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. The Fayette County Public School board members voted to add “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” to the district’s non-discrimination policy during Monday night’s school board meeting.
“The 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,” said Dennis Cornell, vice chair of the Kentucky Fairness Alliance (KFA). Cornell has been working with FCPS in drafting this change to the non-discrimination policy.
Fayette County Public Schools is the second school district in Kentucky to specifically protect students from harassment and discrimination based on sexual orientation. Jefferson County Public Schools was the first school district in Kentucky to protect students by banning discrimination based on sexual orientation in 2008. FCPS is the only school district in Kentucky to also ban discrimination based on gender identity. 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. This updated FCPS non-discrimination policy is added protection for employees.
“Our 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. Kentucky has had 3 teens who have killed themselves due to bullying since October 2011…so it seems the current anti-bullying law is not working,” stated Cornell. 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. It does get better. It’s getting better right now!”