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Contributed commentary by Danielle N. Ladd-Suits, Master of Research in Education, Latin expert:

In light of the trust fund recently announced by Gov. Bill Lee to help students with mental health issues, I would like to address the role of the anti-LGBTQ+ legislation passed through the Tennessee Senate and urge every community leader to speak out against it. The governor himself quoted the Jason Foundation, which is currently the organization Clarksville Montgomery County School System uses to train teachers and staff about suicide prevention.

According to the Jason Foundation:

LGBTQ youth are often considered to be at higher risk for suicide than their heterosexual peers.

    • 81.9% of LGBT students have experienced harassment at school because of their sexual orientation
    • 63.5% have felt unsafe at school
    • 60.4% of LGBT students never reported an incident of harassment or assault to school personnel.

Although it is definitively true that suicide knows no boundaries, research distinctly shows the LGBTQ+ population to be particularly susceptible, especially in parts of the country where their identities are under legal challenge. The Jason Foundation provides guidance, too, on how schools can be instrumental in helping this population:

It is vitally important to ensure that schools make all students feel welcome and safe. LGBTQ students are more likely to have suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts than their heterosexual peers. The training module and research are presented by Dr. Scott Poland and Richard Lieberman, noted experts in the suicide prevention field.

As a queer person who is a teacher, I am appalled at Tennessee’s continued pursuance of the “Don’t say gay” bill that floundered in 2012. Particularly in a time where students’ most basic needs are glaringly unmet, legislators choosing these topics to chase votes at the expense of some of the most vulnerable members of our society is despicable. Why are legislators micromanaging classroom materials when we have students going hungry? Why are legislators forbidding anyone to reassure and validate a child trying to figure out their identity when research tells us that child might not make it to the next birthday without a safe adult on their side?

More importantly, where are the leaders of Clarksville-Montgomery County School System speaking out about this onslaught? Where are the county and city mayors speaking out against this steadily marching slate of hate? It seems obvious that the so-called leaders of this city are too scared of political backlash to stand up for what research shows is right for our kids.

Danielle N. Ladd-Suits