LGBTQ students are being harassed, assualted and discriminated against in Louisiana schools, according to a new reportby an LGBTQ-rights advocacy group.
GLSEN (formerly the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network) conducted a national survey that included about 300 LGBTQ students in Louisiana. The majority of those students reported that within the past year they had been harassed based on their sexual orientation or gender expression. Nearly 1 in 5 reported being physically assaulted.
Survey Results of Louisiana Students -79 percent reported being verbally harassed based on sexual orientation -19 percent reported being physically assaulted based on their sexual orientation -32 percent reported being physically harassed based on their gender expression -91 percent regularly heard the term "gay" being used negatively -42 percent were prevented by school staff from wearing certain clothing because it was considered inappropriate for their gender Source: GLSEN 2017 National School Climate Survey
Rates of harassment and assault were higher in Louisiana than in the nation at large. Most Louisiana students also reported discrimination by school staff.
GLSEN recommends Louisiana schools provide professional development for educators on LGBTQ issues, and stronger anti-bullying policies with specific protections for LGBTQ students.