[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 628 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>






118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 628

  Supporting the goals and ideals of the Rise Up for LGBTQI+ Youth in 
Schools Initiative, a call to action to communities across the country 
      to demand equal educational opportunity, basic civil rights 
 protections, and freedom from erasure for all students, particularly 
                 LGBTQI+ young people, in K-12 schools.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 8, 2024

 Mr. Schatz submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
        the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Supporting the goals and ideals of the Rise Up for LGBTQI+ Youth in 
Schools Initiative, a call to action to communities across the country 
      to demand equal educational opportunity, basic civil rights 
 protections, and freedom from erasure for all students, particularly 
                 LGBTQI+ young people, in K-12 schools.

Whereas young people, teachers, school staff, families, and communities must be 
        free from transphobia, homophobia, racism, sexism, and ableism in K-12 
        schools;
Whereas K-12 schools must be safe and inclusive learning environments that 
        include and affirm LGBTQI+ young people, especially those who are 
        transgender, nonbinary, intersex, Black, Indigenous, people of color, 
        and people with disabilities and those who are from communities that 
        experience marginalization;
Whereas, for more than 2 decades, Congress has supported a resolution for a 
        National Day of Silence, and, for a decade, Congress has supported a 
        resolution for No Name-Calling Week;
Whereas advocates have designated 2024 to 2025 as a time for communities to 
        support the Rise Up for LGBTQI+ Youth in Schools Initiative in support 
        of LGBTQI+ young people in schools by building on the goals of National 
        Day of (No) Silence and No Name-Calling Week to create a sustained call 
        to action to demand equal educational opportunities, basic civil rights 
        protections, and freedom from erasure for all students;
Whereas LGBTQI+ young people frequently experience bias-based bullying and 
        harassment, discrimination, and punitive discipline that increases the 
        likelihood they will enter the school-to-prison pipeline;
Whereas over 200 anti-LGBTQI+ education bills have been introduced each year in 
        State legislatures across the country, the majority of which 
        specifically target transgender and nonbinary young people, including--

    (1) in Idaho, where on March 30, 2020, Governor Brad Little signed the 
first bill into law barring transgender students from playing on the school 
sports teams that correspond with their gender identity;

    (2) in 24 additional States that enacted policies between 2021 and 2024 
that prohibit transgender students from playing alongside their peers on 
school sports teams;

    (3) in Tennessee, where in 2021, Governor Bill Lee signed a bill that 
allows any student, parent, or employee to sue if they interact with a 
transgender person in a school bathroom or other facility; and

    (4) in 10 States that, between 2021 and 2024, enacted laws that prevent 
transgender students from using the school bathroom or locker room that 
corresponds with their gender identity;

Whereas GLSEN's 2021 National School Climate Survey found that LGBTQI+ students 
        who experienced discrimination on the basis of their LGBTQI+ identity at 
        school in the past year, including being prevented from using the 
        restroom that aligns with their gender identity and being barred from 
        playing on the school sports team that aligns with their gender 
        identity, were nearly 3 times as likely to have missed school in the 
        past month, had lower GPAs, reported lower feelings of school belonging, 
        and had higher levels of depression compared to LGBTQI+ students who had 
        not experienced similar discrimination;
Whereas LGBTQI+ young people are more likely than their non-LGBTQI+ peers to 
        experience mental health concerns, including stress, anxiety, and 
        depression;
Whereas nearly half of LGBTQI+ young people seriously considered suicide in the 
        last year, a trend that increases among Indigenous, Black, and 
        multiracial LGBTQI+ young people;
Whereas the GLSEN's 2021 National School Climate Survey found that, among 
        LGBTQI+ students who said that they were considering dropping out of 
        school, 31.4 percent indicated that they were doing so because of the 
        hostile climate created by gendered school policies and practices;
Whereas States have passed or attempted to pass legislation that erases or 
        censors LGBTQI+ individuals, history, and contributions from classroom 
        literature and curricula, including--

    (1) in Florida, where in March 2022, Governor Ron DeSantis signed HB 
1557 into law, censoring instruction related to LGBTQI+ people, commonly 
referred to as the ``Don't Say LGBTQ+'' law;

    (2) in the 6 additional States that enacted laws between 2022 and 2024 
censoring instruction related to LGBTQI+ people;

    (3) in Arizona, where in May of 2021, Governor Doug Ducey signed HB 
2035, which requires parental consent for a child to learn about topics 
such as the United States Supreme Court ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges, 576 
U.S. 644 (2015), in which the Court held that the fundamental right to 
marry is guaranteed to same-sex couples; and

    (4) in Arkansas, Florida, Montana, and Tennessee, which in 2021 enacted 
laws that treat instruction related to LGBTQI+ individuals in history, 
science, the arts, or any academic class as a sensitive topic that requires 
parental notification and allows parents to opt their child out of such 
instruction;

Whereas these laws harm students and force families to consider leaving their 
        homes, as demonstrated in a Williams Institute report, which found that 
        56 percent of LGBTQI+ parents of students in Florida considered moving 
        out of Florida and 16.5 percent have taken steps to move out of Florida 
        because of HB 1557;
Whereas States have gone farther by specifically targeting transgender students 
        and their families with policies that attack mental health counseling 
        and gender-affirming care for transgender students, including--

    (1) in Texas, where in 2022, Governor Greg Abbott issued a directive to 
the Department of Family and Protective Services to investigate the parents 
of young people seeking gender-affirming care for child abuse, which 
purported to require school professionals to report parents who are 
supportive of their transgender child for investigation; and

    (2) the introduction of at least 55 bills in 22 States, since the 
beginning of the 2024 legislative session, that prohibit or create barriers 
to the social affirmation of transgender and nonbinary students in schools, 
such as using a student's chosen name and pronouns, regardless of the risk 
to the student's safety, health, and well-being;

Whereas 85 percent of transgender and nonbinary young people say that recent 
        debates prompted by State legislation restricting the rights of 
        transgender individuals have negatively impacted their mental health;
Whereas data provided by the Department of Justice shows that the number of 
        reported anti-LGBTQI+ hate crimes in schools has increased from 145 
        reported incidents in 2019 to 251 reported incidents in 2022;
Whereas every young person must have equal educational opportunity and freedom 
        from the fear that their basic civil and educational rights will be 
        taken away from them;
Whereas young people who develop in positive school climates, free from 
        bullying, harassment, and discrimination, report greater physical and 
        psychological safety, greater mental well-being, and improved 
        educational and life outcomes;
Whereas positive school transformation must recognize that safety is too low of 
        a bar and that all communities deserve to be acknowledged and affirmed 
        in schools;
Whereas students and families, educators, and community members in Arizona, 
        Arkansas, Florida, Idaho, Montana, Tennessee, Texas, and in all States 
        and territories are advocating for safe and inclusive learning 
        environments that affirm LGBTQI+ young people, particularly those who 
        are transgender, nonbinary, Black, Indigenous, people of color, and 
        people with disabilities;
Whereas affirming policies, such as enumerated anti-bullying protections, gender 
        neutral dress code guidelines, and inclusive learning practices, are 
        proven strategies to address hostile learning environments for all 
        students; and
Whereas we must all demand the best possible future for all young people in 
        schools, particularly those who identify as LGBTQI+, without exception: 
        Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) supports the goals and ideals of the Rise Up for 
        LGBTQI+ Youth in Schools Initiative in demanding the best 
        possible future for all young people in schools, particularly 
        those who identify as LGBTQI+;
            (2) recognizes the contributions of students and families, 
        educators, and community members who participate in the Day of 
        (No) Silence to draw attention to the bullying, harassment, 
        assault, and discrimination faced by LGBTQI+ students; and
            (3) encourages each State, territory, and locality to 
        support the Rise Up for LGBTQI+ Youth in Schools Initiative and 
        adopt laws and policies that prohibit bias-based victimization, 
        exclusion, and erasure.
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