Dear John,

Take action in allyship this week by asking your members of Congress to support the Safe Schools Improvement Act. SSIA is a pending bill in Congress that will make sure every student in the United States attends a school with an LGBTQ-inclusive anti-bullying policy. 

The Safe Schools Improvement Act will improve school climate, education, and health outcomes for all students by:

• Prohibiting harassment and bullying in K-12 schools with specific enumeration of students on the basis of actual or perceived sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, race, color, national origin, disability, and religion.

• Adopting policies at the local level that address the unique needs of all communities.

• Encouraging positive and preventative approaches to school discipline that minimize students’ removal from instruction and ensure that students are not subject to disproportionate punishment.

• Collecting, evaluating, and reporting data on bullying and harassment to identify more effective ways to make schools safe.

Currently, only 21 states and DC have laws that protect students from bullying on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity in schools. Every student across the country should be protected from bullying. 

Tell your Senators and U.S. Representative to co-sponsor the Safe Schools Improvement Act and share with them why safe and inclusive schools are important to you. 

When your Members of Congress co-sponsor the Safe Schools Improvement Act, they are acting in allyship with LGBTQ students too.

Thank you for joining us in advocating in support of this historic and important legislation. 

In community,

Brenda Barron 

Director of Public Policy, GLSEN