A new study of safety and support for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) youth in North Carolina, Florida, and Kentucky indicates that the vast majority of GLBT young people face harassment in their schools, and indicates that many schools are not adequately addressing this problem.
Project Director in NC, Karen Bonnewell of Haven House, Inc. submitted more than 80 surveys of NC youth from Wilmington to Weaverville. According to the Breaking the Silence survey of 111 GLBT youth, conducted by the Southeastern Network of Youth and Family Services, 78% of youth said they have been verbally harassed due to their gender identity or sexual orientation.
Of those who reported such harassment, 92% reported that the incident occurred in school.
Thirteen percent of the youth surveyed reported being physically assaulted because of their gender identity or sexual orientation; 75% of those assaulted said the incident occurred in school.
Even in school systems that have broad diversity policies and a reputation of inclusion, such as Chapel Hill-Carrboro Schools, some GLBT students don't feel comfortable being open about their sexual orientations. 'I consider myself lucky to have a supportive church and supportive parents and friends,' said one East Chapel Hill High student. 'But the social and academic pressures at school are just too great.'
Yet advocates say that the harassment itself is not the only problem; they are concerned about how the schools respond to these incidents. According to the survey, 73% of students who reported verbal abuse to a teacher or school official said that no support was provided. Of those who reported physical assault to the school, 60% said no support was provided.
The North Carolina component of this project was headed by Haven House Services and assisted by P-FLAG Triangle.