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Public speaker urges district to publicly affirm support for LGBTQ+ students, cites bullying incidents
Summary
A resident told the board she experienced or witnessed harassment of a transgender student and urged the district to publicly affirm support for queer and minority youth and strengthen anti-bullying practices.
A public commenter at the Aug. 11 Elk River School District board meeting described incidents of harassment of a transgender student and urged the board to publicly affirm support for LGBTQ+ students and strengthen anti-bullying efforts.
Sally Anton recounted an account in which a student said a transgender peer was cornered and interrogated about their identity, told they should go to conversion therapy, and later spat upon after reporting the incident. Anton said the aggressor faced no consequences and won a leadership award. She identified hallway use of an anti-gay slur and said a student was threatened with conversion therapy after being questioned by peers.
Anton cited research from ChildTrends that shows supportive staff and comprehensive anti-bullying policies improve school climate for LGBTQ+ youth and reduce risk factors such as consideration of suicide. She asked the board to publicly affirm support for queer and other minority youth and their rights, and to consider actions that make schools safer.
The board chair thanked Anton and moved to the superintendent's report; Anton offered to provide the research link to the board.
Ending: The public comment was recorded during the public-comment segment; the board did not take immediate action on the requests during this meeting and transitioned to administrative reports.
