Tell Senators to Co-Sponsor the Student Non-Discrimination Act

Senator Al Franken (D) Minnesota introduced the Student Non-Discrimination Act (SNDA) along with 22 other senate co-sponsors of the legislation. The bill will prohibit discrimination and harassment and provide for a learning environment that values respect and acceptance for all.

According to GLSEN:

Nearly 9 out of 10 LGBT students (86.2%) experience harassment at school because of their sexual orientation, and 60.8% feel unsafe at school because of their sexual orientation, according to GLSEN's 2007 National School Climate Survey.

The harassment clearly affects students' ability to learn. A third of LGBT students (32.7%) missed a day of school in the past month because of feeling unsafe, five times higher than a national sample of all students.

The following is a list of senators currently co-sponsoring the bill:

SNDA is co-sponsored by Senators Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), John Kerry (D-Mass.), Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.), Russ Feingold (D-Wisc.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Chris Dodd (D-Conn.), Mark Begich (D-Alaska), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Robert Menedez (D-N.J.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), and Daniel Akaka (D-Hawaii).

Please make sure to urge your senators to join in co-sponsoring this important piece of legislation.

Contact your senators by email or by phone at (202) 224-3121.

Also be sure to lobby your congressmember on SNDA a similar bill in the house under HR 4530.

Support The Federal Student Non-Discrimination Act (HR 4530)

The Student Non-Discrimination Act (HR 4530) has been introduced in congress to protect LGBT students or those perceived to be in K-12 public schools throughout the country. The act would provide protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity and list remedies for victims of queerphobia.

Studies show that discrimination leads to higher rates of LGBT absenteeism, drop-outs, poor grades, and has an adverse affect on mental health and well being.

Contact your representative through the ACLU's e-action alert to urge them to co-sponsor this important and historic piece of legislation.

Demand Algoma District Implement Anti-LGBT Protection Policy

Members of the LGBT community are putting pressure on the Algoma District School Board in Ontario Canada to implement an anti-LGBT discrimination policy. The school has been resistent to changing policies to make the life of LGBT students easier in the past and activists are hoping to change that this time around.

Please join the campaign by calling and email the school and let them know a non-discrimination policy inclusive of sexual orientation and gender identity is necessary.

Algoma District School Board
Education Centre

644 Albert St. E.
Sault Ste. Marie, ON P6A 2K7
Phone: 705-945-7111
Toll Free: 1-888-393-3639
General Information: Susan Vandermolen