119-hres321

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 321 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
H. RES. 321

 Supporting the goals and ideals of the Rise Up for LGBTQI+ Youth in 
Schools Initiative, a call to action to communities across the country 
 to demand equal educational opportunity, basic civil rights 
 protections, and freedom from erasure for all students, particularly 
 LGBTQI+ young people, in K-12 schools.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 April 9, 2025

Mr. Takano (for himself, Ms. McCollum, Ms. Norton, Mr. Krishnamoorthi, 
 Ms. Sanchez, Mr. Carson, Mr. Soto, and Mr. Johnson of Georgia) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
 on Education and Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

 RESOLUTION

 Supporting the goals and ideals of the Rise Up for LGBTQI+ Youth in 
Schools Initiative, a call to action to communities across the country 
 to demand equal educational opportunity, basic civil rights 
 protections, and freedom from erasure for all students, particularly 
 LGBTQI+ young people, in K-12 schools.

Whereas young people, teachers, school staff, families, and communities must be 
 free from transphobia, homophobia, racism, sexism, and ableism in K-12 
 schools;
Whereas K-12 schools must be safe and inclusive learning environments that 
 include and affirm LGBTQI+ young people, especially those who are 
 transgender, nonbinary, intersex, Black, Indigenous, people of color, 
 and people with disabilities and those who are from communities that 
 experience marginalization;
Whereas, for more than 2 decades, Congress has supported a resolution for a 
 ``National Day of Silence'', and for a decade, Congress has supported a 
 resolution for ``No Name-Calling Week'';
Whereas advocates have designated 2025 to 2026 as a time for communities to 
 support the Rise Up for LGBTQI+ Youth in Schools Initiative in support 
 of LGBTQI+ young people in schools by building on the goals of 
 ``National Day of

    (No) Silence'' and ``No Name-Calling Week'' to create 
 a sustained call to action to demand equal educational opportunities, 
 basic civil rights protections, and freedom from erasure for all 
 students;
Whereas LGBTQI+ young people frequently experience bias-based bullying and 
 harassment, discrimination, and punitive discipline that increases the 
 likelihood they will enter the school-to-prison pipeline;
Whereas over 200 anti-LGBTQI+ education bills have been introduced each year in 
 State legislatures across the country, the majority of which 
 specifically target transgender and nonbinary young people, including--

    (1) in the 26 States that have enacted policies between 2021 and 2025 
that prohibit transgender students from playing alongside their peers on 
school sports teams; and

    (2) in the 17 States that have enacted laws between 2021 and 2025 that 
prevent transgender students from using the school bathroom or locker room 
that corresponds with their gender identity;

Whereas GLSEN's 2021 National School Climate Survey found that LGBTQI+ students 
 who experienced discrimination on the basis of their LGBTQI+ identity at 
 school in the past year, including being prevented from using the 
 restroom that aligned with their gender identity and being barred from 
 playing on the school sports team that aligned with their gender 
 identity, were nearly 3 times as likely to have missed school in the 
 past month, had lower grade point averages, reported lower feelings of 
 school belonging, and had higher levels of depression compared to 
 LGBTQI+ students who had not experienced similar discrimination;
Whereas LGBTQI+ young people are more likely than their non-LGBTQI+ peers to 
 experience mental health concerns, including stress, anxiety, and 
 depression;
Whereas nearly half of LGBTQI+ young people seriously considered suicide in the 
 last year, a trend that increases among Indigenous, Black, and 
 multiracial LGBTQI+ young people;
Whereas the GLSEN's 2021 National School Climate Survey found that, among 
 LGBTQI+ students who said that they were considering dropping out of 
 school, 31.4 percent indicated that they were doing so because of the 
 hostile climate created by gendered school policies and practices;
Whereas States have passed or attempted to pass legislation that erases or 
 censors LGBTQI+ individuals, history, and contributions from classroom 
 literature and curricula, including--

    (1) in 9 States that enacted laws between 2022 and 2025 censoring 
instruction related to LGBTQI+ people; and

    (2) in 8 States that enacted laws between 2021 and 2025 that treat 
instruction related to LGBTQI+ individuals in history, science, the arts, 
or any academic class as a sensitive topic that requires parental 
notification and allows parents to opt their child out of such instruction;

Whereas these laws harm students and force families to consider leaving their 
 homes, as demonstrated in a Williams Institute report, which found that 
 56 percent of LGBTQI+ parents of students in Florida considered moving 
 out of Florida, and 16.5 percent have taken steps to move out of Florida 
 because of the passage of the Parental Rights in Education Act by the 
 State in 2022;
Whereas States have gone farther by specifically targeting transgender students 
 and their families with policies that attack mental health counseling 
 and gender-affirming care for transgender students, including the 
 introduction of at least 35 bills in 18 States since the beginning of 
 the 2025 legislative session that prohibit or create barriers to the 
 social affirmation of transgender and nonbinary students in schools, 
 such as using a student's chosen name and pronouns, regardless of the 
 risk to the student's safety, health, and well-being;
Whereas 86 percent of transgender and nonbinary young people say that recent 
 debates prompted by State legislation restricting the rights of 
 transgender individuals have negatively impacted their mental health;
Whereas data provided by the Department of Justice show that there were a 
 reported 247 anti-LGBTQ hate crimes in schools in 2023;
Whereas every young person must have equal educational opportunity and freedom 
 from the fear that their basic civil and educational rights will be 
 taken away from them;
Whereas young people who develop in positive school climates, free from 
 bullying, harassment, and discrimination, report greater physical and 
 psychological safety, greater mental well-being, and improved 
 educational and life outcomes;
Whereas positive school transformation must recognize that safety is too low of 
 a bar and that all communities deserve to be acknowledged and affirmed 
 in schools;
Whereas students and families, educators, and community members in every State 
 and territory are advocating for safe and inclusive learning 
 environments that affirm LGBTQI+ young people, particularly those who 
 are transgender, nonbinary, intersex, Black, Indigenous, people of 
 color, and people with disabilities;
Whereas affirming policies such as enumerated antibullying protections, gender 
 neutral dress code guidelines, and inclusive learning practices are 
 proven strategies to address hostile learning environments for all 
 students; and
Whereas we must all demand the best possible future for all young people in 
 schools, particularly those who identify as LGBTQI+, without exception: 
 Now, therefore, be it
 Resolved, That the House of Representatives--

    (1) supports the goals and ideals of the Rise Up for 
 LGBTQI+ Youth in Schools Initiative in demanding the best 
 possible future for all young people in schools, particularly 
 those who identify as LGBTQI+;

    (2) recognizes the contributions of students and families, 
 educators, and community members participating in the 
 ``National Day of

    (No) Silence'', to draw attention to the 
 bullying, harassment, assault, and discrimination faced by 
 LGBTQI+ students; and

    (3) encourages each State, territory, and locality to 
 support the Rise Up for LGBTQI+ Youth in Schools Initiative and 
 adopt laws and policies that prohibit bias-based victimization, 
 exclusion, and erasure.
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