Board Resolution Proclaims June 2024, as LGBTQIA+ Pride Month

The San Diego County Board of Education unanimously passed a resolution procaiming June 2024, as LGBTQIA+ Pride Month. Resolution No. 2024-24 reads:

WHEREAS Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual, plus (LGBTQIA+) Pride Month is celebrated each year in the month of June to honor the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in Manhattan; and 

WHEREAS current and former presidents of the United States have officially declared June an LGBT pride month; and 

WHEREAS the San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE) is committed to safety, inclusion, representation, and affirmation for all students through developing and coordinating activities, training, and opportunities; and 

WHEREAS through interagency collaborations, SDCOE is working to cultivate positive and safe school environments to empower youth with confidence and knowledge to successfully navigate and improve the ever-changing world; and 

WHEREAS SDCOE works to honor all students, staff members, and families who identify as LGBTQIA+, fostering a welcoming school climate where they can live their authentic lives and be treated with dignity and respect; and 

WHEREAS all students deserve to feel safe and welcome in their schools; to be known by their preferred name, gender identity, and story; and to see themselves represented in the curricula; and 

WHEREAS the availability and the utility of LGBTQIA+-related school resources and supports help offset the negative effects of a hostile school climate and promote a positive learning experience; and 

WHEREAS SDCOE supports schools in implementing a history and social studies curriculum that highlights the contributions of members of the LGBTQIA+ community and allows students to see themselves accurately reflected, as prescribed by the FAIR Education Act, Senate Bill 48, which was signed into law on July 14, 2011; and 

WHEREAS California state law addresses discrimination, harassment, intimidation, and bullying towards LGBTQIA+ youth; and 

WHEREAS a hostile school climate affects students’ academic success and mental health. LGBTQIA+ students who experience victimization and discrimination at school have worse educational outcomes and poorer psychological well-being; and 

WHEREAS there have been numerous studies indicating the inequities experienced by the LGBTQIA+ community, including poverty, homelessness, school harassment, physical assault, domestic violence, hate crimes, mental health issues, and substance abuse concerns; and 

WHEREAS SDCOE supports schools in the adoption and implementation of comprehensive bullying/harassment policies that specifically enumerate sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression, with clear and effective systems for reporting and addressing incidents that students experience; and 

WHEREAS SDCOE recognizes years of struggle for freedom and civil rights by LGBTQIA+ people, and their contribution to the rich history of collective action championing equality for all people; and 

WHEREAS SDCOE celebrates this rich history, acknowledging the contributions LGBTQIA+ individuals have made and continue to make to strengthen the fabric of American society and its promise of equal rights for all. 

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the San Diego County Board of Education does hereby proclaim June 2024 as LGBTQIA+ Pride Month.