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Constance McMillen To
Join 36 Student and Community Leaders at GLSEN’s Safe Schools Advocacy Summit WASHINGTON, March 18, 2010 – Constance McMillen, whose Mississippi
school district canceled the prom rather than allow her to bring her girlfriend, is joining 36 student and community leaders
from 26 states at GLSEN’s Safe School Advocacy Summit from Saturday through Tuesday in Washington. The Safe Schools Advocacy Summit is the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network’s annual conference
to train student and community leaders how to advocate through policy and community-based work for safe schools for all students,
regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression. “I’m
excited to meet other student and community leaders from across the country who are working to address anti-LGBT bullying
and discrimination in schools,” said Constance, who has received support from more than 300,000 Facebook users at a page set up by the American Civil Liberties Union. “GLSEN’s Safe Schools Advocacy
Summit is a great opportunity to learn more about how I can use the platform I’ve been given to continue my work to
make schools places where everyone can feel safe and free to be who they are.” Constance will meet Rep.
Jared Polis, sponsor of the Student Non-Discrimination Act, on Saturday and share her story with fellow participants that
night. She also will attend workshops Saturday and Sunday before heading back to Mississippi to prepare for a Monday hearing
for a preliminary injunction to stop Itawamba County School District from canceling the prom and prohibiting Constance from
attending with her girlfriend. Constance is being represented by the ACLU. The Safe Schools Advocacy Summit consists of
three days of workshops and discussions to develop a deeper understanding of the legislative process and acquire skills to
engage in effective school- and community-based organizing to address anti-LGBT bullying and discrimination in schools. On Tuesday, participants will meet with legislators and staffers to advocate for legislation that will help
protect all students from bullying and harassment, such as the Safe Schools Improvement Act and the Student Non-Discrimination
Act. Also among the
attendees is Dominique Walker, whose brother Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover took his life last April after enduring constant bulling
at school, including anti-LGBT bullying despite the fact that he did not identify as gay. Walker has served as a GLSEN Ambassador
this school year. “Sadly, Constance McMillen and Carl Joseph
Walker-Hoover are not alone in their experiences,” GLSEN Public Policy Director Shawn Gaylord said. “Anti-LGBT
bullying, harassment and discrimination are pervasive problems in our schools, but we know that solutions exist that can lead
to safer environments for all our students. Through the amazing work of student and community leaders like the ones attending
the Safe Schools Advocacy Summit, we are optimistic that momentum is gaining in Washington to make sure that schools are safe
and welcoming for all students.” The Safe Schools Improvement Act, which has 99 bi-partisan cosponsors,
requires schools that receive Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act funding implement a comprehensive
anti-bullying policy that enumerates categories often targeted by bullies, including race, religion, sexual orientation, gender
identity/expression and others. It also requires states to include bullying and harassment data in their state-wide needs
assessments reporting. The Student Nondiscrimination Act, which has 79 bi-partisan cosponsors, prohibits
discrimination in schools based on sexual orientation or gender identity/expression. 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. For more information on Constance’s case,
visit http://www.aclu.org/lgbt-rights/fulton-ms-prom-discrimination. About GLSEN GLSEN, the Gay, Lesbian and 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 Posted by GayWebSource.com on April 1, 2010 Media provided by: www.GayWebsource.com/wire - Gay Media and Press Network.  |
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