Mistreatment of LGBT Kids in the School System

So, I am reading this book called, "50 Ways to Support Lesbian and Gay Equality." I am half way through, and I just got to the part about LGBT equality in schools.

I went to a public high school, where probably sixty percent of my friends came out as gay, lesbian, or bisexual... including my still best friend, Kim. A lot of these friends were "out" to each other, but seemed to be anxious about letting much of anyone else know. I had one friend, Travis, who came out as gay during our junior year. Once he was out, everyone's "suspicions" were confirmed, and he was open about it. He's the only one who was that open about it.

The result? He got teased mercilessly, and tormented everyday. It got so bad, that he missed a lot of school, and fell behind. After not seeing him in geometry class for over a week, I found out that the harassment was so bad, that he dropped out of school. I don't think he ever got his G.E.D. either. How he was treated at our high school, was heinous and scarring.

As I was reading about rallying for LGBT equality and the right to not be harassed in schools, I came across a startling and disturbing statistic. When this book was published in 2005 (not sure of the statistic 4 years later,) there were no laws prohibiting LGBT discrimination in schools... in 42 states! What... the... hell? This makes my blood boil.

Kids are required, by law, to get an education. Not doing so, results in truancy, as most of us know. At any rate, if kids are required to get an education, and some of those have to go to a public school to do so, shouldn't they (LGBT and straight kids alike,) have the good feeling of knowing that they are safe from being discriminated against, and from being bullied? You'd think so, right?

I never encountered or heard about any unfair treatment of gay, lesbian, or bisexual kids at my school... from the administration anyway. However, the public school systems are getting worse and worse, so I wouldn't be surprised if administrators are writing off the mistreatment of queer youth, as youthful shenanigans, while "crimes" against straight, model students are being investigated until resolved.

It's not right. It's just not right at all.