Protecting students

There are a variety of laws and policies in place to protect students from harassment and bullying. Seven states (plus Washington, DC) specifically protect lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) students from harassment in schools: California, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey and Vermont. Four additional states - Connecticut, Massachusetts, Washington and Wisconsin – have laws that protect lesbian, gay and bisexual students, but have no protections on the basis of gender identity or expression.

Many LGBT students are protected by comprehensive school- or district-level anti-harassment policies, which also specifically include protections on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity or expression.

In other states, schools and school districts, protection may be limited to general anti-bullying laws or policies, which do not include specific protections for LGBT students.

To learn more about protecting students from harassment and bullying, visit www.GLSEN.org.