New York schools are illegally discriminating against transgender and gender nonconforming students, according to a report released Wednesday by the New York Civil Liberties Union. The report, “Dignity for All?,” found 24,478 incidents were reported during the 2012-2013 school year relating to the Dignity for All Students Act, and one-third of state schools did not report any harassment incidents. The legislationtook effect in2012 toprotectstudents from bullying and harassment, and prohibits discrimination based on gender. The NYCLU said students continue to be discriminated against because of the state education department’s lack of guidance and training forteachers and school staff. “In public schools across New York, transgender and gender nonconforming children as young as five face relentless harassment, threats and even violence for trying to access their right to an education,” said NYCLU Executive Director Donna Lieberman. “And instead of supporting kids, too many schools are magnifying the problem by imposing discriminatory and even illegal policies.” The NYCLU is calling for immediate trainings andimproved data collection to help transgender students in state schools.
NYCLU: State not protecting transgender students
Wendy Joan Biddlecombe, Metro
