Parents, students of Lynchburg City Schools demanding protection for LGBTQ students
LYNCHBURG, Va. (WSET) -- Parents and students in Lynchburg City Schools are demanding an end to what they see as growing harassment against LGBTQ students.
Vicente Gonzalez, a former Lynchburg City Schools student, said he wants the school board to create a task force to help get it done.
"It was just like a culture of daily harassment from mostly students and some students," Gonzalez.
He said he was harassed in high school because of his sexual orientation. That's why Gonzalez and others attended the school board meeting on Tuesday night to ask the board to implement a policy that protects LGBTQ students.
"When queer students did come forward, you ignored them," said Gonzalez.
Current students and parents said this underrepresented group feels unsafe at school. Some parents said that their students are being targeted on social media and in school by angry students and teachers.
"Oh, and by the way, my daughter came out to the world at that meeting and so now she's open to harassment for that as well," said one parent.
"School isn't a place you should go and feel threatened or in danger for who you are," said another parent.
The school board already has a policy in place to help protect the rights of all students, but the language of that policy does not specifically include a student's sexual orientation. Gonzalez said that's the reason the school system needs a LGBTQ task force.
School Board member Belle Evans said that it's the board's responsibility to do it.
"If you do it and you don’t do it perfectly then you risk it and someone will read that policy and say this is my opening and take a lawsuit," said School Board member Sharon Carter.
Other school board members also agreed that it's the right thing to do.
The board decided to rework the policies at the next work session to be voted on in next month’s meeting.
