Minnesota School Board Still Mum About Anti-Gay "Gag" Rule

On Monday night, a bullied former student and the mother of a suicide victim asked the largest school district in Minnesota to create a safer environment for students of all sexual orientations. With them in spirit were the more than 12,000 Change.org members who have signed the petition asking the Anoka-Hennepin school board to remove the district's "gag" policy which forbids teachers and staff from talking about LGBT issues with students.

As 2010 grad Justin Anderson, who went to Blaine High School in Anoka-Hennepin, and Tammy Aaberg, whose son Justin tragically died of suicide last summer due to anti-gay bullying, presented the print-out of all 12,000+ signatures on the Change.org petition to board members, they urged the board to come to their senses and create a safe educational environment for students.

"I believe that some of you have been receiving emails about a petition requesting an end to the Sexual Orientation Curriculum Policy," Anderson -- who was bullied for being gay when he was a student -- told the board. "Tammy and I have spoken to you about this several times before because we believe that this policy is dangerous to your LGBTQ students and their allies and creates a hostile environment for them, resulting in many of them feeling isolated and invisible or unwanted."

"We are here to ask you again to rescind this policy," he continued, "and to deliver a hard copy of this petition to you. It is difficult to gauge the number of signatures via email and much easier to miss, so I wanted to hand you these personally. There are over 12,000 signatures here."

None of the board members commented during the public portion of the meeting.

Their activism is backed by two major organizations. In May, the Southern Poverty Law Center and The National Center for Lesbian Rights formally contacted the school board, calling for a removal of the gag policy. The organizations continue to be in talks with the school board.

The SPLC praised the efforts of the two anti-bullying advocates this week, as well as the support of the petition on Change.org:

“We are heartened by the outpouring of support of Anoka-Hennepin’s LGBT students from thousands of people in all walks of life. The petitions call for a swift repeal of the school district’s gag policy that acts as a code of silence and prevents staff from lending support to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) students," said Sam Wolfe, Staff Attorney for LGBT Rights at the Southern Poverty Law Center this week.

Some of the petition signers are local teachers who commented that the current "neutrality" policy restricts them from providing a safe space for all students in the classroom. Baiba Olinger, a 33-year veteran teacher at the district, signed and added: "I feel we have gone backwards in our policy towards LGBT students. How can "being neutral" work? Can I be "neutral" on someone being female or black? It is time to change this policy."

You can watch the meeting here: Video of meeting

And add your voice to the petition here: Petition link

We will continue to follow up with ways for you to take action.