John,
You've definitely seen the headlines from the last two years. From the proposed bans on books discussing LGBTQ people to forcing trans kids out of sports to demanding LGBTQ teachers remove family photos, America's schools are one of the most vitriolic battlefields in the fight to ensure LGBTQ representation and equality.
Not only have America's schools become ground zero for anti-LGBTQ attacks, but out school board members find themselves under renewed scrutiny - and sometimes, facing death threats and attacks against their own families.
But just how many out LGBTQ voices are currently heard on school boards? Where are they serving - and what are their experiences in office like? LGBTQ Victory Institute dives into this and more in our latest report: Few & Under Fire: LGBTQ School Board Members in the U.S. This report is the first national report that surveys LGBTQ school board members. Read the full report here!
You can also read coverage of the report from The Hill, them. and Newsweek!
Alarmingly, the report also showed the harassment these leaders face:
- 47% respondents were the target of anti-LGBTQ verbal attacks as a school board candidate;
- 51% had been the target of anti-LGBTQ verbal attacks as a school board member;
- 17% had been the target of anti-LGBTQ verbal attacks from a fellow member of the school board; and
- More than one-third of respondents faced threats to their safety and 6.4% received death threats as a school board candidate or member.
As you can see, being an out school board member isn't easy. Not only do LGBTQ school board members face horrific attacks, but we must elect over 6,000 LGBTQ people to close this representation gap. Help Victory Institute train more LGBTQ candidates to run for school board seats and help protect our current LGBTQ elected officials with a donation today!
Thank you for reading,
Elliot Imse
Pronouns: he|him|his
Executive Director, LGBTQ Victory Institute
