Anti-Bullying Legislation

 
A message from AAUW:

This week marks the one-year anniversary of the introduction in the Senate of the Student Non-Discrimination Act (SNDA) and the one-year anniversary of the White House Conference on Bullying Prevention. At the White House conference last year, President Obama spoke of creating "climates in our schools where all children can feel safe, climates in our schools where all children feel like they belong."

 

SNDA will accomplish that by extending to sexual orientation and gender identity the same protections against harassment and discrimination that are already in place regarding race, gender, religion, or disability. 38 Senators and 157 House members, and dozens of churches and community groups have endorsed this legislation, but it is unclear whether it will get a vote.

 

We can't afford to wait! After several tragic suicides, new initiatives aimed at preventing bullying and harassment, and AAUW's ground-breaking report on sexual harassment in school, the public and the media are finally paying attention to the critical issue of bullying. Now is the time to pass strong, meaningful anti-bullying and harassment legislation. 

 

Take action: Ask your senators to cosponsor the Student Non-Discrimination Act (S. 555)!

 

All students deserve a safe and nurturing environment in which to pursue their educational goals. Yet currently, there is no federal law that explicitly protects students on the basis of their actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity. SNDA would protect students from various forms of bullying and harassment, such as sex stereotyping and bullying based on their actual or perceived gender identity, and would give students the ability to enforce protection from discrimination and harassment.

 

As Congress works to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, it should address the bullying and harassment problem. Since 1965, ESEA has served as the fundamental blueprint for education in America, yet it doesn't currently provide any protections against bullying and harassment for students. ESEA is long overdue for this update, and SNDA is an excellent way to begin addressing this pervasive national problem. 

 

Call your Senators and encourage them to cosponsor and pass the Student Non-Discrimination Act. All students have the right to a safe education! You can call by clicking the "Take Action" link above or by going to http://bit.ly/yCDVAt.

 

Remember: You can always help strengthen AAUW’s efforts to protect students bymaking a tax-deductible donation to AAUW's Public Policy Fund!
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