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Stop Bullying! Pass the Safe Schools Improvement Act

Target: U.S. Congress
Sponsored by: GLSEN

Since April, we've experienced several tragic suicides of middle-school aged children -- each provoked by anti-LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) bullying and harassment.

These heartbreaking student suicides are a chilling reminder to all of us that we need to stand up and take action to prevent the perpetuation of soul crushing anti-LGBT behavior that is claiming young lives.

Passing the Safe Schools Improvement Act (H.R. 2262) would mark a pivotal turning point in the crucial fight for safer schools. It would establish -- for the first time in our nation's history -- a federal mandate for schools to adopt anti-bullying policies that include the categories of sexual orientation and gender identity/expression. This act would ensure that schools no longer get a "pass" when they turn a blind eye to anti-LGBT behavior, and it would require them to address all forms of bullying.

Take a stand today. Urge your representative to support the Safe Schools Improvement Act today.

deadline: Ongoing...
goal: 10,000

13,592
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Dear Representative,

Last month the Safe Schools Improvement Act (H.R. 2262) was introduced and referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor. It is my hope that you will do the right thing and support this essential piece of legislation that will help make schools safer for all students regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity/expression.

H.R. 2262 would require schools that receive Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act funding to implement comprehensive anti-bullying policies that enumerate categories often targeted by bullies, including race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression and others.

Up until this point we have failed our students and young people by allowing anti-LGBT bullying to go unfettered and unchecked. The most recent result of our negligence to respond collectively and proactively to this endemic problem has been the loss of two young lives this past April. Within just two weeks this spring, Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover of Springfield, MA, and Jaheem Herrera of DeKalb, GA, returned from school with broken spirits and hanged themselves following relentless bullying and anti-LGBT taunts. These were just the reported cases -- thousands more suffer silently.

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Sincerely,
[Your name here]

We took action on “Stop Bullying! Pass the Safe Schools Improvement Act”!

# 13,609:

9:32 am PST, Nov 21, Bekki Lee, Canada

# 13,608:

8:57 am PST, Nov 21, Sammeka Barriner, Florida

# 13,607:

6:34 am PST, Nov 21, Brenda J. Marston, New York

# 13,606:

2:25 am PST, Nov 21, Gina Havens, Iowa

# 13,605:

6:50 pm PST, Nov 20, Travis Selby, Maryland

# 13,604:

6:26 pm PST, Nov 20, Wood Dragon, United Kingdom

# 13,603:

5:11 pm PST, Nov 20, Sandy Gilbert, California

# 13,602:

4:57 pm PST, Nov 20, Amanda Torisky, Pennsylvania

# 13,601:

3:50 pm PST, Nov 20, Jordan Provost, Connecticut

# 13,600:

3:24 pm PST, Nov 20, Erin Keller, California

# 13,599:

2:02 pm PST, Nov 20, Anne Seidel, Germany

# 13,598:

12:37 pm PST, Nov 20, Rocio Cuevas, Spain

# 13,597:

10:18 am PST, Nov 20, Devlin Balfour, Canada

# 13,596:

8:31 am PST, Nov 20, Tracy Hoteling, Missouri

# 13,594:

6:26 am PST, Nov 20, Karen Methot, Massachusetts
As a member of a UCC chuch that is "open and affirming" - that is, welcoming to everyone including those who are gay, lesbian, or transgender, accepting those individuals equally into the life of the church - I have developed friendships with wonderful LGBT folks. I am shocked and saddened to hear their stories of harrassment and abandonment by peers when they were younger, and grateful that they were able to survive the taunts (and worse). Others are not so fortunate.

# 13,593:

2:48 am PST, Nov 20, Adrian Slattery, United Kingdom
Please act to implement this necessary legislation to compel schools to drive out bullying. School is a place where children should be able to learn and prepare for adult life in a safe and positive environment, and learn to interact positively with others. Bullying is an entirely negative and destructive form of behaviour which degrades the perpetrator as well as the victim, and spoils lives. It has no place within the education system at this vulnerable time in a person's life.

# 13,592:

1:44 am PST, Nov 20, Ken Bachtold, New York
This is a no-brainer. NO KID should be afraid to go to school. Even high and mighty Dick Chaney has a qay daughter - although she's been brain washed by old Dad to act AGAINST gay people and gay issues. (Her partner, Heather Poe, should leave her!) How would he like a "hit" on her???? Pass this bill!!!!

