American Federation of Teachers Passes Resolution to Protect LGBTQ Students’ Educational Opportunities And Safety

For Immediate Release: July 22, 2016

Contact: Jerame Davis at jdavis@prideatwork.org

American Federation of Teachers Passes Resolution to Protect LGBTQ Students’ Educational Opportunities And Safety

Washington, DC – Following the recent passage of a resolution focused on LGBTQ students at the American Federations of Teachers convention, Pride at Work Executive Director, Jerame Davis, issued the following statement:

“In Minneapolis this week, the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) passed a resolution that stands up for the rights and safety of LGBTQ students in all schools, but focused heavily on transgender students’ rights.

In this resolution, titled “School Safety and Educational Opportunity for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Questioning (LGBTQ) Students”, the 1.6 million members of AFT recognized that providing transgender and other LGBQ students with necessary support will create a safer and more productive educational environment for all children.

It also affirms AFT affiliates will support the implementation of LGBTQ safety guidance established by both the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights and the Michigan State Board of Education. Both encourage schools to be inclusive of LGBTQ students, appropriately address transgender and gender non-conforming students by their chosen names and pronouns, and provide them access to the gendered facilities they identify with, among other suggestions.

AFT has long been a supporter of the LGBTQ movement, going back to 1970, when their executive council passed a resolution denouncing discrimination against gay and lesbian teachers. This week’s resolution only confirms the important social justice work they have been doing since its beginning.”

To read the full text of the resolution, please visit AFT’s website: https://www.aft.org/resolution/school-safety-and-educational-opportunity-lesbian-gay-bisexual-transgender

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Pride At Work organizes mutual support between the organized Labor Movement and the LGBTQ Community for social and economic justice. We seek full equality for LGBTQ Workers in our workplaces and unions and we organize in the spirit of the union movement’s historic motto, “An Injury to One is An Injury to All.” Learn more at www.prideatwork.org