[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 168 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. RES. 168
Supporting the goals and ideals of the Rise Up for LGBTQI+ Youth in
Schools Initiative, a call to action to communities across the United
States to demand equal educational opportunity, basic civil rights
protections, and freedom from erasure for all students, particularly
LGBTQI+ young people, in K-12 schools.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
April 9, 2025
Mr. Schatz (for himself, Mr. Markey, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Merkley, Mr.
Booker, Mr. Padilla, Ms. Warren, Mr. Blumenthal, and Mr. Wyden)
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee
on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Supporting the goals and ideals of the Rise Up for LGBTQI+ Youth in
Schools Initiative, a call to action to communities across the United
States to demand equal educational opportunity, basic civil rights
protections, and freedom from erasure for all students, particularly
LGBTQI+ young people, in K-12 schools.
Whereas young people, teachers, school staff, families, and communities must be
free from transphobia, homophobia, racism, sexism, and ableism in K-12
schools;
Whereas K-12 schools must be safe and inclusive learning environments that
include and affirm LGBTQI+ young people, especially those who are
transgender, nonbinary, intersex, Black, Indigenous, people of color,
and people with disabilities and those who are from communities that
experience marginalization;
Whereas, for more than 2 decades, Congress has supported a resolution for a
National Day of Silence, and, for a decade, Congress has supported a
resolution for No Name-Calling Week;
Whereas advocates have designated 2025 to 2026 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 (No) Silence and No Name-Calling Week to create a sustained call
to action to demand equal educational opportunities, basic civil rights
protections, and freedom from erasure for all students;
Whereas LGBTQI+ young people frequently experience bias-based bullying and
harassment, discrimination, and punitive discipline that increases the
likelihood they will enter the school-to-prison pipeline;
Whereas over 200 anti-LGBTQI+ education bills have been introduced each year in
State legislatures across the United States, the majority of which
specifically target transgender and nonbinary young people, including--
(1) in the 26 States that have enacted policies between 2021 and 2025
that prohibit transgender students from playing alongside their peers on
school sports teams; and
(2) in the 17 States that have enacted laws between 2021 and 2025 that
prevent transgender students from using the school bathroom or locker room
that corresponds with their gender identity;
Whereas the GLSEN 2021 National School Climate Survey found that LGBTQI+
students who experienced discrimination on the basis of their LGBTQI+
identity at school in the past year, including being prevented from
using the restroom that aligned with their gender identity and being
barred from playing on the school sports team that aligned with their
gender identity, were nearly 3 times as likely to have missed school in
the past month, had lower grade point averages, reported lower feelings
of school belonging, and had higher levels of depression compared to
LGBTQI+ students who had not experienced similar discrimination;
Whereas LGBTQI+ young people are more likely than their non-LGBTQI+ peers to
experience mental health concerns, including stress, anxiety, and
depression;
Whereas nearly half of LGBTQI+ young people seriously considered suicide in the
last year, a trend that increases among Indigenous, Black, and
multiracial LGBTQI+ young people;
Whereas the GLSEN 2021 National School Climate Survey found that, among LGBTQI+
students who said that they were considering dropping out of school,
31.4 percent indicated that they were doing so because of the hostile
climate created by gendered school policies and practices;
Whereas States have passed or attempted to pass legislation that erases or
censors LGBTQI+ individuals, history, and contributions from classroom
literature and curricula, including--
(1) in the 9 States that enacted laws between 2022 and 2025 censoring
instruction related to LGBTQI+ people; and
(2) in the 8 States that enacted laws between 2021 and 2025 that treat
instruction related to LGBTQI+ individuals in history, science, the arts,
or any academic class as a sensitive topic that requires parental
notification and allows parents to opt their child out of such instruction;
Whereas these laws harm students and force families to consider leaving their
homes, as demonstrated in a Williams Institute report, which found that
56 percent of LGBTQI+ parents of students in the State of Florida
considered moving out of the State, and 16.5 percent have taken steps to
move out of State because of the passage of the Parental Rights in
Education Act by the State in 2022;
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 students, including the
introduction of at least 35 bills in 18 States since the beginning of
the 2025 legislative session that prohibit or create barriers to the
social affirmation of transgender and nonbinary students in schools,
such as using the chosen name and pronouns of a student, regardless of
the risk to the safety, health, and well-being of the student;
Whereas 86 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 health;
Whereas data provided by the Department of Justice shows that there were a
reported 247 anti-LGBTQ hate crimes in schools in 2023;
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 them;
Whereas young people who develop in positive school climates, free from
bullying, harassment, and discrimination, report greater physical and
psychological safety, greater mental well-being, and improved
educational and life outcomes;
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 schools;
Whereas students and families, educators, and community members in every State
and territory are advocating for safe and inclusive learning
environments that affirm LGBTQI+ young people, particularly those who
are transgender, nonbinary, intersex, Black, Indigenous, people of
color, and people with disabilities;
Whereas affirming policies such as enumerated anti-bullying protections, gender
neutral dress code guidelines, and inclusive learning practices are
proven strategies to address hostile learning environments for all
students; and
Whereas we must all demand the best possible future for all young people in
schools, particularly those who identify as LGBTQI+, without exception:
Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) 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 schools, particularly
those who identify as LGBTQI+;
(2) recognizes the contributions of students and families,
educators, and community members who participate in the
National Day of (No) Silence, to draw attention to the
bullying, harassment, assault, and discrimination faced by
LGBTQI+ students; and
(3) encourages each State, territory, and locality to
support the Rise Up for LGBTQI+ Youth in Schools Initiative and
adopt laws and policies that prohibit bias-based victimization,
exclusion, and erasure.
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