A resolution supporting the goals and ideals of the 2026 Day of Silence in bringing attention to anti-LGBTQI+ bullying, harassment, discrimination, and other forms of victimization faced by individuals in schools, and calling on communities across the country to take action to demand equal educational opportunity, basic civil rights protections, and freedom from erasure for all students, particularly LGBTQI+ young people, in K-12 schools.

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 670 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 670

Supporting the goals and ideals of the 2026 Day of Silence in bringing 
  attention to anti-LGBTQI+ bullying, harassment, discrimination, and 
   other forms of victimization faced by individuals in schools, and 
  calling on communities across the country to take action to demand 
  equal educational opportunity, basic civil rights protections, and 
   freedom from erasure for all students, particularly LGBTQI+ young 
                        people, in K-12 schools.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

               April 15 (legislative day, April 14), 2026

   Mr. Schatz (for himself, Mr. Merkley, Mr. Wyden, Mr. Padilla, Mr. 
    Booker, Ms. Warren, Mr. Markey, Mr. Blumenthal, and Mr. Durbin) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
               on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
Supporting the goals and ideals of the 2026 Day of Silence in bringing 
  attention to anti-LGBTQI+ bullying, harassment, discrimination, and 
   other forms of victimization faced by individuals in schools, and 
  calling on communities across the country to take action to demand 
  equal educational opportunity, basic civil rights protections, and 
   freedom from erasure for all students, particularly LGBTQI+ young 
                        people, in K-12 schools.

Whereas, for every year since its initiation in 1996, LGBTQI+ students, 
        teachers, and allies have recognized a National Day of Silence to bring 
        attention to the silencing of LGBTQI+ students through harassment and 
        bullying;
Whereas, for more than 2 decades, Congress has supported a resolution for a 
        National Day of Silence and a resolution for No Name-Calling Week, and 
        most recently, Congress has supported a ``Rise Up Resolution'' to demand 
        equal educational opportunities, basic civil rights protections, and 
        freedom from erasure for all students;
Whereas young people, teachers, school staff, families, and communities must be 
        free from transphobia, homophobia, racism, sexism, and ableism in K-12 
        schools;
Whereas K-12 schools must be safe and inclusive learning environments that 
        include and affirm LGBTQI+ young people, especially those who are 
        transgender, nonbinary, intersex, Black, Indigenous, people of color, 
        and people with disabilities, and those who are from communities that 
        experience marginalization;
Whereas LGBTQI+ young people frequently experience bias-based bullying and 
        harassment, discrimination, and punitive discipline that increases the 
        likelihood they will enter the school-to-prison pipeline;
Whereas Glisten's 2025 National School Climate Survey showed that--

    (1) 58 percent of LGBTQI+ students reported being verbally harassed by 
their peers at school because of their sexual orientation, and nearly 57 
percent because of their gender identity;

    (2) nearly 23 percent of LGBTQI+ students reported being physically 
harassed by their peers at school because of their sexual orientation, and 
23 percent because of their gender identity;

    (3) 8 percent of LGBTQI+ students reported being physically assaulted 
by their peers at school because of their sexual orientation, and over 9 
percent because of their gender identity; and

    (4) for Black, Indigenous, and students of color, these trends were 
exacerbated, with 75 percent of students reporting experiencing harassment 
or assault related to their sexual orientation or gender identity;

Whereas Glisten's 2025 National School Climate Survey found that 67 percent of 
        LGBTQI+ students reported that they felt unsafe in school because of 
        their sexual orientation or gender identity in 2025, and nearly 30 
        percent reported missing at least 1 entire school day in the preceding 
        month because of safety concerns;
Whereas over 200 anti-LGBTQI+ education bills have been introduced each year in 
        State legislatures across the United States, the majority of which 
        specifically target transgender and nonbinary young people, including--

    (1) in the 27 States that have enacted policies between 2021 and 2025 
that prohibit transgender students from playing alongside their peers on 
school sports teams; and

    (2) in the 20 States that have enacted laws between 2021 and 2025 that 
prevent transgender students from using the school bathroom or locker room 
that corresponds with their gender identity;

Whereas LGBTQI+ young people are more likely than their non-LGBTQI+ peers to 
        experience mental health concerns, including stress, anxiety, and 
        depression;
Whereas nearly half of LGBTQI+ young people seriously considered suicide in the 
        last year, a trend that increases among Indigenous, Black, and 
        multiracial LGBTQI+ young people;
Whereas Glisten's 2025 National School Climate Survey found that 7 percent of 
        LGBTQI+ youth surveyed had to change schools in the previous year 
        because they felt uncomfortable and unsafe at school, and more than a 
        quarter of LGBTQI+ students who did not see themselves graduating from 
        high school said that anti-LGBTQ+ policies or practices at school were a 
        contributing factor;
Whereas States have passed or attempted to pass legislation that erases or 
        censors LGBTQI+ individuals, history, and contributions from classroom 
        literature and curricula, including the 14 States that enacted laws 
        censoring instruction related to LGBTQI+ people;
Whereas these laws harm students and force families to consider leaving their 
        homes, as demonstrated by Williams Institute reporting, which found 
        that, in the year following the 2022 passage of the Parental Rights in 
        Education Act by the Florida State legislature, 56 percent of LGBTQI+ 
        parents of students in the State of Florida considered moving out of the 
        State, and 16.5 percent have taken steps to move out of the State;
Whereas 90 percent of transgender and nonbinary young people say that recent 
        debates prompted by State legislation restricting the rights of 
        transgender individuals have negatively impacted their mental health;
Whereas data provided by the Department of Justice shows that there were a 
        reported 222 anti-LGBTQ hate crimes in schools in 2024;
Whereas every young person must have equal educational opportunity and freedom 
        from the fear that their basic civil and educational rights will be 
        taken away from them;
Whereas young people who develop in positive school climates that are free from 
        bullying, harassment, and discrimination report greater physical and 
        psychological safety, greater mental well-being, and improved 
        educational and life outcomes;
Whereas positive school transformation must recognize that safety is too low of 
        a bar and that all communities deserve to be acknowledged and affirmed 
        in schools;
Whereas students, families, educators, and community members in every State and 
        territory are advocating for safe and inclusive learning environments 
        that affirm LGBTQI+ young people, particularly those who are 
        transgender, nonbinary, intersex, Black, Indigenous, people of color, 
        and people with disabilities;
Whereas affirming policies such as enumerated anti-bullying protections, gender 
        neutral dress code guidelines, and inclusive learning practices are 
        proven strategies to address hostile learning environments for all 
        students; and
Whereas we must all demand the best possible future for all young people in 
        schools, particularly those who identify as LGBTQI+, without exception: 
        Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) supports the goals and ideals of the ``National Day of 
        Silence'';
            (2) recognizes the contributions of students, families, 
        educators, and community members who participate in the 
        ``National Day of Silence'' to draw attention to the bullying, 
        harassment, assault, and discrimination faced by LGBTQI+ 
        students; and
            (3) encourages each State, city, and local educational 
        agency to adopt laws and policies to prohibit bullying of and 
        discrimination against students, teachers, and other school 
        staff on the basis of their sexual orientation, gender 
        identity, or sex characteristics (including intersex traits), 
        so that the schools of the United States are institutions where 
        all individuals are able to focus on learning.
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