GLSEN Releases State of the States 2002

35 Million US Students Subject to Discrimination and Harassment in 42 States without Legal Protection. New GLSEN Resource Offers First Comprehensive Look at Classroom Protections On State-By-State Basis

NEW YORK (August 26, 2002)--A report issued today by the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, or GLSEN, is the first examination and comparison of state policies that protect students -- or fail to do so -- from discrimination and harassment based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

"State of the States 2002: GLSEN's Policy Analysis of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Safer Schools Issues" is issued by GLSEN's Office of Public Policy in Washington, DC, and available at www.glsen.org.

"State of the States" compares safe schools laws and statewide policies related to the issue, as well as facts related to sexuality and HIV/AIDS Education, and the frequency of student-organized gay-straight alliances (GSAs) in schools. Other sections include state public school information ranging from the number of districts, students and teachers, to the percentage of students of color.

"This report is America's first opportunity to view in one location up-to-date information on the most important policies impacting LGBT people in schools," said GLSEN Public Policy Director MK Cullen. "While it allows us to showcase those states where advances in protections against discrimination and harassment in schools are far reaching, it most glaringly defines the gross inadequacies still present in 42 states."

In addition to the District of Columbia, only eight states legally protect students on the basis of sexual orientation and/or gender identity: California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin. Those 8 states and DC protect only 11.9 million students, 25 percent of the country's school children. The state of Rhode Island, while not having a legal mandate from the legislature, does have a statewide regulation from its Department of Education that protects LGBT students from harassment.

"This resource will serve as an information source as well as a tool for student, parents, educators and others working to obtain legal protections in so many states still lagging behind," said Cullen.

GLSEN is the largest national network of parents, students, educators and others working to create safe schools for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students and staff. Visit www.glsen.org.