Pride, prejudice and PTA meetings: A guide for LGBTQ+ families this school year

From school supply shopping to navigating new routines, back-to-school season is a busy time for families filled with anticipation, coordination, and first-day-of-school jitters. But, for LGBTQ+ families facing increasing threats from school boards and statehouses alike, there's an extra layer of worry to contend with. So, what do you need to know about the current landscape for LGBTQ+ families in schools — and what can you do to help? Family Equality, the leading national organization for current and future LGBTQ+ families, has the answers you're looking for.As we enter back-to-school season, there's good news and bad news. The bad news: In 2024, we've continued to see state legislatures across the country attempting to keep LGBTQ+ topics out of the classroom, with Louisiana and Wyoming both passing their own version of the infamous "Don't Say Gay/Trans" law this year. The good news is that the vast majority of the bills introduced this year failed. In fact, over 50 other attempts to pass similar legislation failed—even in deeply conservative states like Georgia, West Virginia, Missouri, and Nebraska. That's not all! Since we started seeing these dangerous bills crop up in recent years, we've been hard at work reversing their damage. In Florida, Family Equality scored a massive victory nullifying the most harmful aspects of the nation's first Don't Say Gay/Trans law, with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis walking back his own book ban bill after admitting that it went too far. Similarly, a federal judge in New Hampshire ruled their Don't Say Gay/Trans law was unconstitutional thanks to the hard work of state advocates. At the same time, voters across the country have overwhelmingly rejected school board candidates affiliated with anti-LGBTQ+ groups like Moms for Liberty. In short, despite threats from statehouses and school boards, we're seeing leaders, advocates, and families at every level of the government sending a clear message: We will not allow our families