Supporting the goals and ideals of GLSEN's 2021 Day of Silence in bringing attention to anti-lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ+) name-calling, bullying, and harassment faced by individuals in schools.

IV 117TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. CON. RES. 29 Supporting the goals and ideals of GLSEN’s 2021 Day of Silence in bringing attention to anti-lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and ques- tioning (LGBTQ+) name-calling, bullying, and harassment faced by indi- viduals in schools. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES APRIL 19, 2021 Mr. TAKANO submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor, and in addition to the Com- mittee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall with- in the jurisdiction of the committee concerned CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Supporting the goals and ideals of GLSEN’s 2021 Day of Silence in bringing attention to anti-lesbian, gay, bisex- ual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ+) name-calling, bullying, and harassment faced by individ- uals in schools. Whereas the National Day of Silence is a day in which stu- dents take a vow of silence to bring attention to the anti- lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and ques- tioning name-calling, bullying, and harassment faced by individuals in schools; Whereas GLSEN is a national nonprofit organization work- ing to create safe and affirming learning environments in VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:15 Apr 20, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HC29.IH HC29 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 2 •HCON 29 IH primary and secondary schools nationwide, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression; Whereas GLSEN designates one day of every April as the Day of Silence; Whereas hundreds of thousands of students at thousands of schools have participated in the National Day of Silence in past years; Whereas GLSEN’s 2019 National School Climate Survey il- lustrates the pervasive harassment and victimization faced by LGBTQ+ middle and high school students by documenting their experiences within the preceding aca- demic year; Whereas nearly 70 percent of LGBTQ+ students reported being verbally harassed by their peers at school because of their sexual orientation, and nearly 57 percent because of their gender expression; Whereas nearly 26 percent of LGBTQ+ students reported being physically harassed by their peers at school because of their sexual orientation, and nearly 22 percent because of their gender expression; Whereas 11 percent of LGBTQ+ students reported being physically assaulted by their peers at school because of their sexual orientation, and 9 percent because of their gender expression; Whereas nearly 45 percent of LGBTQ+ students reported being cyberbullied; Whereas nearly 56 percent of Asian-American and Pacific Is- lander LGBTQ+ students experienced harassment or as- sault related to their sexual orientation in the past year; VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:15 Apr 20, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HC29.IH HC29 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 3 •HCON 29 IH Whereas 82 percent of American Indian or Alaska Native LGBTQ+ (or Two Spirit) students felt unsafe based on their sexual orientation in the past year; Whereas 60 percent of Latinx LGBTQ+ students experi- enced bullying based on their gender expression in the past year; Whereas nearly 60 percent of Black LGBTQ+ students expe- rienced bullying based on their sexual orientation in the past year; Whereas 44 percent of multiracial LGBTQ+ students felt unsafe in school based on the way they express their gen- der; Whereas nearly 37 percent of LGBTQ+ students reported being harassed at school based on their actual or per- ceived disability status; Whereas 59 percent of LGBTQ+ students reported that they felt unsafe in school because of their sexual orientation, and nearly 33 percent reported missing at least one en- tire school day in the preceding month because of safety concerns; Whereas transgender students were more likely than all other students to report feeling unsafe at school because of their gender expression; Whereas transgender students were more likely to report missing school or changing schools because they felt un- safe or uncomfortable; Whereas student academic performance is affected such that LGBTQ+ students who experienced high levels of har- assment and assault because of their sexual orientation or gender expression report a lower grade point average VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:15 Apr 20, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HC29.IH HC29 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 4 •HCON 29 IH than those of LGBTQ+ students who experienced low levels of such harassment and assault; Whereas the presence of supportive staff contributed to a range of positive indicators including fewer reports of missing school, fewer reports of feeling unsafe, greater academic achievement, higher educational aspirations, and a greater sense of school belonging; Whereas a growing number of States, cities, and local edu- cation authorities are adopting laws and policies to pro- hibit name-calling, bullying, harassment, and discrimina- tion against students on the basis of their sexual orienta- tion and gender identity or expression; and Whereas every child should be guaranteed an education free from name-calling, bullying, harassment, and discrimina- tion regardless of his or her sexual orientation and gen- der identity or expression: Now, therefore, be it Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 1 concurring), That Congress— 2 (1) supports the goals and ideals of the Na- 3 tional Day of Silence; and 4 (2) encourages each State, city, and local edu- 5 cational agency to adopt laws and policies to prohibit 6 name-calling, bullying, harassment, and discrimina- 7 tion against students, teachers, and other school 8 staff regardless of their sexual orientation and gen- 9 der identity or expression, so that the Nation’s 10 VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:15 Apr 20, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\HC29.IH HC29 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 5 •HCON 29 IH schools are institutions where all individuals are able 1 to focus on learning. 2 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:15 Apr 20, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\HC29.IH HC29 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS