Back to school in Brevard County means new protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students.
- School board changed anti-discrimination to include sexual orientation, gender identity
- Policy change does not include bathroom or locker room usage
- Student hopes it will stop bullying
Palm Bay’s Brianna Finnk, a senior at Bayside High School, says school can be tough for her and other LGBT students.
“Just a lot of slurs being used on a day-to-day basis,” said 17-year-old Finnk. “And it has become very normalized and it shouldn’t be. Those kind of actions should be addressed.”
Now there are new protections in Brevard County Schools against that harassment.
In a close 3-2 vote, the Brevard County School Board amended its anti-discrimination policy last month.
It added sexual orientation and gender identity to the policy, which already prohibited harassment against students, teachers and employees based on race, color, and ethnicity, among others.
“The policy was a reminder that as a system, as a community we stand together against any and all types of bullying or discriminatory acts,” said Brevard Schools Superintendent Desmond Blackburn.
Blackburn says the district will be on the lookout for any violations.
“If an act of discrimination should occur, or an alleged act should occur, we have people to contact and procedures to go through in order to investigate and resolve those matters,” said Blackburn.
Opponents of the LGBT protections are concerned that the policy change will make it easier for students to use any bathroom they want.
Blackburn says that’s not the case.
“This was not a policy about bathrooms, field trips or locker rooms,” said Blackburn, “It was a policy of making a statement against discriminatory practices.”
Finnk is optimistic that the policy will make her final year in high school her best year yet.
“I’m hoping that it’ll stop bullying and harassment from classmates and more teachers and administration to step in,” said Finnk. “And hopefully more support from the school district.”