CONTACTStaffCAREER OPPORTUNITIESADVERTISE WITH USPRIVACY POLICYPRIVACY PREFERENCESTERMS OF USELEGAL NOTICE
© 2024 Pride Publishing Inc.
All Rights reserved
All Rights reserved
By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Private Policy and Terms of Use.
The Maryland board of education voted Tuesday for the first time to explicitly protect gay and lesbian students from harassment in the state's public schools. The board voted 8-3 to include "sexual orientation" as one of the categories in which students "have the right to educational environments that are safe." Approval came after nearly four years of debate. Several other categories, including race, age, and religion, were protected in the regulation, which covers school safety standards under the new federal No Child Left Behind Act. "There's no hidden agenda here" to infuse teaching about homosexuality in the state's public school curriculum, said Philip S. Benzil of Westminster, who participated in the meeting and voted by telephone. Maryland becomes the ninth state to adopt language protecting students regardless of sexual orientation, according to the National Association of State Boards of Education. The Maryland board had backed away from the explicit language four times in as many years, responding to legislative and community fears that the policy's wording would require the teaching of homosexuality in classrooms statewide, or at least would allow homosexuality to be viewed as an acceptable lifestyle. Speakers at state board meetings said that the inclusion of sexual orientation in state regulation would open the door to acceptance of bestiality, incest, or pedophilia. But state education officials, gay rights activists, and students insisted that language was needed to protect gay and lesbian youths from harassment. The resolution approved Tuesday treats sexual orientation as a student safety issue and one that "doesn't involve curriculum or teacher training," according to state schools Superintendent Nancy S. Grasmick.
Want more breaking equality news & trending entertainment stories?
Check out our NEW 24/7 streaming service: the Advocate Channel!
Download the Advocate Channel App for your mobile phone and your favorite streaming device!
From our Sponsors
Most Popular
Here Are Our 2024 Election Predictions. Will They Come True?
November 07 2023 1:46 PM
Meet all 37 of the queer women in this season's WNBA
April 17 2024 11:24 AM
17 Celebs Who Are Out & Proud of Their Trans & Nonbinary Kids
November 30 2023 10:41 AM
Here Are the 15 Most LGBTQ-Friendly Cities in the U.S.
November 01 2023 5:09 PM
Which State Is the Queerest? These Are the States With the Most LGBTQ+ People
December 11 2023 10:00 AM
These 27 Senate Hearing Room Gay Sex Jokes Are Truly Exquisite
December 17 2023 3:33 PM
10 Cheeky and Homoerotic Photos From Bob Mizer's Nude Films
November 18 2023 10:05 PM
42 Flaming Hot Photos From 2024's Australian Firefighters Calendar
November 10 2023 6:08 PM
These Are the 5 States With the Smallest Percentage of LGBTQ+ People
December 13 2023 9:15 AM
Here are the 15 gayest travel destinations in the world: report
March 26 2024 9:23 AM
Watch Now: The Daily
Trending stories from our video partner Advocate Channel.
For more videos and shows go to advocatechannel.com.
Trending stories from our video partner Advocate Channel.
For more videos and shows go to advocatechannel.com.
Latest Stories
Over 90% of trans youth live in states pushing anti-trans legislation: report
April 23 2024 10:08 PM
George Santos pulls out of New York congressional race
April 23 2024 7:04 PM
Biden will hammer Trump over abortion bans in Florida speech
April 23 2024 5:00 AM
Tristan Snell, who brought down Trump University, sees conviction in hush money case
April 22 2024 7:36 PM
Joe Biden admin marks Earth Day with major environmental initiatives
April 22 2024 4:18 PM
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott: 'We want to end' trans and gender nonconforming teachers
April 22 2024 4:13 PM