Minnesota Action Alert – Safe Schools for All

Tell Your Legislators to Support the Safe Schools for All Bill
Your help is essential to pass this very important bill!
In schools across Minnesota, students are harassed or bullied for having a disability, for being an immigrant, for being gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender or having an LGBTQ parent, for being poor, or because of their physical appearance. Yet the vast majority of school district harassment policies do not prohibit harassment based on disability, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, socioeconomic status or physical characteristics.
Current MN law requires school districts to have a policy that prohibits harassment based on race, sex, and religion. The Safe Schools for All Bill (SF 971/HF 1198) would expand the list of protected classes to include disability, national origin, sexual orientation and other Minnesota Human Rights Act protected classes, bringing the law in line with the Minnesota Human Rights Act. The bill would also require protections based on “physical characteristics.” Over 35 organizations support this bill, including COLAGE, Education Minnesota, Search Institute, Arc of Minnesota, Minnesota PTA, Minnesota School Social Workers Association, Minnesota School Counselors Association, PACER Center, NAMI of Minnestoa, OutFront Minnesota, Family Equality Council, and several other human rights, disability, LGBTQ, and education organizations.
Floor votes on the Safe Schools for All Bill will be held soon. Legislators need to hear from you now!
Click here to find out who represents you.
Sample message for your Senator: Please vote in favor of SF 971, the “Safe Schools for All Bill,” sponsored by Sen. Dibble. Too many Minnesota students are being bullied. All students should feel safe to learn in school. This bill addresses school bullying head-on. Please support this bill.
Sample message for your Representative: Please vote in favor of HF 1198, the “Safe Schools for All Bill,” sponsored by Representative Davnie. Too many Minnesota students are being bullied. All students should feel safe to learn in school. This bill addresses school bullying head-on. Please support this bill.
When possible, personalize your email to explain why safe schools, or lack of safety in schools, impacts you as someone with LGBTQ parents.
If your Senator or Representative is a sponsor of the bill, don’t forget to thank them for their support. If you are a youth or adult with LGBTQ parents who lives in Minnesota who might like to speak out to help pass this bill, please contact Meredith Fenton, COLAGE Program Director at Meredith@colage.org.