The 2019 National School Climate Survey The Experiences of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Youth in Our Nation’s Schools A Report from GLSEN www.glsen.org The 2019 National School Climate Survey The Experiences of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Youth in Our Nation’s Schools by Joseph G. Kosciw, Ph.D. Caitlin M. Clark, Ph.D. Nhan L. Truong, Ph.D. Adrian D. Zongrone, M.P.H. National Headquarters 110 William Street, 30th Floor New York, NY 10038 Ph: 212-727-0135 Fax: 212-727-0254 DC Policy Office Make Office K Street 6th Floor, Attn: GLSEN 1015 15th Street, NW Washington, DC, 20005 Ph: 202-347-7780 Fax: 202-347-7781 [email protected] www.glsen.org © 2020 GLSEN ISBN 978-1-934092-33-0 When referencing this document, we recommend the following citation: Kosciw, J. G., Clark, C. M., Truong, N. L., & Zongrone, A. D. (2020). The 2019 National School Climate Survey: The experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer youth in our nation’s schools. New York: GLSEN. GLSEN is the leading national education organization focused on ensuring safe schools for all students. Established in 1990, GLSEN envisions a world in which every child learns to respect and accept all people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression. GLSEN seeks to develop school climates where difference is valued for the positive contribution it makes to creating a more vibrant and diverse community. For more information on our educator resources, research, public policy agenda, student leadership programs, or development initiatives, visit www.glsen.org. Graphic design: Adam Fredericks Quotes throughout are from students’ responses to open-ended questions in the survey. Electronic versions of this report and all other GLSEN research reports are available at www.glsen.org/research. CONTENTS PREFACE .........................................................................................................................................xi Acknowledgements ...................................................................................................................xiv EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ....................................................................................................................xv INTRODUCTION ...............................................................................................................................1 METHODS AND SAMPLE ..................................................................................................................7 Insight on Emerging Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Terms Over Time ...............................10 PART ONE: EXTENT AND EFFECTS OF HOSTILE SCHOOL CLIMATE ..................................................13 School Safety .................................................................................................................................15 Overall Safety at School ............................................................................................................16 School Engagement and Safety Concerns ....................................................................................16 Insight on Feelings of Safety Regarding Citizenship Over Time ......................................................17 Exposure to Biased Language ...........................................................................................................21 Hearing Anti-LGBTQ Remarks at School ......................................................................................22 Anti-LGBTQ Remarks from School Personnel ...............................................................................25 Hearing Other Types of Biased Remarks at School ........................................................................26 Experiences of Harassment and Assault at School ..............................................................................27 Harassment and Assault Based on Sexual Orientation, Gender, and Gender Expression ....................28 Harassment and Assault Based on Other Characteristics ...............................................................29 Other Types of Harassment and Negative Events ..........................................................................29 Reporting of School-Based Harassment and Assault ...........................................................................31 Reasons for Not Reporting Harassment or Assault ........................................................................32 Students’ Reports on the Nature of School Staff’s Responses to Harassment and Assault ................34 Effectiveness of Staff Responses to Harassment and Assault .........................................................36 Experiences of Discrimination at School............................................................................................39 Restricting LGBTQ Expression in School .....................................................................................40 Limiting LGBTQ Inclusion in Extracurricular Activities ..................................................................40 Enforcing Adherence to Traditional Gender Norms ........................................................................42 Gender Separation in School ......................................................................................................42 Hostile School Climate, Educational Outcomes, and Psychological Well-Being ......................................45 Educational Aspirations .............................................................................................................46 School Climate and Educational Aspirations ................................................................................47 School Climate and Academic Achievement ................................................................................48 Absenteeism ............................................................................................................................48 School Climate and School Discipline ........................................................................................49 School Climate and School Belonging .........................................................................................51 School Climate and Psychological Well-Being ..............................................................................52 PART TWO: SCHOOL-BASED RESOURCES AND SUPPORTS ..............................................................55 Availability of School-Based Resources and Supports .........................................................................57 Supportive Student Clubs ..........................................................................................................58 Inclusive Curricular Resources ...................................................................................................58 Insight on GSA Activities ...........................................................................................................59 Supportive School Personnel ......................................................................................................61 Insight on Reasons for Not Attending a GSA ................................................................................63 Inclusive and Supportive School Policies.....................................................................................64 Utility of School-Based Resources and Supports ................................................................................69 Supportive Student Clubs ..........................................................................................................70 Inclusive Curricular Resources ...................................................................................................73 Supportive School Personnel ......................................................................................................75 Inclusive and Supportive School Policies.....................................................................................79 v PART THREE: SCHOOL CLIMATE BY DEMOGRAPHIC AND SCHOOL CHARACTERISTICS .....................85 School Climate and Sexual Orientation .............................................................................................87 Victimization ...........................................................................................................................89 Discrimination and School Discipline .........................................................................................90 Absenteeism ............................................................................................................................90 School Climate and Gender .............................................................................................................93 Experiences of Transgender Students .........................................................................................94 Insight on Gender-Related Discrimination Among Transgender Students Over Time........................102 Experiences of Nonbinary Students .........................................................................................103 Experiences of Cisgender LGBQ Students .................................................................................104 Experiences of Questioning Students .......................................................................................105 School Climate and Racial/Ethnic Identity .......................................................................................107 Experiences of Arab American, Middle Eastern, and North African (MENA) LGBTQ Students ........108 Experiences of Asian American, Pacific Islander, and Native Hawaiian (AAPI) LGBTQ Students ......108 Experiences of Black LGBTQ Students .....................................................................................110 Experiences of Latinx LGBTQ Students ....................................................................................111 Experiences of Native American, American Indian, and Alaska Native (“Native and Indigenous”) LGBTQ Students ....................................................................................................................112 Experiences of Multiracial LGBTQ Students ..............................................................................113 Experiences of White LGBTQ Students .....................................................................................113 School Climate by School Characteristics ........................................................................................115 Differences by School Level .....................................................................................................116 Differences by School Type ......................................................................................................118 Differences by Locale ..............................................................................................................121 Differences by Region .............................................................................................................123 PART FOUR: INDICATORS OF SCHOOL CLIMATE OVER TIME ..........................................................127 Indicators of School Climate Over Time ...........................................................................................129 Anti-LGBTQ Remarks Over Time ...............................................................................................130 Experiences of Harassment and Assault Over Time .....................................................................133 Insight on Racist Remarks and Harassment Over Time ................................................................135 Experiences of Discrimination Over Time ...................................................................................136 LGBTQ-Related Resources Over Time ........................................................................................138 Student Acceptance of LGBTQ People Over Time .......................................................................140 Discussion ...................................................................................................................................143 Limitations .............................................................................................................................145 Conclusion and Recommendations ...........................................................................................146 Endnotes .....................................................................................................................................151 Title Page Photo Descriptions .........................................................................................................188 vi LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES Table M.1 Demographic and Educational Characteristics of Survey Participants ...............................11 Table M.2 Characteristics of Survey Participants’ Schools ..............................................................12 Table 1.1 Reasons LGBTQ Students Did Not Always Report Incidents of Harassment or Assault to School Staff ..........................................................................33 Table 1.2 LGBTQ Students’ Reports of School Staff’s Responses to Reports of Harassment and Assault ..............................................................................35 Table 1.3 LGBTQ Students’ High School Completion Plans ...........................................................46 Table 1.4 Reasons LGBTQ Students Do Not Plan to Graduate High School or Are Unsure If They Will Graduate .................................................................................47 Table 1.5 Academic Achievement of LGBTQ Students by Experiences of Victimization and Discrimination ..................................................................................49 Table 2.1 Availability of and Participation in GSAs .......................................................................58 Table 2.2 Positive Representations of LGBTQ-Related Topics Taught in Class ..................................60 Table 2.3 LGBTQ Students’ Reports of School Bullying, Harassment, and Assault Policies ...............65 Table 2.4 Transgender and Nonbinary Students’ Reports of Areas Addressed in Transgender and Nonbinary Student School Policies and Official Guidelines .......................................66 Table 2.5 Supportive Staff and LGBTQ Students’ Academic Achievement .......................................77 Table 3.1 Gender-Related Discrimination by Gender Identity .......................................................100 Table 3.2 Percentages of Students Reporting Anti-LGBTQ Language, Experiences of LGBTQ-Related Victimization, Discriminatory Policies and Practices, and Availability of LGBTQ-Related School Resources and Supports, by School Level .............117 Table 3.3 Percentages of Students Reporting Anti-LGBTQ Language, Experiences of LGBTQ-Related Victimization, Discriminatory Policies and Practices, and Availability of LGBTQ-Related School Resources and Supports, by School Type ..............119 Table 3.4 Percentages of Students Reporting Anti-LGBTQ Language, Experiences of LGBTQ-Related Victimization, Discriminatory Policies and Practices, and Availability of LGBTQ-Related School Resources and Supports, by Locale ......................122 Table 3.5 Percentages of Students Reporting Anti-LGBTQ Language, Experiences of LGBTQ-Related Victimization, Discriminatory Policies and Practices, and Availability of LGBTQ-Related School Resources and Supports, by Region .....................124 Figure 1.1 LGBTQ Students Who Felt Unsafe at School Because of Actual or Perceived Personal Characteristics ...............................................................................16 Figure 1.2 Percentage of LGBTQ Students Who Avoid Spaces at School Because They Feel Unsafe or Uncomfortable .................................................................18 Figure 1.3 LGBTQ Students who Avoided School Activities Because They Felt Unsafe or Uncomfortable ............................................................................................19 Figure 1.4 Frequency of Missing Days of School in the Past Month Because of Feeling Unsafe or Uncomfortable ............................................................................................19 Figure 1.5 Percentage of LGBTQ Students Who Changed Schools Because of School Safety Concerns ...............................................................................................19 Figure 1.6 Frequency of Hearing Anti-LGBTQ Remarks at School ....................................................22 Figure 1.7 Degree that LGBTQ Students Were Bothered or Distressed as a Result of Hearing “Gay” Used in a Derogatory Way ......................................................................23 Figure 1.8 LGBTQ Students’ Reports of How Many Students Make Homophobic Remarks .................23 Figure 1.9 LGBTQ Students’ Reports of Staff and Student Intervention in Homophobic Remarks .................................................................................................24 Figure 1.10 Frequency of LGBTQ Students Hearing Different Types of Remarks about Students’ Gender Expression .......................................................................................24 Figure 1.11 LGBTQ Students’ Reports of How Many Students Make Negative Remarks about Gender Expression ......................................................................................................25 Figure 1.12 LGBTQ Students’ Reports of Staff and Student Intervention in Negative Remarks about