Dear Friend,
Humanists recognize that a good education is crucial if we want our children to both understand our world and succeed in it. That’s why it’s so important that our schools are safe and promote a positive learning environment for all students—regardless of race, religion, gender, or economic background.
Unfortunately, for many LGBTQ students, schools have become breeding grounds for bullying and discrimination. According to the Human Rights Campaign, “LGBT youth are twice as likely to experience verbal harassment, exclusion, and physical attack at school as their non-LGBT peers.”
Imagine being an LGBTQ student—or perhaps you are already part of this community—and living in fear of going to school every day. As a humanist like me, you’re probably asking yourself, “What can I do to help?”
Thankfully, there is now a bipartisan effort in Congress to fix this problem and make our schools safe for all. The Student Non-Discrimination Act was recently introduced in the House and Senate, and if passed it would prohibit public schools from discriminating against any student on the basis of actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity. While the House bill already has one hundred co-sponsors and the Senate version has twenty-two co-sponsors, the bills haven’t yet passed—and this is where I’ll need your help.
School should be a place of learning, not a place of fear or exclusion. With your help, we can make sure that all students, from all backgrounds, feel comfortable going to class without fear of discrimination. Please contact your Representative and Senators and let them know that you want to see the Student Non-Discrimination Act become law.
You have my deepest thanks for standing up for equality in education.
Sincerely,
Roy Speckhardt
Executive Director