110 HCON 126 IH: Supporting the goals and ideals of the Day U.S. House of Representatives 2007-04-23 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

IV 110th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 126 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES April 23, 2007 Mr. Engel (for himself, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Farr, Mr. Holt, Mr. Stark, Mr. Pallone, Mr. Meehan, and Mr. McNulty) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Supporting the goals and ideals of the Day of Silence with respect to discrimination and harassment faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals in schools.

Whereas the Day of Silence is a day on which students take a vow to remain silent for a full day in order to bring attention to the harassment and discrimination faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals in schools, including students, teachers, and other school staff; Whereas the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network, in partnership with the United States Student Association, has designated the third Wednesday of every April as the Day of Silence; Whereas more than 500,000 students from more than 5,000 junior and high schools participated in the Day of Silence in 2006; Whereas the 2005 Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network National School Climate Survey illustrates the pervasive harassment and victimization of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender students; Whereas more than 80 percent of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender students have been verbally harassed at school by their peers because of their sexual orientation or gender expression; Whereas nearly 40 percent of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender students were physically harassed by their peers because of their sexual orientation or gender expression; Whereas nearly 20 percent of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender students were physically assaulted by their peers at school because of their sexual orientation or gender expression; Whereas almost 41 percent of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students reported that faculty and staff never intervene when homophobic language is used in their presence; Whereas almost 29 percent of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender students reported missing at least one entire school day in the last month because they felt unsafe; Whereas lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth who experienced high levels of verbal harassment because of their sexual orientation are more likely to report that they did not plan to attend college than youth who never or rarely experienced such harassment; Whereas unchecked harassment and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender expression has a negative impact on student academic performance such that grade point averages are a half grade lower than for other students; Whereas 39 States do not have laws protecting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students from discrimination or harassment that occurs at school because of sexual orientation or gender identity and expression; and Whereas every child should be guaranteed an education free from discrimination and harassment regardless of their sexual orientation, gender identity and expression; Now, therefore, be it;

That the Congress— (1)supports the goals and ideals of the Day of Silence; (2)requests that the President issue a proclamation calling on the people of the United States to observe the Day of Silence with appropriate ceremonies, programs, and activities; and (3)encourages each city and State to adopt laws to prohibit discrimination and harassment against students, teachers, and other school staff regardless of their sexual orientation and gender identity and expression so that our schools are institutions where all individuals are able to focus on learning.