Gender Expression ..................................................................25 vii Figure 1.13 Frequency of LGBTQ Students Hearing Negative Remarks from Teachers or Other School Staff ......................................................................................................25 Figure 1.14 Frequency of LGBTQ Students Hearing Other Biased Remarks in School..........................26 Figure 1.15 Frequency of Verbal Harassment Based on Sexual Orientation, Gender, and Gender Expression Experienced by LGBTQ Students in the Past School Year ....................28 Figure 1.16 Frequency of Physical Harassment Based on Sexual Orientation, Gender, and Gender Expression Experienced by LGBTQ Students in the Past School Year ....................28 Figure 1.17 Frequency of Physical Assault Based on Sexual Orientation, Gender, and Gender Expression Experienced by LGBTQ Students in the Past School Year ..............29 Figure 1.18 Frequency of Other Identity-Based Harassment and Assault Experienced by LGBTQ Students in the Past School Year ...............................................29 Figure 1.19 Frequency of Other Types of Harassment Experienced by LGBTQ Students in the Past School Year ...............................................................................................30 Figure 1.20 Frequency of LGBTQ Students Reporting Incidents of Harassment and Assault ................32 Figure 1.21 Frequency of Intervention by LGBTQ Students’ Family Members .....................................32 Figure 1.22 LGBTQ Students’ Perceptions of Effectiveness of Reporting Incidents of Harassment and Assault to School Staff .......................................................................36 Figure 1.23 Percentage of LGBTQ Students who Have Experienced Discriminatory Policies and Practices at School ...............................................................................................41 Figure 1.24 LGBTQ Students’ Reports of Ways Schools Separate Activities by Gender or Have Different Requirements Based on Gender .............................................................42 Figure 1.25 Educational Aspirations of LGBTQ Students ..................................................................48 Figure 1.26 Educational Aspirations and Severity of Victimization .....................................................48 Figure 1.27 Absenteeism by Experiences of Victimization and Discrimination ....................................49 Figure 1.28 Percentage of LGBTQ Students who Have Experienced School Discipline .........................50 Figure 1.29 School Discipline by Experiences of Victimization and Discrimination ..............................51 Figure 1.30 School Belonging by Experiences of Victimization and Discrimination ..............................52 Figure 1.31 Self-Esteem by Experiences of Victimization and Discrimination ....................................53 Figure 1.32 Depression by Experiences of Victimization and Discrimination .......................................53 Figure 2.1 Representations of LGBTQ-Related Topics Taught in Any Classroom Curriculum ...............60 Figure 2.2 Availability of LGBTQ-Related Curricular Resources .......................................................61 Figure 2.3 Percentage of LGBTQ Students Who Have Received Any Sex Education ...........................61 Figure 2.4 Inclusion of LGBTQ Topics in Sex Education .................................................................61 Figure 2.5 LGBTQ Students’ Reports on the Number of Teachers and Other School Staff Who are Supportive of LGBTQ Students ........................................................................62 Figure 2.6 LGBTQ Students’ Reports on How Supportive Their School Administration is of LGBTQ Students .................................................................................................62 Figure 2.7 Comfort Talking with School Personnel about LGBTQ Issues ...........................................62 Figure 2.8 LGBTQ Students’ Reports on the Number of Openly LGBTQ Teachers or Other School Staff ......................................................................................................64 Figure 2.9 Percentage of Students Reporting Their School Has Policy/Guidelines Regarding Transgender and Nonbinary Students ............................................................66 Figure 2.10 Presence of GSAs and Frequency of Hearing Biased Remarks .........................................70 Figure 2.11 Presence of GSAs and LGBTQ Students’ Feelings of Safety and Missing School................71 Figure 2.12 Presence of GSAs and Victimization .............................................................................71 Figure 2.13 Presence of GSAs and Number of School Staff Supportive of LGBTQ Students .................71 Figure 2.14 Presence of GSAs and Intervention in Anti-LGBTQ Remarks ...........................................72 Figure 2.15 LGBTQ-Inclusive Curriculum and Frequency of Hearing Anti-LGBTQ Remarks ..................73 Figure 2.16 LGBTQ-Inclusive Curriculum and Victimization ..............................................................74 Figure 2.17 LGBTQ-Inclusive Curriculum and LGBTQ Students’ Feelings of Safety and Missing School ...........................................................................................74 Figure 2.18 LGBTQ-Inclusive Curriculum and Student Intervention in Anti-LGBTQ Remarks................75 Figure 2.19 Supportive School Staff and Feelings of Safety and Missing School .................................76 Figure 2.20 Supportive School Staff and Educational Aspirations .....................................................76 viii Figure 2.21 Feelings of Safety and Staff Intervention Regarding Negative Remarks about Sexual Orientation or Gender Expression .......................................................................77 Figure 2.22 Effectiveness of Staff Response