Gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) employees and students of Fayette County Public Schools now have protection against harassment and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.\u00a0 The Fayette County Public School board members voted to add \u201csexual orientation\u201d and \u201cgender identity\u201d to the district\u2019s non-discrimination policy during Monday night\u2019s school board meeting.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe school board members and the superintendent, Dr. Tom Shelton, are making a bold statement that harassment and discrimination will not be tolerated toward students or staff in regard to their sexual orientation and gender identity,\u201d said Dennis Cornell, vice chair of the Kentucky Fairness Alliance (KFA).\u00a0 Cornell has been working with FCPS in drafting this change to the non-discrimination policy.<\/p>\n
Fayette County Public Schools is the second school district in Kentucky to specifically protect students from harassment and discrimination based on sexual orientation.\u00a0 Jefferson County Public Schools\u00a0 was the first school district in Kentucky to protect students by banning discrimination based on sexual orientation in 2008.\u00a0 FCPS is the only school district in Kentucky to also ban discrimination based on gender identity.\u00a0 Lexington, along with Louisville and Covington, already has a city-wide Fairness Ordinance which protects the GLBT community from discrimination in employment, housing and access to public places.\u00a0 This updated FCPS non-discrimination policy is added protection for employees.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur next big step is promoting the Kentucky legislature to pass a state-wide anti-bullying law with enumerations protecting groups of students particularly regarding sexual orientation and gender identity.\u00a0 Kentucky has had 3 teens who have killed themselves due to bullying since October 2011\u2026so it seems the current anti-bullying law is not working,” stated Cornell.\u00a0 He continued, “This vote by the school board lets students know they can be authentic while at school and protected by the faculty and staff.\u00a0 It does get better.\u00a0 It’s getting better right now!”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) employees and students of Fayette County Public Schools now have protection against harassment and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.\u00a0 The Fayette County Public School board members voted to add \u201csexual orientation\u201d…<\/p>\n