Download the Inclusive Schools Advocacy Toolkit below or here: Inclusive Schools Advocacy Toolkit
Call & email you Maryland State Senator TODAY asking that they pass a clean Inclusive Schools (SB666) bill and create safe learning environments for all students across the state. You can look up your State Senator here: https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Members/District.
This past month, countless Marylanders expressed opposition to the attempt to ban trans kids from participating in school sports. We successfully showed elected officials that all trans kids, especially trans girls, deserve to be included in sports. While we celebrate the blocking of this transphobic bill, we need to recognize that our work is far from done and that there are proactive measures we can take today, to support trans kids across Maryland. This means passing the Inclusive Schools Act, (SB 666 / HB 850), to prevent local governments, school boards, and districts from banning trans kids from sports. The Inclusive Schools Act would require public and federally funded non-public schools to adopt and maintain an easily accessible non-discrimination policy. This policy would allow students and their caregivers to understand their rights better and hold school districts accountable if they experience discrimination on the basis of their identity. In turn, students and their families would have the opportunity to feel safer and more included in school. We would also be able to ensure that discriminatory bills, like sports bans, would not have the chance to be proposed or implemented in Maryland schools.
Without a clearly established non-discrimination policy, students and their families are vulnerable to discrimination without a straightforward process to address complaints. For example, one national survey found that half of the LGBTQ+ students who experience discrimination in schools never report the incident to staff. Only 34% of students who report incidents said it resulted in staff intervention. Further, data from the survey also revealed that 87% of LGBTQ+ students had heard homophobic remarks specifically from teachers or staff. Of the 56% of students who reported the incident, 60% were told to ignore it or were ultimately not helped by school personnel. This lack of action contributes to hostile school climates, hindering historically marginalized students’ ability to excel in schools.
On the other hand, adopting anti-discrimination policies can decrease or prevent discrimination in school. At schools with specific non-discrimination policies, LGBTQ+ students report experiencing less bullying and greater safety. In addition, safe and inclusive school environments have higher academic achievement in Black and Latine students, decrease truancy among first- and second-generation immigrant children, and facilitate higher test scores in students with disabilities. Along with these benefits, implementing anti-discrimination policies will prevent future discriminatory policies from being created. When students and families understand their rights, peer victimization decreases, and students who have been traditionally excluded from school will begin to feel safe and protected. Most importantly, passing this bill would show all Maryland students that they deserve the opportunity to learn and grow in an environment that is free of discrimination.
Please consider setting up a recurring donation today to fund our advocacy team, including our interns and fellows, as we fight for LGBTQ+ protections in Maryland.
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