Supporting the goals and ideals of the Rise Up for LGBTQI+ Youth in Schools Initiative, a call to action to communities across the country to demand equal educational opportunity, basic civil rights protections, and freedom from erasure for all students, particularly LGBTQI+ young people, in K-12 schools.

This resolution expresses support for the Rise Up for LGBTQI+ Youth in Schools Initiative , a nationwide call to action aimed at ensuring equal educational opportunity, basic civil rights protections, and freedom from erasure for all students in K-12 schools, with a particular focus on LGBTQI+ young people. It emphasizes the necessity of creating safe and inclusive learning environments free from transphobia, homophobia, racism, sexism, and ableism, recognizing the unique challenges faced by marginalized youth. The resolution highlights that LGBTQI+ young people frequently experience bias-based bullying, harassment, and discrimination, which can lead to negative outcomes like lower academic performance, increased mental health concerns, and higher rates of suicide ideation. It notes the proliferation of over 200 anti-LGBTQI+ education bills annually in state legislatures, many of which target transgender and nonbinary youth through measures such as sports bans, bathroom restrictions, and censorship of LGBTQI+ history and contributions in curricula. Such discriminatory policies have been shown to negatively impact students' mental health and well-being, with many families considering relocation. The resolution therefore encourages states, territories, and localities to actively support the Initiative and implement laws and policies that explicitly prohibit bias-based victimization, exclusion, and erasure, fostering positive school climates for all students.