Resolution Marks LGBTQIA+ Pride Month

The San Diego County Board of Education unanimously passed a resolution at its June regular meeting endorsing June 2022 as LGBTQIA+ Pride Month. Resolution 2022-11 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 2022 as LGBTQIA+ Pride Month.