Change Policy

GSA youth activists have helped create better school administrative policy by working with individual school districts to make sure that harassment and discrimination are not allowed in schools. We are currently working to ensure that even more schools enforce current laws protecting transgender and gender non-conforming students by changing policy at the state level.

You can help change policies that impact LGBTQ youth!

Here’s how:

Does your school have a policy prohibiting harassment and discrimination?

• Does it include all the protected categories? Sex, Sexual Orientation, Gender, Ethnicity, Race, Ancestry, National Origin, Religion, Color, Mental or Physical Disability, Age, and association with any of the protected categories
• Is your school district’s policy posted in your school handbook, on the wall in the office or your cafeteria, or on your district website?
• Does your policy explain how to file a complaint?

Let us know if your school policy doesn’t include all the categories or isn’t listed in your school handbook or on your district website.

Does your school have a Complaint Form for incidents of harassment?

At school, ask an administrator for a complaint form related to harassment or discrimination. It may look something like this sample complaint form [1]. If not, share our sample and let the school or school district know that they should have one! Then, let us know.

Have you experienced harassment? Have you filed a complaint before? What happened?

Let us know what has happened to you. If you’ve filed a complaint about harassment at school and your school district hasn’t solved the problem, you have options. You can appeal your school district’s decision to the California Department of Education’s Office of Equal Opportunity. [2]

Launch a campaign

State law says schools can’t discrimination against youth based on sexual orientation or gender identity and expression. Schools are supposed to stop bullying and harassment. But if your school isn’t following the law, start a campaign to take the law and Make it Real [3]. Learn how to get your school to implement the policies they are required to follow.

Become an advocate

Get trained in how you can change policies in your school or at the state level. Apply for GAYLA [4], our GSA Advocacy and Youth Leadership Academy, or sign up to attend Queer Youth Advocacy Day [5], or apply for the Statewide Advocacy Council [6].

Learn more

To learn more about changing your school policies or filing a complaint, contact our Policy Manager, Yvonna Cåzares, yvonna@gsanetwork.org [7] or 415-552-4229.