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A project of Common Dreams

For Immediate Release
Contact:

Shawn Jain, (202) 675-2312; media@dcaclu.org

ACLU Hails Introduction of Key House Bill to Stop Discrimination and Improve Lives of LGBT Students

"Passing the Student Non-Discrimination Act is the single most important step that Congress could take to improve the lives of LGBT students in our nation's public schools," said Ian Thompson, ACLU legislative representative. "Though the pace of positive progress on LGBT rights over the past several years has been dizzying, there is shockingly no federal law that explicitly protects LGBT students from discrimination and harassment in our nation's public schools.

WASHINGTON

"Passing the Student Non-Discrimination Act is the single most important step that Congress could take to improve the lives of LGBT students in our nation's public schools," said Ian Thompson, ACLU legislative representative. "Though the pace of positive progress on LGBT rights over the past several years has been dizzying, there is shockingly no federal law that explicitly protects LGBT students from discrimination and harassment in our nation's public schools. We urge Congress to pass this bipartisan legislation and in doing so affirm that every student deserves the opportunity to attend school and learn without fear."

ACLU and Bayli Silberstein. Bayli Silberstein is an 8th grade student in the Orlando area, who has an inspiring/compelling story fighting bullying in her school. Now, Bayli is taking her fight national, and will be participating in today's telebriefing on the introduction of the Student Non-Discrimination Act. For more on Bayli's story, see here: aclu.org/secure/stand-with-bayli

The American Civil Liberties Union was founded in 1920 and is our nation's guardian of liberty. The ACLU works in the courts, legislatures and communities to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to all people in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States.

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