[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 1]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 898]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 HONORING THE BROWARD COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE ANTI-BULLYING INITIATIVE

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. THEODORE E. DEUTCH

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, February 2, 2012

  Mr. DEUTCH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of the Broward County 
Sheriff's Office Anti-Bullying Initiative, the efforts of which have 
undoubtedly helped make South Florida a safer and more tolerant 
community.
  Bullying of young gay Americans has reached epidemic proportions in 
this country. In fact, more than 80 percent of LGBT students report 
suffering harassment, humiliation, and even violence at the hands of 
their peers in school. Even more tragic are the cases of children who 
take their own lives after being led to believe there is no hope for 
acceptance in their community. Despite these overwhelming statistics, 
many schools have shown an unwillingness or inability to openly address 
anti-gay bullying.
  I commend the Broward County Sheriff's office and their many partners 
throughout South Florida for setting themselves apart by establishing 
an Anti-Bullying Initiative to address this issue head-on. Together, 
law enforcement officials and community leaders are acting on a shared 
belief that in America, no child should be afraid to go to school 
because he or she is different. On January 30, 2012, the Anti-Bullying 
initiative hosted an event at the Coral Springs Center for the 
Performing Arts, where they screened the film Bullied and discussed the 
impact of anti-gay bulling on our nation's youth. This event is one of 
many undertaken by the Broward County Sheriff's office to give 
students, teachers, and administrators the tools they need to 
effectively address bullying based on sexual orientation and gender 
identity.
  The opportunity for every child to receive a quality public education 
is a cornerstone of our nation. To achieve their potential, our 
children need schools that provide safe, accepting, and abuse-free 
environments. I am honored to recognize the people of Broward County, 
whose efforts to stop bullying are helping ensure our schools are 
places where everyone, regardless of their sexual identity, has a safe 
place to learn and grow.

                          ____________________