# 13,591:

9:48 pm PST, Nov 19, Ruben Gomez, California

# 13,590:

9:39 pm PST, Nov 19, Yana Sadzhaya, California

# 13,589:

9:32 pm PST, Nov 19, Name not displayed, Canada

# 13,588:

9:28 pm PST, Nov 19, John Walsh, Pennsylvania
Our schools have to be safe. We are spending money to make other countries safe, allegedly, while our own country is not safe. Lets put some effort and resources into making schools safe so that our leaders of the future don't drop out or take their lives because of implorable social conditions in school.

# 13,587:

6:38 pm PST, Nov 19, Chelsea Morris, New Zealand

# 13,586:

6:20 pm PST, Nov 19, Frank Osterman Jr., Pennsylvania

# 13,585:

4:51 pm PST, Nov 19, Deborah Daly, Colorado

# 13,584:

3:58 pm PST, Nov 19, Hillary Bryan, Oregon

# 13,583:

3:18 pm PST, Nov 19, Lawrence Burke, New York

# 13,582:

2:02 pm PST, Nov 19, Eugene Nyunt, United Kingdom

# 13,581:

1:59 pm PST, Nov 19, Melissa Montgomery, Ohio

# 13,580:

1:48 pm PST, Nov 19, Connie Custer, California

# 13,579:

1:40 pm PST, Nov 19, Daniel Stover, Canada

# 13,578:

1:26 pm PST, Nov 19, Emma Spurgin Hussey, United Kingdom

# 13,577:

12:55 pm PST, Nov 19, John Gordon, Washington

# 13,576:

12:48 pm PST, Nov 19, Donna Abel, Virginia

# 13,575:

12:09 pm PST, Nov 19, Michael Russell, California

# 13,574:

12:04 pm PST, Nov 19, Leslie Washington, Georgia

# 13,573:

12:01 pm PST, Nov 19, Lisa Timmermeyer, Kansas

# 13,572:

12:01 pm PST, Nov 19, Carlos Venturo, Peru

# 13,571:

12:00 pm PST, Nov 19, Nicholas Barlow, California

# 13,570:

11:49 am PST, Nov 19, Dora Nunez, Mexico

# 13,569:

11:45 am PST, Nov 19, Edward Metz, Ohio
Growing up is hard, discovering who you are is one of the most difficult and heart breaking task we endure. If it is possible to lighten this task by passing laws that will protect our youth from anti-gay bullying this is truly our duty and responsibility.

# 13,568:

11:23 am PST, Nov 19, Whitney Kyle, Nevada

# 13,567:

11:14 am PST, Nov 19, Patrick Kolb, Oregon

# 13,566:

10:44 am PST, Nov 19, Kaijsa Benson, Minnesota

# 13,565:

10:23 am PST, Nov 19, Loni Sipes, California
School should be a place for learning in a safe environment. Not for bullying by other students or teachers.

# 13,564:

10:21 am PST, Nov 19, Constance Fleming, Missouri

# 13,563:

10:17 am PST, Nov 19, Michael Sherman, California

# 13,562:

10:14 am PST, Nov 19, Name not displayed, New Jersey
Kids should not have to be forced to reveal their sexuality to anyone, especially to a teacher! Each kid's sexuality is their personal information. Please sign the act, thank you!

# 13,561:

10:14 am PST, Nov 19, Richard Riggs, New Jersey

# 13,560:

10:12 am PST, Nov 19, Kim Loan Nguyen, California

# 13,559:

9:58 am PST, Nov 19, Winefred Marcellin, Netherlands

# 13,558:

9:28 am PST, Nov 19, John Despard, Nebraska

# 13,557:

9:05 am PST, Nov 19, Tami Brucato, Kentucky

# 13,556:

8:50 am PST, Nov 19, Dominic Toomey, New York

# 13,555:

8:47 am PST, Nov 19, Dianne Teresa WhittakerMarkee, Massachusetts
How about NO sexual expression in junior high OR high school, as PART of the rule. It is SCHOOL, not the SOCIAL hour. Kids are DROPPING OUT. NOW they are GOING BACK. LET'S KEEP THE FOCUS ON ACADEMICS and off of sex, as at best, the CONSEQUENSE OF SEX IN HS IS A BABY NO ONE CAN TAKE CARE OF. IT'S TOO EARLY. LIL common sense here, applys, aye? Let's take sex outta high school, huh? Maybe I'm all wrong, but it seems to me if we had boys schools, and girls schools...they'd all learn a hell of a lot more! Especially in high school!

# 13,554:

8:47 am PST, Nov 19, J. Olafsson, Canada

# 13,553:

8:26 am PST, Nov 19, Pamela VourosCallahan, Indiana

# 13,552:

8:23 am PST, Nov 19, Andrea Larson, Canada

# 13,551:

7:40 am PST, Nov 19, Mary West, California

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