In the fall of 2010, a number of high-profile suicides brought
attention to the problem of bullying in schools. This year, the
LGBT community worked to change laws and save lives. After
helping to push through policies in the Dallas and Fort Worth
school districts, as well as a few others around the state, the
LGBT community focused on passing statewide anti-bullying
legislation in the 2011 session of the Legislature. Equality
Texas made the legislation a priority and a number of bills were
introduced. In February, Equality Texas hosted a Lobby Day.
Several hundred people from around the state participated. Among
them were Fort Worth City Councilman Joel Burns, suicide victim
Asher Brown’s parents — Amy and David Truong — and a group of 10
students from Youth First Texas. Burns and the Truongs met with
key legislators including members of the committees that would
hear the bills. The students from YFT spoke to their senators
and representatives telling their own stories of being bullied.
Legislators not usual