GLSEN Praises Department of Education for Historic Support of Student Right to Form Gay-Straight Alliances

Dear Colleague Letter Also Highlights Positive Benefit, Importance of GSAs

WASHINGTON - In a historic Dear Colleague letter from Secretary Arne Duncan, the U.S. Department of Education announced its support for the right of students to form Gay-Straight Alliances (GSAs) and heralded the positive benefits of GSAs on school campuses. Since 1984, the federal Equal Access Act has guaranteed students' right to form any non-curricular club free from viewpoint discrimination. Courts have consistently upheld the rights of students to form GSAs, but some schools and school districts continue to attempt to discriminate against them and block their efforts.

The letter is the first from a federal agency affirming students' right to form GSAs. The Department of Education also released a set of legal guidelines affirming the principles that prevent unlawful discrimination against any student-initiated groups.

"Secretary Duncan's Dear Colleague letter is a clear signal to schools and school districts that they may not discriminate against students who seek to form Gay-Straight Alliances," GLSEN Executive Director Eliza Byard said. "We are grateful to the Department of Education for supporting students' rights, attempting to prevent discrimination and affirming the positive contributions Gay-Straight Alliances make to the life of our schools, right alongside other non-curricular clubs."

According to GLSEN's 2009 National School Climate Survey of more than 7,000 LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) students, 44.6% of LGBT students attend a school that has a GSA. For nearly two decades, GLSEN programs and initiatives have supported student leaders who choose to form such clubs.
School climate benefits significantly from the presence of the clubs. Students at schools with GSAs:

Heard fewer homophobic remarks and fewer expressions where "gay" was used in a negative way than students in schools without GSAs;

Were more likely to report that educators intervened when hearing homophobic remarks (19% said staff intervened most of the time or always vs. 12.3% at schools without a GSA);

Were less likely to feel unsafe because of their sexual orientation (54.3% vs. 66.5% at schools without a GSA);

Experienced less victimization related to their sexual orientation and gender expression. For example, 24.2% of students with a GSA experienced high levels of victimization based on their sexual orientation compared to 34.7% of those without a GSA; and

Had a greater sense of connectedness to their school community.

GLSEN provides resources and support to the more than 4,000 GSAs registered with the organization, including a manual for starting and leading GSAs, found at http://www.glsen.org/jumpstart. GLSEN also published a research brief in 2007 on the benefit of GSAs: http://bit.ly/GSAbrief.

Duncan's letter cites GLSEN's research and says that GSAs encourage dialogue and provide supportive resources, helping to make schools safe and affirming environments for everyone.

"The [Equal Access] Act requires public secondary schools to treat all student-initiated groups equally, regardless of the religious, political, philosophical, or other subject matters discussed at their meetings," the letter reads. "Its protections apply to groups that address issues relating to LGBT students and matters involving sexual orientation and gender identity, just as they apply to religious and other student groups."

About GLSEN
GLSEN, the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network, is the leading national education organization focused on ensuring safe schools for all students. Established in 1990, GLSEN envisions a world in which every child learns to respect and accept all people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression. GLSEN seeks to develop school climates where difference is valued for the positive contribution it makes to creating a more vibrant and diverse community. For information on GLSEN's research, educational resources, public policy advocacy, student organizing programs and educator training initiatives, visit www.glsen.org.