School Climate & Safety Report Roundup

Sexual Orientation

By Lesli A. Maxwell — October 13, 2008 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

Nearly nine out of 10 lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender students experienced some form of harassment at school in the past year, a new national survey of 6,200 middle and high school students has found.

In the survey, conducted by the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network, more than 86 percent of students reported they were verbally harassed, 44 percent said they were physically harassed, and 22 percent reported being physically assaulted at school because of their sexual orientation.

The network, a national education organization that pushes for safe schools for all students, is launching a public education campaign with the Ad Council that will feature TV public-service announcements to address teenagers’ use of anti-gay language and expressions.

A version of this article appeared in the October 15, 2008 edition of Education Week

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Artificial Intelligence Webinar
Managing AI in Schools: Practical Strategies for Districts
How should districts govern AI in schools? Learn practical strategies for policies, safety, transparency, as well as responsible adoption.
Content provided by Lightspeed Systems
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Reading & Literacy Webinar
Unlocking Success for Struggling Adolescent Readers
The Science of Reading transformed K-3 literacy. Now it's time to extend that focus to students in grades 6 through 12.
Content provided by STARI
Jobs Virtual Career Fair for Teachers and K-12 Staff
Find teaching jobs and K-12 education jubs at the EdWeek Top School Jobs virtual career fair.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

School Climate & Safety Heat Illness Is Preventable Even on a Budget, Experts Say
Building awareness of risk is a critically important strategy for under-resourced school districts.
5 min read
Senior Joaquin Garcia takes a drink of water on the sideline during a morning football practice at Westwood High School in Austin, Texas, on Sept. 2, 2025.
Senior Joaquin Garcia takes a drink of water on the sideline during a morning football practice at Westwood High School in Austin, Texas, on Sept. 2, 2025.
Noah Devereaux for Education Week
School Climate & Safety ‘We Can Save Other Athletes’: How One State Is Fighting Heat-Related Deaths
The state has encouraged schools to modify their practices and monitoring during tough conditions.
5 min read
Football players gather around a coach during practice at Heard County High School in Franklin, Ga., on Aug. 27, 2025.
Football players gather around a coach during practice at Heard County High School in Franklin, Ga., on Aug. 27, 2025.
Lynsey Weatherspoon for Education Week
School Climate & Safety Opinion ‘This Kid Scares People’: A Behavior Specialist Shows Her Reality
Real school shooting prevention doesn't come from splashy announcements about a policy change.
Jillian Haring
4 min read
Depressed young male person sitting outdoors alone suffering from problems. Surrounded by a network of teams and individuals looking out for signs and ways to intervene.
Vanessa Solis/Education Week + Getty Images
School Climate & Safety Chicago Schools Prepare Students and Parents as Trump Threatens National Guard
The district is pledging not work with or share student records with ICE officers.
Kate Perez, Chicago Tribune
3 min read
Students file in for the first day of school at Courtenay Language Arts Center in Chicago's Uptown neighborhood, Aug. 18, 2025.
Students file in for the first day of school at Courtenay Language Arts Center in Chicago's Uptown neighborhood, Aug. 18, 2025.
E. Jason Wambsgans/Chicago Tribune/TNS