to Harassment/Assault and LGBTQ Students’ Feelings of Safety and Missing School ................................................77 Figure 2.23 Effectiveness of Staff Response to Harassment/Assault and LGBTQ Students’ Experiences of Victimization ..............................................................78 Figure 2.24 Safe Space Stickers/Posters and Number of Supportive School Staff ...............................78 Figure 2.25 School Harassment/Assault Policies and Frequency of Hearing Anti-LGBTQ Remarks ........79 Figure 2.26 School Harassment/Assault Policies and Experiences of Victimization ..............................80 Figure 2.27 School Harassment/Assault Policies and Staff Intervention Regarding Anti-LGBTQ Remarks ..................................................................................................80 Figure 2.28 School Harassment/Assault Policies, Reporting Harassment/Assault, and Effectiveness of Staff Response .............................................................................81 Figure 2.29 Transgender and Nonbinary Policy and Gender-Related Discrimination .............................82 Figure 2.30 Transgender and Nonbinary Policy and Days of Missed School ........................................83 Figure 3.1 Outness in School by Sexual Orientation .......................................................................88 Figure 3.2 Victimization by Sexual Orientation ..............................................................................89 Figure 3.3 Experiences of Discrimination by Sexual Orientation ......................................................90 Figure 3.4 School Discipline by Sexual Orientation ........................................................................91 Figure 3.5 Missing School Due to Safety Concerns ........................................................................91 Figure 3.6 Feelings of Safety at School by Gender Identity .............................................................95 Figure 3.7 School Victimization by Gender Identity ........................................................................96 Figure 3.8 Avoiding Spaces at School by Gender Identity ...............................................................97 Figure 3.9 Percentage of LGBTQ Students who Missed School or Changed Schools Because of Safety Concerns by Gender Identity .............................................................98 Figure 3.10 Percentage of LGBTQ Students Who Experienced Anti-LGBTQ Discrimination at School by Gender Identity ...........................................................................................99 Figure 3.11 Comparison by Gender Identity: Percentage of LGBTQ Students Who Experienced School Discipline ...................................................................................101 Figure 3.12 Sense of Safety at School by Race/Ethnicity ................................................................109 Figure 3.13 Experiences of In-School Victimization Based on Personal Characteristics by Race/Ethnicity .....................................................................................................110 Figure 3.14 Experiences of Anti-LGBTQ Discrimination by Race/Ethnicity ........................................111 Figure 3.15 Experiences of School Discipline by Race/Ethnicity ......................................................112 Figure 4.1 Anti-LGBTQ Language by Students Over Time .............................................................131 Figure 4.2 Preponderance of Students Using Anti-LGBTQ Language Over Time ..............................131 Figure 4.3 Anti-LGBTQ Language by School Staff Over Time.........................................................132 Figure 4.4 Intervention Regarding Homophobic Remarks Over Time ..............................................133 Figure 4.5 Intervention Regarding Negative Remarks about Gender Expression Over Time ...............133 Figure 4.6 Frequency of Victimization Based on Sexual Orientation Over Time ................................134 Figure 4.7 Frequency of Victimization Based on Gender Expression Over Time ...............................134 Figure 4.8 Frequency of Reporting Victimization to School Staff and Effectiveness of Reporting Over Time .................................................................................................136 Figure 4.9 Frequency of Experiences with Discriminatory Policies and Practices Over Time .............137 Figure 4.10 Availability of GSAs Over Time ...................................................................................138 Figure 4.11 Availability of Curricular Resources Over Time .............................................................139 Figure 4.12 Availability of Supportive School Staff Over Time .........................................................139 Figure 4.13 Prevalence of School or District Anti-Bullying/Harassment Policies Over Time .................140 Figure 4.14 Perceptions of Peer Acceptance of LGBTQ People Over Time ........................................141 ix Insight Table Reasons LGBTQ Students Have Not Attended Any GSA Meetings in the Past School Year ...........................................................................................63 Insight Figure Feeling Unsafe in School Because of Citizenship Status Among Foreign-Born LGBTQ Students .................................................................................17 Insight Figure Percentage of LGBTQ Students with GSAs at Their School Who Reported the Following GSA Activities During the Past School Year ................................................59 Insight Figure Gender-Based Discrimination Among Transgender Students Over Time ......................102 Insight Figure Hearing Racist Remarks and Experiences of Racist Harassment Among LGBTQ Students of Color Over Time .......................................................................135 x