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Keeping Ohio Schools Safe from Bullying |
Bullying – a growing problem for our students – can manifest during or after school, online, and electronically. It is estimated that 65% percent of teens – over 12 million students – in the United States have been the target of school bullying or harassment.
However, for LGBT youth, those numbers are even more discouraging. According to studies by the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN), among students who identify as LGBT, an alarming 86% had been bullied in the past year. Over 60% of LGBT students felt unsafe at school. That is triple the percentage of their straight peers who felt the same way. Finally, LGBT young people who experienced a high level of harassment related to their sexual orientation or gender identity were two to three times more likely to have missed school in the past month.
These high numbers demonstrate why schools must take a proactive stance to protect students from this harmful behavior. However, due to tightening budgets, schools are often unable to allocate enough resources to comprehensive anti-bullying efforts.
This is why Sen. Sherrod Brown recently cosponsored S.3739, the Safe Schools Improvement Act. This legislation would provide funding to schools for use towards implementing LGBT-inclusive bullying and harassment prevention programs. Through the development of programs that curb these negative behaviors, students will be more likely to feel safe and welcomed at school. This legislation is crucial because when students choose to stay home because of a fear of harassment, their long term academic success is jeopardized.
Additionally, to better understand the causes and rates of these behaviors, this legislation would require states to report data on incidences of bullying and harassment – including instances of anti-LGBT bullying – to the Department of Education.
Senator Brown remains committed to ensuring all students have access to a safe learning environment. He will continue to work to ensure any and all barriers to learning are removed so that we can keep America strong and Ohioans competitive and innovative in the 21st century.
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