disd agrees to make schools safer for gay students

Dallas schools will be safer for gay students, teachers and parents, says a new agreement between the Dallas Independent School District and Lambda Legal.

As part of the new non-discrimination policy, DISD will:

• Include training on LGBT issues as part of the regular diversity trainings for staff.
• Allow LGBT groups such as Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (GLSEN), or Parents and Friends of Lesbian and Gays (PFLAG) to provide in-service trainings for teachers.
• Use LGBT-friendly forms such as permission slips. The forms will refer to “Parent 1” and “Parent 2” instead of or in addition to “Father” and “Mother.”
• Provide and make visible LGBT-friendly materials in libraries. Books, posters and other materials with LGBT themes and topics will no longer be held behind school library counters and individuals will no longer have to ask to view these materials.
• Allow access to websites of LGBT organizations that are currently blocked, such as that of the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN), and Youth First Texas.
• Make Lambda Legal materials on the rights of LGBTQ youth available at all middle and high school Counseling Offices.
  

We commend DISD for this new, progressive policy that will create a safer and more comfortable learning environment for all Dallas students. We hope that other North Texas area school districts will follow DISD's example and create similar non-discriminatory policies.