Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender, or LGBT, youth continue to experience high rates of bullying and harassment in schools, hostile treatment by school administrators, and family and community rejection that leaves them vulnerable and at risk of entering the juvenile justice system.
Despite the disproportionately high rates of LGBT youth entering the system, our nation’s schools, juvenile courts, and detention systems are unequipped to the manage the unique experiences of LGBT youth. Moreover these systems often do more harm by depriving these youth of their rights and fair treatment due to biased policies and a lack of cultural competency that unfairly criminalizes LGBT youth.
This event will examine the unfair criminalization of LGBT youth—from harsh school sanctions that perpetuate a school-to-prison pipeline, to the bias and abuse they face within the juvenile justice system. Participants will be briefed on the current research on LGBT youth in the juvenile justice system and school disciplinary issues, and will engage in a dialogue around policy solutions to address them.
Keynote address:
Dr. Angela Irvine, Director of Research, National Council on Crime and Delinquency
Panelists:
Marie Williams, Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network
Ryan Wilson, U.S. Department of Justice
Maya Rupert, National Council for Lesbian Rights
Moderator:
Aisha Moodie-Mills, Advisor, LGBT Policy & Racial Justice, Center for American Progress