WORCESTER—The Worcester City Council’s Education Standing Committee reaffirmed its commitment to supporting LGBTQ+ youth, families, and educators in the wake of a recent school committee vote that broadened a proposed resolution designating Worcester Public Schools as a safe space for LGBTQ+ students.
In a statement issued Friday, the committee—comprised of District 5 City Councilor Etel Haxhiaj, At-Large City Councilor Thu Nguyen, and Vice Chairman Khrystian King—expressed concern over rising discrimination and mental health struggles faced by LGBTQ+ youth.
“This is the moment we have to actively affirm our most vulnerable community,” the statement reads, “providing the necessary attention, resources, and care to protect their right to education without fear, hate, or discrimination.”
The councilors cited statistics from the city’s 2021 Youth Health Survey showing that LGBTQ+ students report significantly higher rates of sadness, self-harm, and suicidal ideation compared to their heterosexual peers.
The announcement comes days after the Worcester School Committee debated and ultimately voted against a resolution proposed by member Susan Mailman, which would have explicitly designated Worcester Public Schools as a safe space for LGBTQ+ students. Instead, the committee passed an alternative resolution introduced by member Molly McCullough in favor of a broader anti-discrimination statement.
The school committee’s decision was met with disappointment and frustration from many advocates, who had urged the committee to adopt Mailman’s original resolution.
“We must use our voices,” Mailman said at the meeting. “The hate and vitriol around this particular issue, for the LGBTQ+ community, is incredibly sad.”
McCullough defended her version of the resolution, saying it included language recommended by the Massachusetts Association of School Committees (MASC) while maintaining the same intent. “We are doubling down on our commitment to providing this type of safe environment for our students,” she said.
McCullough told the Worcester Guardian that while the resolution is different than Mailman’s version, it “doesn’t remove the LGBTQIA+ language; it abbreviated the resolution.”
The vote drew strong reactions from attendees, with some shouting “shame” as they left the meeting.
In their statement, the Education Standing Committee emphasized the importance of direct and unequivocal support for LGBTQ+ youth, particularly in light of recent national policies restricting transgender rights.
They pointed to a statement from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education issued the same day, which encouraged schools to continue implementing policies that protect LGBTQ+ students.
“The rates of violence and harm our LGBTQ+ youth are experiencing are exponentially increasing due to the current political climate and national anti-trans rhetoric,” the committee’s statement read.
Charlene Arsenault can be reached at carsenault@theworcesterguardian.org
