In the last legislative session here in Austin, Texas, a Senate bill (SB17) passed that prohibits the formation and sponsorship of gay straight alliances in public schools. Organizations like the ACLU quickly filed court cases based on violations of the First Amendment (protecting free speech) and the Fourteenth Amendment (guaranteeing equal protection under the law). Evidence from decades of school-based research demonstrates that organizations like gay, straight, or sexuality alliances promote a sense of belonging for queer students and faculty alike. GSAs have been an essential establishment in schools for years–so why are they being challenged now, and what can we do about it? For parents, community members, and student activists, the first way to fight back against hateful rhetoric around LGBTQIA+ issues in schools is to understand the history of GSAs, what they do, and why they’re essential in public education.
Student activists in New York and parts of Massachusetts formed various types of alliances in the late 1970s and early 1980s. By 1993, Massachusetts formed the first model for safe schools, largely paving the way for a supportive structure for LGBTQIA+ students. An advisor for one of the first recognized GSAs, Kevin Jennings, started the organization Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network (GLSEN) in Boston in 1990. Gay-Straight Alliances appeared in various forms nationwide. As of 2021, all but one school district (Pequea Valley, where I attended high school) in Lancaster County had an active GSA.
Historically, the right to have a GSA was established in two ways: the Equal Access Act of 1984 and the Supreme Court ruling Board of Education of the Westside Community Schools v. Mergens (1990). The Equal Access Act “prohibits federally-funded public secondary schools which allow non-school-sponsored groups of students to meet from discriminating against any meeting of students based on religious content if: (1) the meeting is voluntary and student-initiated; (2) there is no government sponsorship; and (3) no unlawful activity is permitted.” Ironically, the SCOTUS ruling recognized the rights of religious student groups to exist on public school campuses where other student groups were permitted. A widespread interpretation of the Act and the ruling establishes that as long as one school group exists and is not part of the curriculum, other groups must be permitted.
Gay Straight Alliances can be a lifeline for queer students in public education. The clubs look different in different types of schools. For example, the GSA I advised transitioned from a more social club to one that took charge and engaged in advocacy work in the district. My students even helped write professional development for their teachers about LGBTQIA+ issues! Some GSAs are social clubs, some are outreach organizations, and others do community service or advocacy work. It’s essential to recognize that a successful GSA, one that remains true to its mission of supporting LGBTQIA+ individuals, is one that is student-led with a strong advisor. If you want to know more about the state of GSA organizations in Lancaster, you can find a copy of my 2023 article here.
GLSEN administers a huge bi-annual study of LGBTQIA+ students across the country. The work of their researchers provides valuable information on the impact of GSAs and how school districts are serving their queer students. The results can also be alarming. GLSEN found that there was an increase in homophobic or transphobic remarks from teachers and staff between 2019 and the second iteration in 2021. Over half (52%) of LGBTQIA+ students considered dropping out of school because of a hostile environment, and 72% reported no curricular representation in any of their school curriculum. For students with intersecting identities–like race, disability, or gender identity–the impact is exponentially higher. For example, Black transgender women face higher levels of harassment, assault, and mistreatment so severe that they leave school. The Human Rights Campaign reports at least 32 murders of Black trans women in 2024, likely a vast undercount.
Finally, GSAs are essential. Terrell Strayhorn, a leader in education policy, asserts that supportive environments for queer students help them feel a sense of belonging in schools. A sense of belonging has a direct connection to student outcomes, including whether they engage in risky behavior, their academic performance, and whether they decide to drop out. Providing a space for queer students to feel a sense of belonging is a key element in their success in public education, and should be protected. If you’d like to learn more, please access GLSEN’s full report, support local efforts to protect GSAs, and consider running for the school board to protect LGBTQIA+ people in your district.
Dr. Sherri Castillo (she/her) is an education professor outside of Austin, Texas. She was born and raised in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and worked as a teacher and a gay straight alliance advisor before transitioning to academia. In addition to her scholarly work, Sherri is an advocate for the trans and non-binary community in public education. She serves as the education coordinator for her local pride organization and, in her spare time, helps her wife Diana run their small business, Castillo’s Collectibles. Sherri will serve as a guest blogger for Lancaster County Chooses Love and has close ties to the organization and the LGBTQIA+ community in Lancaster.
