bullying

ABC News reports national studies show that 27 percent of kids in grades 6 through 12 say they have been bullied in the last 30 days. And 8 percent of American 8th graders reporting missing one day of school per month because of bullying.

CNN.com profiles a family, from Dunaire, Georgia, who has suffered from school bullies. Eleven-year-old Jaheem Herrera hung himself, after he was perpetually called "gay" at school.

Jaheem's mom told CNN: "He used to say Mom they keep telling me this ... this gay word, this gay, gay, gay. I'm tired of hearing it, they're telling me the same thing over and over."

But while she says her son complained about the bullying, she had no idea how bad it had gotten.

According to the Family Equality Council, 93% of Minnesota school districts do not protect against bullying and harassment based on sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, and association with people who are targeted because of their sexual orientation and gender identity/expression.

One of the nation's strongest local GLBT family organizations - Rainbow Families - is crafting the Safe Schools for All Bill in cooperation with OutFront, Minnesota’s biggest LGBT lobbying group, and state Sen. Scott Dibble, DFL- Minneapolis.

The Broward County School Board has passed the strongest anti-bully policy in the state. The policy is Florida's most comprehensive; and it contains a full list of prohibited forms of harassment, bullying and discrimination, including targeting victims based on their sexual orientation and gender identity and expression.

Lambda Legal represents Joey Ramelli and Megan Donovan - former students at Poway High School - in northern San Diego County. Over the course of their junior year, other students taunted them with antigay slurs, going so far as to vandalize Joey’s car and assault him. The two students were forced to drop out of school, and complete their high school education at home as a result of the hostile environment. Despite reporting the incidents to school officials, authorities took minimal or no action.

Deputy Public Defender William Quest said the school is at fault for not taking action when conflict began between Lawrence King and his murderer. Brandon McInerney [14], is soon to be arraigned for the fatal shooting of 15-year-old Lawrence King.