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Bullied Teen and Mother Still Fighting for Change

Bullied Teen and Mother Still Fighting for Change

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Months after a teenage boy was brutally beaten in school for being gay, he, his mother, and the American Civil Liberties Union are urging Congress to pass a law that would protect LGBT students from bullying and discrimination.

Zach Huston and Becky Collins told The Advocate their story in November after Huston's classroom assault was caught on tape. Several months later, the family is still fighting to make the school a safer place for all LGBT students. According to the ACLU, 90% of LGBT high school students have reported an experience of harassment at school within the last year, and two thirds have said they don't feel safe at school because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

On Thursday, Ohio governor John Kasich signed the Jessica Logan Act into law, boosting training for antibullying policies in schools.

"All children should be able to go to school without fear of violence or intimidation, but that is simply not the case in Ohio," said ACLU of Ohio executive director Christine Link. "While the Jessica Logan Act is a positive first step towards protecting all students, state officials failed to specifically protect those students who are most vulnerable."

Watch the Huston family's story below.

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