Responding to the latest results from the highly contentious school board race in Glendale, the Los Angeles LGBT Center released the following statement:
“Glendale students, teachers, and families won a dramatic victory against hate and discrimination in the school board trustee races this month. Glendale voters stood up for the civil rights of the 25,000 students attending the school district and affirmed that all students are deserving of a safe and inclusive environment that allows them to learn, grow, and thrive as their authentic selves.
“The rise of right-wing extremists, from Moms for Liberty to the Proud Boys, has put a direct target on the lives and safety of LGBTQ+ Americans. Under the guise of ‘parental rights’ and ‘freedom,’ these extremist groups are pushing dangerous policies and ideologies rooted in hate and bigotry within school boards, state legislatures, and on the national stage. We are seeing how dangerous this movement can be with the tragic death of Nex Benedict and the dramatic rise in hate crimes against LGBTQ+ individuals.
“The Los Angeles LGBT Center will continue to fight for the protection and freedom of LGBTQ+ individuals—especially trans youth—and to this end, the Center helped mobilize our LGBTQ+ and allied community to canvass in Glendale, California to help reduce anti-transgender bias, while educating voters about the critical importance of casting a ballot in school board elections.
“We look forward to working with the educators, community members, and officials who are committed to thoughtful collaboration to educate students on campuses free of the culture wars and polarizing politics. That goal is the greatest possible outcome to ensure that Los Angeles-area children get the education they need. These elections sent a clear message to far-right groups: Anti-LGBTQ+ hate has no place in our schools.
“Our work here isn’t done. There are still more than 185 bills seeking to restrict the rights of LGBTQ students and educators, so we need all LGBTQ+ voters and allies to continue speaking up and showing out.”
—Terra Russell-Slavin, Chief Impact Officer at the Los Angeles LGBT Center
