GLSEN's Work on Safe Schools Laws and Policies

GLSEN works on the legislative front through the passage of safe schools laws and policies that prohibit bullying and harassment of all students, regardless of their sexual orientation. To achieve this, GLSEN works with local, state and national coalitions, and with elected officials to pass comprehensive legislation and policies.

These efforts include:

policy development

reporting mechanisms

educator training

student training

It is equally important to specifically list, or “enumerate,” the categories of students protected, this encompasses actual and perceived sexual orientation and gender identity.

GLSEN has developed a range of safe schools materials for individuals and groups working at the local, state and national levels. [See Related Documents on the right.] These tools provide the key information necessary to launch, sustain and achieve effective safe schools campaigns:

Example legislation that could be introduced at the state level

Components that make up a comprehensive safe schools legislation

Reasons why the enumeration of students to be protected is critical to their safety

How to launch a safe schools campaign (including coalition development and guidelines for student involvement)

New documents currently under development, include:

A discussion of parental notification legislation

Why legal notification will make it more difficult to form gay straight alliances

Updates on court cases that require local school districts to pay damages

Guidelines for establishing effective youth and adult partnerships in safe schools campaigns