Parents, Students, Activists To Fight Anti-Gay Bullying At MN School Board Monday

It's coming down to the wire for students in Minnesota's Anoka-Hennepin School District. As the debate around the current "neutrality" policy continues, local students, teachers and advocates are speaking out for its removal.

Over the past several weeks many of you have taken action at Change.org by asking the Ankoa-Hennepin school board to remove its so-called "neutrality" policy that currently keeps teachers from discussing lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgendered students in the classroom. The "neutrality" policy also prevents teachers from truly creating an inclusive safe schools environment for all students and families by instituting a gag policy.

The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) and the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR), in an op-ed for Minnesota Public Radio, argued that although the district has an anti-bullying policy, it will never truly address school bullying as long as it maintains a gag policy that basically tells teachers to keep quiet about anything relating to LGBT students.

Some conservative groups based outside of Minnesota, however, want the "neutrality" policy to stay in place and are urging the school district to not listen to local community members, teachers or students who want it removed.

SPLC and NCLR continue to be in talks with the district -- Minnesota's largest -- about removing the "neutrality" policy and creating safe spaces for all students while working with local advocacy groups. The school board still has not made a decision on the "neutrality" policy and they need to hear from you.

On Monday, July 11, the Anoka-Hennepin school board will meet for its monthly meeting and students, families and supporters will on  hand to tell the school district to remove the "neutrality" policy. Sign the petition at Change.org and tell the district to remove the "neutrality" policy and put students first. Stay tuned to Change.org for further developments and how you can take action.