusetts Department of Education with funding from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – was conducted in 64 randomly selected public high schools. In total, 4415 students in grades 9 - 12 participated in this voluntary and anonymous survey.

Students who described themselves as gay, lesbian, or bisexual were significantly more likely than their peers to report attacks, suicide attempts and drug and alcohol use. When compared to peers, this group was:

• over four times more likely to have attempted suicide
• over three times more likely to miss school because of feeling unsafe
• three times more likely to have been injured or threatened with a weapon at school

Reported Behaviors	GLB Students*	Other Students
Attempted suicide in the past year	32.8 %	7.6%
Required medical attention as a result of a suicide attempt	18.5	3.7
Skipped school in the past month because of feeling unsafe on route to or at school	20.0	6.0
Was threatened/injured with a weapon at school in the past year	24.4	8.2
Was In a physical fight resulting in treatment by doctor or nurse	20.3	4.2

*All differences between GLB students and Others are statistically significant.

These results are consistent with other recent findings, as documented in the surveys, reports, and interviews below.

I. The 2001 National School Climate Survey of the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (GLSEN)

II. Doing the Math: What the Numbers Say About Harassment of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgendered Students (ACLU Press Release – Spring 2001)

III. "Assault on Gay America" – PBS Interview with Researcher Karen Franklin (2000)

The following works of fiction are notable for the light they shed on the mistreatment of LGBT students in U.S. schools.

· Alex Sanchez, Rainbow Boys (2002)

· K.M. Soehnlein, The World of Normal Boys (2001)

· Christopher Rice, A Density of Souls (2000)

The following novels provide additional valuable perspectives on this area.

· John Knowles, A Separate Peace (1959)

· William Maxwell, The Folded Leaf (1945)

· Edmund White, A Boy’s Own Story (1982) & Its Sequel, The Beautiful Room Is Empty (1988)

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Last Updated: February 2, 2003, 11 a.m.