[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 40 Introduced in House (IH)]

112th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 40

   Supporting the goals and ideals of the National Day of Silence in 
  bringing attention to anti-lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender 
name-calling, bullying, and harassment faced by individuals in schools.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 13, 2011

Mr. Engel (for himself, Ms. Baldwin, Ms. Berkley, Mr. Blumenauer, Mrs. 
Capps, Mr. Cicilline, Mrs. Davis of California, Mr. Doyle, Mr. Ellison, 
   Mr. Farr, Mr. Filner, Mr. Frank of Massachusetts, Mr. Al Green of 
   Texas, Mr. Grijalva, Mr. Gutierrez, Mr. Hastings of Florida, Mr. 
Hinchey, Mr. Holt, Mr. Honda, Mr. Kucinich, Ms. Lee of California, Mr. 
 Lewis of Georgia, Mrs. Maloney, Mr. Markey, Ms. McCollum, Mr. Moran, 
  Mr. Nadler, Ms. Norton, Mr. Pallone, Mr. Polis, Ms. Richardson, Ms. 
Linda T. Sanchez of California, Ms. Wasserman Schultz, Mr. Serrano, Mr. 
 Sherman, Ms. Woolsey, and Mr. Wu) submitted the following concurrent 
 resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the 
  Workforce, 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 National Day of Silence in 
  bringing attention to anti-lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender 
name-calling, bullying, and harassment faced by individuals in schools.

Whereas the National Day of Silence is a day in which students take a vow of 
        silence to bring attention to the anti- lesbian, gay, bisexual, and 
        transgender name-calling, bullying, and harassment faced by individuals 
        in schools;
Whereas the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network designates one day of 
        every April as the National Day of Silence;
Whereas hundreds of thousands of students at more than 8,000 schools have 
        participated in the National Day of Silence in past years;
Whereas the 2008 National Day of Silence was held in memory of Lawrence King, a 
        15-year-old California student who was shot and killed in school in 
        February 2008 by a classmate due to his sexual orientation and gender 
        identity and expression;
Whereas the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network's 2009 National School 
        Climate Survey illustrates the pervasive harassment and victimization 
        faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender students by documenting 
        their experiences within the preceding academic year;
Whereas nearly 85 percent of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender students 
        reported being verbally harassed by their peers at school because of 
        their sexual orientation, and more than 60 percent because of their 
        gender expression;
Whereas more than 40 percent of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender students 
        reported being physically harassed by their peers at school because of 
        their sexual orientation, and nearly 30 percent because of their gender 
        expression;
Whereas nearly 20 percent of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender students 
        reported being physically assaulted by their peers at school because of 
        their sexual orientation, and nearly 12.5 percent because of their 
        gender expression;
Whereas more than 60 percent of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender students 
        reported that they felt unsafe in school, and nearly 30 percent reported 
        missing at least one entire school day in the preceding month because of 
        safety concerns;
Whereas transgender students were more likely than all other students to report 
        feeling unsafe at school because of their gender expression;
Whereas, according to the National Transgender Discrimination Survey, those who 
        expressed a transgender identity or gender nonconformity while in grades 
        K through 12 reported alarming rates of harassment, physical assault, 
        and sexual violence so severe that almost 15 percent of those surveyed 
        had to leave school;
Whereas student academic performance is affected such that lesbian, gay, 
        bisexual, and transgender students who experienced high levels of verbal 
        harassment because of their sexual orientation or gender expression 
        report a grade point average nearly a half grade lower than those of 
        lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender students who experienced low 
        levels of such harassment;
Whereas the presence of supportive staff contributed to a range of positive 
        indicators including fewer reports of missing school, fewer reports of 
        feeling unsafe, greater academic achievement, higher educational 
        aspirations, and a greater sense of school belonging;
Whereas a growing number of States, cities, and local education authorities are 
        adopting laws and policies to prohibit name-calling, bullying, 
        harassment, and discrimination against students on the basis of their 
        sexual orientation and gender identity or expression; and
Whereas every child should be guaranteed an education free from name-calling, 
        bullying, harassment, and discrimination regardless of his or her sexual 
        orientation and gender identity or expression: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That Congress--
            (1) supports the goals and ideals of the National Day of 
        Silence;
            (2) requests that the President issue a proclamation 
        calling on the people of the United States to observe the 
        National Day of Silence with appropriate ceremonies, programs, 
        and activities; and
            (3) encourages each State, city, and local education 
        authority to adopt laws and policies to prohibit name-calling, 
        bullying, harassment, and discrimination against students, 
        teachers, and other school staff regardless of their sexual 
        orientation and gender identity or expression, so that the 
        Nation's schools are institutions where all individuals are 
        able to focus on learning.
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