STATEMENT: CAP’s Krehely on President Obama’s Endorsement of the Safe Schools Improvement Act and Student Non-Discrimination Act

April 20, 2012

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Contact: Christina DiPasquale
Phone: 202.481.8181
Email: cdipasquale@americanprogress.org

Washington, D.C. — The White House announced today that President Barack Obama endorsed the Safe Schools Improvement Act and the Student Non-Discrimination Act. Jeff Krehely, Vice President for LGBT Research and Communications at the Center for American Progress, released the following statement:

Too many gay and transgender youth experience bullying and harassment in the halls and classrooms of our nation’s schools, which negatively impacts their education outcomes and their mental health and well-being. There is a clear need for strong federal laws that protect these students and give them legal recourse if they are abused or mistreated.

Together, these bills offer a comprehensive approach to ensure that all children—including those who are gay and transgender—in our nation’s public schools have a safe and positive environment in which to learn. President Obama should be commended for his leadership on this issue. We hope that the administration continues raising awareness of this problem and its impact on gay and transgender youth.

See also:

• Bullying Should Not Be a Teenage Rite of Passage by Jerome Hunt
• The Kids Are Not Alright by Danielle Moodie-Mills

To speak with Jeff Krehely, please contact Christina DiPasquale at 202.481.8181 or cdipasquale@americanprogress.org.

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