State released guidance to prevent bullying of transgender students

ALBANY, N.Y. — The New York State Education Department released its guidance on Monday on how schools can prevent bullying and discrimination against transgender students.

It’s an update to the state’s 2015 guidance on creating a supportive environment for transgender students and gender nonconforming students. The state updated the guidance to reflect changes in New York State Human Rights Law and federal law when it comes to transgender students.

The new guidance also includes data on the experiences of transgender students and clarifies information about student privacy, the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act, and student records. You can read the full guidance here.

The guidance says schools can support transgender students by:

• Supporting LGBTQ+ student clubs including Gay-Straight Alliances.
• Implementing policies against bullying.
• Displaying LGBTQ+ Pride flags and Safe Space stickers.
• Increasing access to LGBTQ instruction and inclusive curricula.

The guidance applies to public schools, charter schools, Boards of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) schools, public colleges and universities, publically funded pre-k, and non-religious private schools.