Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender students have a Constitutionally protected right to be free from bullying and discrimination in their schools. Despite this, LGBT students in Mississippi can face the most hostile school climates in the country. According to a 2005 report by the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, Mississippi ranked last in a nationwide study of school anti-bullying policies and climate for LGBT students. In fact, Mississippi was the only state to receive a negative score out of a 100 total points, partly because of the state's explicit prohibition against teaching any gay-positive messaging in schools.
In 2008, the ACLU of Mississippi helped launch the cornerstone of a youth-led effort to end anti-LGBT bullying in Mississippi schools, the Mississippi Safe Schools Coalition (MSSC). The MSSC's inaugural conference included more than sixty students, teachers and concerned citizens working to end the harassment and bullying of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender students. The conference was an open forum and opportunity to discuss issues facing LGBT students. It also included workshops to educate the students in their legal rights in the state, to teach strategies to address bullying in schools, and to suggest ways students can come out to their parents.
Perhaps the greatest accomplishment of the conference was best summarized by an attending student who said, “thank you… I’ve never been able to talk about these issues”. With the success of the conference, the Safe Schools Coalition is expanding the program into high schools where LGBT students face unparalleled bullying from fellow students and administrators.
In addition to a “Day of Silence” to raise awareness of LGBT students in secondary schools, the ACLU of MS is employing internet social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter to reach a greater number of LGBT youth in Mississippi.
The affiliate is also organizing a “Prom Watch” to protect every LGBT student’s right to bring a same-sex date to high school proms.
Not only helping students, the ACLU of Mississippi is an advocate for all LGBT people, especially a group qui-etly on the rise in Mississippi, gay men inflicted with HIV and AIDS. In fact, Mississippi has the fastest grow-ing rate of African American gay men in the country, many suffering with HIV and AIDS. In an atmosphere dogged by misinformation, fear and stereotypes, the ACLU of Mississippi is working with and challenging the State Health Department to openly tackle the issue, publicize rates of infection and generally change the way the agency addresses the issues of HIV and AIDS in order to educate the community on how to prevent these diseases
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