,,iii #aahth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 ,,res4 #fbh ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,april #h1 #bjbd,mr4 ,schatz submitted the following resolution2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,health1 ,education1 ,labor1 and ,pensions ,,resolution ,supporting the goals and ideals of the ,rise ,up for ,,lgbtqi ,youth in ,schools ,initiative1 a call to action to communities across the country to demand equal educational opportunity1 basic civil rights protections1 and freedom from erasure for all students1 particularly ,,lgbtqi young people1 in ,k-#ab schools4 ,whereas young people1 teachers1 school staff1 families1 and communities must be free from transphobia1 homophobia1 racism1 sexism1 and ableism in ,k-#ab schools2 ,whereas ,k-#ab schools must be safe and inclusive learning environments that include and affirm ,,lgbtqi young people1 especially those who are transgender1 nonbinary1 intersex1 ,black1 ,indigenous1 people of color1 and people with disabilities and those who are from communities that experience marginalization2 ,whereas1 for more than #b decades1 ,congress has supported a resolution for a ,national ,day of ,silence1 and1 for a decade1 ,congress has supported a resolution for ,no ,name-,calling ,week2 ,whereas advocates have designated #bjbd to #bjbe 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 7,no7 ,silence and ,no ,name-,calling ,week to create a sustained call to action to demand equal educational opportunities1 basic civil rights protections1 and freedom from erasure for all students2 ,whereas ,,lgbtqi young people frequently experience bias-based bullying and harassment1 discrimination1 and punitive discipline that increases the likelihood they will enter the school-to-prison pipeline2 ,whereas over #bjj anti-,,lgbtqi education bills have been introduced each year in ,state legislatures across the country1 the majority of which specifically target transgender and nonbinary young people1 including-- 7#a7 in ,idaho1 where on ,march #cj1 #bjbj1 ,governor ,brad ,little signed the first bill into law barring transgender students from playing on the school sports teams that correspond with their gender identity2 7#b7 in #bd additional ,states that enacted policies between #bjba and #bjbd that prohibit transgender students from playing alongside their peers on school sports teams2 7#c7 in ,tennessee1 where in #bjba1 ,governor ,bill ,lee signed a bill that allows any student1 parent1 or employee to sue if they interact with a transgender person in a school bathroom or other facility2 and 7#d7 in #aj ,states that1 between #bjba and #bjbd1 enacted laws that prevent transgender students from using the school bathroom or locker room that corresponds with their gender identity2 ,whereas ,,glsen's #bjba ,national ,school ,climate ,survey found that ,,lgbtqi students who experienced discrimination on the basis of their ,,lgbtqi identity at school in the past year1 including being prevented from using the restroom that aligns with their gender identity and being barred from playing on the school sports team that aligns with their gender identity1 were nearly #c times as likely to have missed school in the past month1 had lower ,g,p,as1 reported lower feelings of school belonging1 and had higher levels of depression compared to ,,lgbtqi students who had not experienced similar discrimination2 ,whereas ,,lgbtqi young people are more likely than their non-,,lgbtqi peers to experience mental health concerns1 including stress1 anxiety1 and depression2 ,whereas nearly half of ,,lgbtqi young people seriously considered suicide in the last year1 a trend that increases among ,indigenous1 ,black1 and multiracial ,,lgbtqi young people2 ,whereas the ,,glsen's #bjba ,national ,school ,climate ,survey found that1 among ,,lgbtqi students who said that they were considering dropping out of school1 #ca4d percent indicated that they were doing so because of the hostile climate created by gendered school policies and practices2 ,whereas ,states have passed or attempted to pass legislation that erases or censors ,,lgbtqi individuals1 history1 and contributions from classroom literature and curricula1 including-- 7#a7 in ,florida1 where in ,march #bjbb1 ,governor ,ron ,de,santis signed ,,hb #aeeg into law1 censoring instruction related to ,,lgbtqi people1 commonly referred to as the ,don't ,say ,,lgbtq law2 7#b7 in the #f additional ,states that enacted laws between #bjbb and #bjbd censoring instruction related to ,,lgbtqi people2 7#c7 in ,arizona1 where in ,may of #bjba1 ,governor ,doug ,ducey signed ,,hb #bjce1 which requires parental consent for a child to learn about topics such as the ,united ,states ,supreme ,court ruling in ,obergefell v4 ,hodges1 #egf ,u4,s4 #fdd 7#bjae71 in which the ,court held that the fundamental right to marry is guaranteed to same-sex couples2 and 7#d7 in ,arkansas1 ,florida1 ,montana1 and ,tennessee1 which in #bjba enacted laws that treat instruction related to ,,lgbtqi individuals in history1 science1 the arts1 or any academic class as a sensitive topic that requires parental notification and allows parents to opt their child out of such instruction2 ,whereas these laws harm students and force families to consider leaving their homes1 as demonstrated in a ,williams ,institute report1 which found that #ef percent of ,,lgbtqi parents of students in ,florida considered moving out of ,florida and #af4e percent have taken steps to move out of ,florida because of ,,hb #aeeg2 ,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 students1 including-- 7#a7 in ,texas1 where in #bjbb1 ,governor ,greg ,abbott issued a directive to the ,department of ,family and ,protective ,services to investigate the parents of young people seeking gender-affirming care for child abuse1 which purported to require school professionals to report parents who are supportive of their transgender child for investigation2 and 7#b7 the introduction of at least #ee bills in #bb ,states1 since the beginning of the #bjbd legislative session1 that prohibit or create barriers to the social affirmation of transgender and nonbinary students in schools1 such as using a student's chosen name and pronouns1 regardless of the risk to the student's safety1 health1 and well-being2 ,whereas #he 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 health2 ,whereas data provided by the ,department of ,justice shows that the number of reported anti-,,lgbtqi hate crimes in schools has increased from #ade reported incidents in #bjai to #bea reported incidents in #bjbb2 ,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 them2 ,whereas young people who develop in positive school climates1 free from bullying1 harassment1 and discrimination1 report greater physical and psychological safety1 greater mental well-being1 and improved educational and life outcomes2 ,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 schools2 ,whereas students and families1 educators1 and community members in ,arizona1 ,arkansas1 ,florida1 ,idaho1 ,montana1 ,tennessee1 ,texas1 and in all ,states and territories are advocating for safe and inclusive learning environments that affirm ,,lgbtqi young people1 particularly those who are transgender1 nonbinary1 ,black1 ,indigenous1 people of color1 and people with disabilities2 ,whereas affirming policies1 such as enumerated anti-bullying protections1 gender neutral dress code guidelines1 and inclusive learning practices1 are proven strategies to address hostile learning environments for all students2 and ,whereas we must all demand the best possible future for all young people in schools1 particularly those who identify as ,,lgbtqi1 without exception3 ,now1 therefore1 be it ,that the ,senate-- 7#a7 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 schools1 particularly those who identify as ,,lgbtqi2 7#b7 recognizes the contributions of students and families1 educators1 and community members who participate in the ,day of 7,no7 ,silence to draw attention to the bullying1 harassment1 assault1 and discrimination faced by ,,lgbtqi students2 and 7#c7 encourages each ,state1 territory1 and locality to support the ,rise ,up for ,,lgbtqi ,youth in ,schools ,initiative and adopt laws and policies that prohibit bias-based victimization1 exclusion1 and erasure4