Youth | Schools | Massachusetts

• You have a right to be referred to by your preferred name and pronouns.
• You have a right to dress and express yourself in a manner consistent with your gender identity.
• You have a right to free speech and expression. This includes the right to respectfully express opinions or ideas which may offend others – including discussion of LGBTQ topics – and to disagree with others. Remember that others also have the right to respectfully express their own ideas and opinions.

• Your school cannot stop you from taking a date of the same sex or gender to your prom or school dance, as long as your choice of date meets the rules applied to all students.
• Your school cannot treat dates of the same sex or gender differently, including by requiring only same-sex dates to have parental permission.

You have a right to access information about LGBTQ subjects, including educational websites. Your school’s internet filters should not prevent this access. Click here to learn how to check your school’s internet access.

Prohibitions on discrimination apply to all school programs, including sports.

• You have a right to have your school and medical records kept confidential.
• You can ask your school(s) to amend their records – even after graduation – to reflect your current name and gender identity.

Yes, Massachusetts has created guidance for schools on the rights, responsibilities and best educational practices for transgender and gender non-conforming students.

The guidelines include the following:

• Schools should respect a transgender student’s name and pronouns;
• Schools should respect transgender students’ privacy regarding any medical information, previous names, etc.;
• The name and gender on a student’s records should conform to the student’s gender identity;
• Transgender students should be able to use the restroom, locker room, and changing facility that accord with their gender identity;
• In any sex-segregated activities (including athletics), transgender students should be able to participate in a manner consistent with their gender identity.

Learn more about this guidance.

Chapter 76, Section 5 of the Massachusetts General Laws prohibits discrimination based on gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, and perceived sexual orientation in all Massachusetts schools which accept students from the general public, regardless of whether the discrimination comes from students or employees. Similarly, Chapter 151C, which defines fair educational practices, prohibits sexual harassment by public school teachers, staff, or other students. Violations of this law can be brought to the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD), a state agency that does not require the parties to have a lawyer.

Schools are also required to take certain steps to prevent the harassment of LGBT students, per the Code of Massachusetts Regulations 603 CMR 26.00, Access to Equal Educational Opportunity (www.doe.mass.edu/lawsregs/603cmr26.html?section=01). In particular, the Code requires that schools have policies in place to ensure discrimination and harassment complaints are investigated promptly, and also requires schools to educate staff annually on harassment prevention and appropriate methods of responding to harassment in a school environment.

In May 2010, Massachusetts implemented one of the strongest anti-bullying laws (Chapter 92 of the Acts of 2010.  See http://www.malegislature.gov/Laws/SessionLaws/Acts/2010/Chapter92) in the country.  It has strict requirements that schools must follow to protect students from a wide variety of bullying, be it physical, verbal, or online. Many of these requirements apply to all schools, whether public, private, or charter. Some of the key provisions of the law include:

• Every school, with the exception of some private schools, must have in place a comprehensive anti-bullying policy;
• A student’s parents or guardians must be notified if the school learns that they have been bullied;
• Teachers and other school staff must receive training on how to handle bullying, and are required to report bullying to the administration;
• Each school must teach students about bullying.

For detailed information about this law, see GLAD’s publication, Massachusetts Students:  What To Do If You’re Being Bullied.

Yes, Title IX prohibits discrimination against students based on sex in any school or college that receives federal funds. In light of the Supreme Court ruling in Bostock v. Clayton County, which determined that sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination are forms of sex discrimination, the federal Department of Education, which enforces Title IX, has stated that it will interpret any sexual orientation or gender identity discrimination as sex discrimination.

To file a complaint with the federal Department of Education Office of Civil Rights, visit their webpage.

Complaints can be made to your school Title IX coordinator, as well as to:

Office of Civil Rights
The U.S. Department of Education
John W. McCormack Post Office & Courthouse, Room 222
Post Office Square
Boston, MA 02109

Additionally, some kinds of discrimination and harassment may violate a student’s constitutional rights.

There are many ways to approach the issue. One is to ask for support from a friend, teacher, or counselor, and talk to the people who are bothering you. That is not an option, however, if you don’t feel safe doing so.

Take a look at your school’s policies and notify whoever is supposed to be notified – usually a vice principal or Title IX coordinator. You should document any incidents of harassment or discrimination in writing. Once you meet with the right officials, make a note of what you told them and on what date, and ask when they will be getting back to you with a response. If they don’t help you or don’t follow through, you may wish to write to the principal and superintendent and ask for them to end the discrimination.

At the same time, or after contacting the administration as set out above, you may want to file a complaint with the Problem Resolution System of the Mass. Dept. of Elementary and Secondary Education at (781) 338-3700. They will investigate and examine whether or not the school should consider taking further actions.

If the above methods fail to stop the discrimination, you may also wish to consider legal action. Contact GLAD for attorney referrals.

Yes. In May 2010, Massachusetts implemented one of the strongest anti-bullying laws (Chapter 92 of the Acts of 2010.  See http://www.malegislature.gov/Laws/SessionLaws/Acts/2010/Chapter92) in the country.  It has strict requirements that schools must follow to protect students from a wide variety of bullying, be it physical, verbal, or online. Many of these requirements apply to all schools, whether public, private, or charter. Some of the key provisions of the law include:

• Every school, with the exception of some private schools, must have in place a comprehensive anti-bullying policy;
• A student’s parents or guardians must be notified if the school learns that they have been bullied;
• Teachers and other school staff must receive training on how to handle bullying, and are required to report bullying to the administration;
• Each school must teach students about bullying.

For detailed information about this law, see GLAD’s publication, Massachusetts Students:  What To Do If You’re Being Bullied.

In addition to the resources listed above, you may wish to contact the Massachusetts Commission on GLBT Youth, (617) 624-5485; or the Violence Recovery Program, 1-800-834-3242.