As attacks on LGBTQ+ students increased across the country, the Human Rights Campaign Foundation stepped up efforts to equip parents, educators, and community members with the tools to fight back. Today, HRCF’s Welcoming Schools Program, in partnership with the School Board Integrity Project, released a new advocacy guide aimed at helping individuals engage with local school boards to push for inclusive policies.
Titled “School Boards Matter: A Guide to Effectively Advocating at the School Board Level,” the resource walks readers through the structure and power of school boards while providing practical advice on how to push for policies that ensure all students can learn in a safe and welcoming environment. The guide includes worksheets for identifying school board members and templates for providing testimony at board meetings.
“The effects of a school system that does not support our LGBTQ+ youth are dangerous — full stop,” said Cheryl Greene, Senior Director of Welcoming Schools. “With this new guide, we hope parents and loved ones feel empowered to stand up for LGBTQ+ youth in their lives.”
HRC says the need for such advocacy is urgent. A survey by The Trevor Project found that 43 percent of LGBTQ+ youth aged 13–17 reported attending a school with at least one anti-LGBTQ+ policy. Additionally, those in schools with such policies faced higher rates of bullying — 62 percent reported being physically attacked for their perceived identity, compared to 38 percent in schools without anti-LGBTQ+ policies.
School boards play a critical role in shaping educational policies, making them a key battleground for LGBTQ+ rights in schools. Krystin Schuette, founder and director of the School Board Integrity Project, emphasized the stakes: “School boards are not just mechanisms of governance—they are the last line of defense for democracy and the first line of protection for students.”
As state and national leaders continue efforts to roll back LGBTQ+ protections, local advocacy has never been more important. The full guide is now available online, and more information about the HRC Foundation’s Welcoming Schools Program can be found at www.welcomingschools.org.
