Earlier this week, representatives from the Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network (GLSEN), met with representatives of the National Educational Association to share GLSEN’s recent findings about issues that affect GLBTQ students and teachers.

Even as GLBT leaders are meeting with our president to push for the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” the elimination of the Defense of Marriage Act and the removal of the ban against those with HIV wishing to enter the United States, the report has a lot to say about why those aren’t slam dunks for Obama.

According to GLSEN’s biannual study, 86.2 percent of GLBT students are verbally harassed at school. Nearly half – 44.1 percent – are physically harassed, and one in five (22.1 percent) are physically assaulted. Nearly one in five are punched, kicked, or assaulted with a weapon.

Not surprisingly, GLBTQ students are significantly more likely to miss school. Among the most at risk are those who fall into the category of “gender non-conformity.” This is a broad range of students who may or may not be transgender. They are, in fairness, the Adam Lamberts of the world.

In fact, the study shows that among those who felt unsafe at school, GLBTQ students reported they were six times more likely to feel unsafe because of their sexual orientation than students of color because of their race.

The study also briefly touches on the dangers that our straight allies face when standing up for their GLBT peers.

These are stark numbers for any group, but we must be aware of some very real trends. Following our loss at the polls on Proposition 8 last November, many in the community found comfort in the numbers of younger voters. The younger the voter, the more likely they were to support marriage equality.

But we must not let our guard down, or take any group for granted.

Just last month here in San Diego, Woodson Elementary School sixth grade student Natalie Jones, a straight ally of our community, had to enlist the likes of the American Civil Liberties Union to get her school to allow her to do her final project on Harvey Milk. The assignment was to develop a presentation on any subject she found interesting, and she chose to do her project on Harvey Milk. The Ramona school board intervened and blocked Jones from presenting.

Ultimately, Jones prevailed, and presented her 12-page paper to her class, but not without a fight.

Schools that do have Gay Straight Alliances showed dramatically fewer incidents of bullying. Not just bullying of GLBTQ students, but bullying across the board.

Finally, there is the role of the adult at the school. Interestingly, the report spends a significant amount of time addressing not only what role the teachers and administrators have in addressing homophobic behavior, but also the role openly gay teachers and administrators have.

The study suggests there is a great deal of pressure for teachers and administrators to remain “in the closet” for the sake of their careers. The report explains how this can lead to feelings of isolation and a diminished sense of safety or belonging, which in turn can hamper their efforts to teach or mentor students. Many GLBT and even heterosexual school personnel don’t feel comfortable mentoring GLBT students because of their fear that it will reflect badly on them.

We wish that we could print the entire 90 pages of the study, and we do encourage every teacher and administrator – as well as every parent – to request a copy and read it. The study can be downloaded from either www.glsen.org or www.nea.org.

We would be remiss, however, if we didn’t address one issue. In real estate and travel, there’s an old adage, “location, location, location.”

This conference, sponsored by the NEA, a national union that is affiliated with the largest union in the United States, the AFL-CIO (The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations), was held at the Manchester Hyatt Hotel – a hotel our community has successfully boycotted for nearly a year. While we appreciate the research presented, we found it a slap in the face organizers chose the Manchester location. After all it is a well-publicized national boycott.

Our community must contact the teacher unions (starting with their own, the California Teacher Union) to encourage the representatives to respect the labor boycott.

Later this summer, the NEA will hold its Annual Meeting, with more than 10,000 educators from across the country convening in San Diego. While the meetings are held at the convention center – and as Pride approaches – we remind those in our community to get the message to their peers that the strike with the Manchester Hyatt continues. There are plenty of hotel options available, and we strongly encourage members of the GLBT community and members of other labor organizations to contact their peers and remind them of this critical point.

Today’s bullies are tomorrow’s voters We must educate and build alliances. United we, indeed, shall stand. United in protection of our children. And united in protection of our children’s future workplaces.