TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — Leon County Schools board members approved an initiative Tuesday night regarding Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ+) students.
The board approved Leon County School Superintendent Rocky Hanna’s recommendation of establishing the membership and by-laws of the Leon County Schools Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ+) Support Guide for School Personnel Advisory Committee.
The by-laws and committee would provide school district personnel with steps to support an LGBTQ+ student.
Hanna noted that he felt the committee has a good cross section of staff members, those in the community, medical professionals and students.
Hanna noted that the committee is there to serve the students.
“I’m proud of this committee,” Hanna said.
Board member Rosanne Wood noted The Trevor Project’s statistics of the elevated rate of suicide among LGBTQ+ youth because of how they are mistreated and stigmatized in society.
Leon County Schools board chair Darryl Jones noted that the committee isn’t political, but a labor of love by the school district to save lives of students.
Jones noted The Trevor Project’s statistics on the elevated rate of suicide by minority LGBTQ+ youth and wants all LGBTQ+ students to feel welcomed in the district.
The district noted because of perspective legislation that might impact the committee if passed, the committee does not plan to have any meetings until the current legislative session concludes in Florida.
