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The Safe School Coalition Research Project collected 111 stories of anti-gay harassment and violence in elementary, middle and high schools. Those who reported the stories included students, parents, and school employees. All 111 incidents happened in the 1990's on school property, on the way to or from school, or at a school-sponsored event, such as a dance. Also included in this story collection are 6 stories collected NOT as part of the study, but collected subsequently to round out the picture with examples of other forms of bias-based bullying in schools (racial, religious, disability-based, etc.) They have not been cleaned up, so be prepared. Some involve ugly name-calling. Some include beatings and rapes. Two involve completed suicides.

If you want to know more about the research see:
http://www.safeschoolscoaliton.org/theydontevenknowme.pdf  (pdf format)

All of the stories are on http://www.safeschoolscoalition.org/stories-all.html and each incident has a number assigned to it. This is a large file (171K) and it will open from that link to a separate browser window. In order to help you find specific things you may be looking for, see this guide below:

TARGETS

No Particular Individuals Intentionally Targeted
• 1-11
Elementary School Students Targeted
• 12-18
Middle School and Junior High Students Targeted
• 19-30
Freshmen and Sophomores Targeted
• 31-57
Juniors and Seniors Targeted
• 58-92
High school Students Targeted, Mixed Grades or Grade Not Reported
• 93-102
School Employees, Parents, and Guest Speakers Targeted
• 103-111

CATEGORIES (of offense)

Category 1: One-time events
• 1-10, 12, 19-20, 31-33, 58-63, 93-94, 103-104
Category 2: On-going harassment
• 11, 13-15, 21-24, 34-41, 64-75, 95-98, 105-110
Category 3: Physical harassment & sexual assault short of rape
• 16, 25, 42-47, 76-84
Category 4: Physical assault
• 17, 26-30, 48-55, 85-91, 99
Category 5: Gang rape
• 18, 56-57, 92, 100-102, 111

OUTCOMES (the most severe only)

Missing classes or whole days of school
• 10, 27-28, 39, 51, 55-56, 64, 70, 73, 79, 85, 99
Dropping out
• 17, 55-56, 65, 70, 73, 79, 85-86, 99
Suicide attempts
• 35, 38, 42, 56, 65, 79, 85
Suicides
• 87, 98

LOCATIONS (of incident &/or surrounding events)

Bus and other in-transit events
• 21, 25, 40-41, 50, 53-54, 98
Elementary schools
• 12-18, 108
Field trips & other off-campus & extracurricular events
• 18, 41, 45, 47, 51, 57, 58, 88-90, 94, 102
High schools
• 2, 4-5, 7-11, 31-57, 58-92, 93-102, 103-107, 109-111
Locker rooms and gyms (in or near)
• 23, 35, 39, 48, 51, 57, 58, 77, 89-90, 94, 102, 107, 111
Middle schools
• 1,3, 6, 19-30, 40, 103
Playgrounds
• 12-16

PERSPECTIVES

Administrators' perspectives
• 50, 83
Other school employees' perspectives (non-admin.)
• 5, 7, 9, 11, 20, 22-23, 30, 39, 52, 58, 61, 84, 90-91, 97, 105-106, 108-111
Parents' and guardians' perspectives
• 4, 12, 14-15, 27-28, 32, 37, 87, 91, 94
Students' perspectives
• 1-2, 8, 10, 13, 16-18, 21, 24-26, 29, 33-36, 38, 40-49, 51-57, 59-82, 85-86, 88-92, 95, 98-102, 103, 107

ADULTS' AND STUDENTS' ROLES

Administrators perceived as harming*
• 15, 27-28, 30, 32, 35, 39, 44, 53, 55, 59, 61, 69, 75, 79, 81, 91, 99, 105, 108-110
Administrators helping**
• 5, 46, 54, 64, 70, 81, 87, 89, 91, 94
Other school employees perceived as harming*
• 1, 4, 6, 8-10, 15, 24, 35, 41, 43, 51, 59, 62, 64, 79, 86, 91, 98, 105-106
Other school employees helping**
• 1, 5, 7-8, 14-15, 18, 20, 29, 31, 40, 45, 54, 81, 87, 89-91, 94, 97-98, 109-110
Parents and guardians perceived as harming*
• 35, 64, 98, 108
Parents and guardians helping**
• 4, 10, 12-15, 18, 27-28, 32, 37, 41, 50, 54-55, 64, 81, 86-87, 89, 102
Students perceived as harming*
• 2, 4, 12-15, 17-18, 20-30, 31, 33-53, 55-57, 58-60, 63, 66-68, 70-80, 82-87, 89-92, 93-102, 103-107, 111
Students helping**
• 16, 26, 33, 39, 41, 50, 54, 88, 91, 94, 97

Other Examples of Bias-Based Harassment (not from our research, but collected subsequently -- based on religious, racial and other kinds of bigotry): 112-117

 

* "harming" includes: blaming, rejecting, minimizing, offending/harassing (includes failure-to-protect and/or doing-too-little only when they obviously knew and their omission was grievous)

** "helping" includes: supporting the target, stopping the abuse, and/or disciplining the offender

"other school employees" are teachers, bus drivers, secretaries, counselors, social workers, teachers' aides, security guards, etc.

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