Rights for LGBT people have been a cause for concern under the Trump administration. And on Tuesday, Department of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos created more uncertainty, to say the least, when she refused to say LGBT students would be protected from discrimination at private schools.
DeVos said several times that schools receiving federal funding must abide by federal laws.
But the law has not always been consistent when it comes to LGBT rights, and protections vary greatly by state. Only 14 states plus D.C. have laws in place that address discrimination against students based on sexual orientation or gender identity. One state, Wisconsin, has a law that protects students based on sexual orientation only. And in regard to school anti-bullying laws, only 20 states plus D.C. have laws that address harassment and/or bullying based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
