Al Franken: Safe Schools for LGBT Students Is A Right

At a press conference on November 18 U.S. Senator Al Franken (D-MN) introduced the Student Non-Discrimination Act (SNDA), which protects students from harassment, bullying, and violence based on actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity. The SNDA has 29 Senate cosponsors. Its companion bill authored by Rep. Jared Polis (D-Colo) also enjoys broad support. Franken was joined at the conference by Minnesotan Tammy Aaberg. In July 2010 her 15-year-old son Justin committed suicide after prolonged bullying at school about his being gay. Aaberg told the audience that she had never realized the torment Justin had experienced until his friends told her. She discovered the Anoka-Hennepin School District provided no definitions of LGBT bullying or guidelines for intervention.