Safe Schools

ACLU Lesbian & Gay Rights Project
Civil rights organization focusing on LGBT issues. Resources for students and teachers; model safe schools and anti-discrimination policies; creating Gay-Straight Alliances and why schools need to treat them equally. "Every Student, Every School" focuses on tools for rural communities and small towns to make schools safer for LGBT youth.

American Federation of Teachers (AFT)
National teachers union provides, among other resources, links to LGBT educational information, history, and lesson plans; see Human Rights & Community Relations.

Center Y.E.S. SIGNS
A group of student leaders working to end hate and homophobia in schools by starting Gay Straight Alliances and other student groups (a project of the New York LGBT Community Center’s Youth Enrichment Services program).

Day of Silence Project
An international event in which a growing number of schools participate, designed to raise awareness and protest the silence faced by LGBT people, and offer tools with which to end the silence.

The Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network (GLSEN)
Works to end anti-gay bigotry by teaching respect for all in public, private, parochial K-12 schools. GLSEN's Resource Center provides several important guides to help educate and create a safer school climate, including how to start a Gay Straight Alliance.

Hetrick-Martin Institute
New York City high school for LGBT youth.

Human Rights Campaign (HRC)
General information about how to act and legislate against discrimination toward LGBT people. Provides information on starting an allies program in local schools and communities.

Lambda Legal
Making Schools Safe for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgendered Students: A Resource Guide
Civil rights litigation organization working to achieve full recognition of the civil rights of LGBT people. Provides suggestions for changing school policy and state law to help better protect youth, as well as steps students and parents can take when a child has been harassed in school.

Massachusetts Governor's Commission on Gay and Lesbian Youth
Publishes a series of ground-breaking reports available to the public.

National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR)
National legal rights and education organization staffs a toll-free youth legal information line and provides resources on building safe school environments, with a special focus on LGBT youth in sports.

National Education Association (NEA)
This National professional organization provides a set of recommendations and resources to enhance programs designed to help foster an environment of respect and safety in America's public schools.

National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF)
"Transgender Equality" Defines and describes transgender terms and issues; discusses the ways sexual orientation and gender identity overlap and differ; examines the role of gender variance in homophobia and anti-gay violence; provides information on efforts to achieve basic legal protections for transgendered people; and suggests strategies for advancing inclusive anti-discrimination, safe schools, and hate-crimes legislation.

Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG)
“From Our House to the Schoolhouse” campaign contains information for educators, parents, youth, and additional resources.

Project 10
Project 10 is a Los Angeles Unified School District onsite support program for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth.

The Safe Schools Coalition
Offers resources as a starting point for educators, parents/guardians and youth. Bibliography of resources to help youth, educators, administrators, and parents end bullying and create safe school environments for LGBT youth. Resources such as hotlines for LGBT youth experiencing harassment.

U.S. Department of Education
Published guide available on the web called, "Protecting Students from Harassment and Hate Crimes," including model policies that include protections against discrimination based on sexual orientation.

Please contact if any of these links are no longer working properly, or to suggest new ones. This list is not intended to be comprehensive, but to be a gateway to New York City resources and national directories. Thank you!