September 20, 2012 Orange County Department of Education 200 Kalmus Drive PO Box 9050 Costa Mesa, CA 92626

RE: Collaborating to End Bullying of LGBTQ Students

Dear Sir or Madame: We write to bring your attention to a very important subject that plagues many California schools bullying. According to recent studies, as many as nine in ten LGBTQ students have been the victim of harassment based on their actual or perceived sexual orientation or nonconforming gender identity. Nearly two-thirds of such students reported feeling unsafe at school. Indeed, a number of LGBTQ teen suicides have captured enough media attention to push anti-LGBTQ bullying into the national conversation. The dire situation so many LGBTQ students face in schools prompted the creation of the ACLU of Southern Californias LGBTQ Student Rights Project. The LGBTQ Student Rights Project was founded with the dual mission of stopping bullying in California schools and creating school communities that promote safety and respect for all students. Though we desire to stop all forms of unlawful bullying, the Project particularly should be seen as a resource to help schools address issues of anti-LGBTQ bias and harassment that may exist within the school climate. To that end, the Student Rights Project staff spends a significant amount of time reviewing evidence-based research to address antiLGBTQ bullying. We use these research findings to develop toolkits to provide schools with resources to address bullying and to improve school climates, which positively affect attendance rates, educational aspirations and psychological well-being. We also work directly with school personnel at both the district and school levels to help determine how to best address the bullying issues that have surfaced in that particular school community. In many instances, training for the staff and the student body about the rights of LGBTQ students will help make the school climate more welcoming for all students. Staff in the ACLU's LGBTQ Student Rights Project can provide such trainings, or we can connect schools with other training options.

Error! Main Document Only.Chair Stephen

Rohde Chairs Emeriti Danny Goldberg Allan K. Jonas Laurie Ostrow* Stanley K. Sheinbaum

President Douglas Mirell Burt Lancaster* Irving Lichtenstein, MD*

Jarl Mohn

Executive Director H ector O. Villagra Chief Counsel Mark D. Rosenbaum Deputy Executive Director J ames Gilliam Communications Director J ason Howe Development Director S andy Graham-Jones Orange County Office Director B elinda Escobosa Helzer Legal Director & Manheim Family Attorney for First Amendment Rights P eter J. Eliasberg Deputy Legal Director A hilan T. Arulanantham Director of Policy Advocacy C larissa Woo Director of Community Engagement E lvia Meza Executive Director Emeritus R amona Ripston *deceased

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The staff of the Student Rights Project also works with other civil rights organizations in California to pass legislation aimed at curbing anti-LGBTQ harassment and discrimination, such as the federal Student Non-Discrimination Act and Seths Law. Seths Law was signed by Governor Brown in October 2011 and reaffirms that schools have affirmative obligations to create comprehensive plans to address bullying. Seth's Law also requires school personnel to intervene to stop bullying when you see it and when it is safe for you to do so. For more information about the LGBTQ Project, please contact either James Gilliam or Joey Hernndez at LGBTQ-SRP@aclu-sc.org, or by calling 213-977-5251. Sincerely,

James Gilliam Deputy Executive Director and Director, LGBTQ Student Rights Project

Belinda Escobosa Helzer Director, Orange County Office