Backers of legislation to expand Idaho's discrimination laws to cover sexual orientation and to step up anti-bullying measures in the state are planning a rally Saturday on the Capitol steps. "If you ask, you'll find Idahoans agree: no one should be harassed or bullied at school, fired from a job, denied housing or denied public services for no other reason than that they are gay or because of how they express their gender," said Boise State University student Lindsey Matson of the "Safe Schools and Fair Employment Working Group." The group is backing SB 1033, legislation introduced by Senate Minority Leader Edgar Malepeai, D-Pocatello, to add sexual orientation and gender identity to the Idaho Human Rights Act.

Similar legislation was defeated in the Senate State Affairs Committee in 2008 after an emotional hearing; the existing law covers discrimination in employment and public accommodations because of race, creed, color, sex, or national origin. Click below to read the group's full announcement.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 12, 2011

CONTACT: Mistie Tolman, Safe Schools and Fair Employment Working Group

Idahoans Rally to End Discrimination in the Workplace and Bullying in Schools

Concerned parents and local residents show their support for legislation to end bullying and job discrimination.

Boise -- On Saturday January 29, at noon on the state Capitol steps those from the Boise area are urged to join their neighbors, classmates, families and friends in showing legislators the level of support in Idaho for passage of more effective anti-bullying laws and legislation adding sexual orientation and gender identity to Idaho's Human Rights Act.

One piece of legislation, S1033 was introduced in the Senate on Friday. It awaits a hearing from the Senate State Affairs Committee.

Said Boise State University student, Lindsey Matson, "If you ask, you'll find Idahoans agree: no one should be harassed or bullied at school, fired from a job, denied housing or denied public services for no other reason than that they are gay or because of how they express their gender. Today is a day people are speaking their minds, standing up with their neighbors and co-workers and saying, 'Hey, it's time to change the laws.'"

The Idaho Human Rights Act currently protects Idahoans from discrimination on the basis of race, religion, sex, national origin, and age. Protections on the basis of disability were added in 2007.   However, Idaho has no state or federal protections for people who are fired from their jobs simply for being gay.

Justin Baxter, who grew up in Sandpoint, has previously feared he would lose his job for being gay, "Without non-discrimination policies, employees live in fear of being fired if they are seen with their partner outside work, if they mention the gender of their partner in conversation or put a photograph of their partner on their desk as other employees do. It's bad for the employee and bad for the business because worried employees are not going to be as productive as those who know they will not face discrimination." Baxter, supports legislation to include the terms  ”sexual orientation and gender identity” in Idaho’s Human Rights Act, empowering the Idaho Human Rights Commission to investigate, mediate and seek resolution to complaints of discrimination in employment, housing, education and public services. "I intend to ask my legislators to sponsor the bill."

Mistie Tolman, a mother of four from Garden City, worries about her kids facing difficult reactions in school, "Every parent deserves the right to have their child educated in a safe and welcoming environment. And even more important, all kids have the right to be safe and free from harassment and fear at school. Right now kids and parents can't be sure of that in Idaho."

Idaho's existing anti-bullying offers no training for teachers on how to address what are often complex issues of weight, gender, religion and even differing family compositions. Idaho code also does not ensure districts have a role in protecting all kids and makes no mention of categories of students frequently targeted for bullying to ensure they are not excluded from district policies and classroom practices.

According to SPAN, Idaho's suicide prevention organization, over the past five years Idaho has had between the third and the eleventh highest suicide rate in the nation with 187 young people completing suicide across the state between 2005 and 2009.

In the last half of 2010, at least twelve students nationally – ranging in age from 13 to 19 – have committed suicide following harassment at school based on their actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity.

A 2009 National School Climate Survey of 7,261 students between the ages of 13 and 21 found that among gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender youth;

--61% of students felt unsafe at school because of the sexual orientation

--students often missed school because they felt unsafe

--84.6% of the students reported being verbally harassed,

--40.1% reported being physically harassed and

--18.8% reported being physically assaulted at school in the past year because of their sexual orientation.

--12.5% reported being physically assaulted at school in the past year because of their gender expression.

The same study found that students attending schools with an anti-bullying policy that included protections based on sexual orientation and/or gender identity or expression heard fewer homophobic remarks, experienced lower levels of victimization related to their sexual orientation and were more likely to report that staff had intervened when homophobic remarks were made.

These students were also more likely to report incidents of harassment and assault to school staff than students at schools with a general anti-bullying policy or no policy.

 
The Safe Schools & Fair Employment Working Group is an informal committee of people from around the state who support ending bullying and discrimination in Idaho.