Children and youth are more successful in school when their basic needs are met. Students need to feel safe and to be loved and accepted. They need opportunities to grow and excel. They deserve readily available resources that will address their educational and developmental needs. Unfortunately, this has not always been the case for children who identify with the LGBTQIA community. In several states, efforts have been made and policies are being put in place to stifle the growth and development of children who identify as LGBTQIA.
In a blog entry on childtrends.org, author Deborah Temkin explains how policies are implemented that have targeted students who have identified as LGBTQIA. Temkim explained:
“Since the start of 2021, at least 32 state legislatures have proposed bills to authorize discrimination against LGBTQ+ individuals. These bills range from:
- Children’s access to gender-affirming health care.
- Requiring active parental permission for any discussion of LGBTQ+ topics or people in public school classes.
- At least 21 states, restricting the participation of transgender students in school athletics.”[1]
To ensure that all students are supported in school settings, more needs to be done to safeguard their overall health and development. This includes supporting students who are in the LGBTQIA community. When one child suffers or is not provided needed resources, we as a society suffer. Therefore, it is important for all of us to contact our elected officials in Washington, D.C. and to tell them support legislation that provides educational fairness and equality to students in the LGBTQIA community.
To learn more about educational fairness and equality for LGBTQIA students, visit childtrends.org.
Respectfully,
Rev. Beverly Dukes
Policy Coordinator, United Voices for Children
[1] Deborah Temkin, “Policies That Discriminate Against LGBTQ Students Are Not Aligned with Children Development Research,” in Trends Child (Publication Date: April 28, 2021) https://www.childtrends.org/blog/policies-that-discriminate-against-lgbtq-students-are-not-aligned-with-child-development-research