The Student Safety and Violence Protection Act of 2000, Educ. Code Sections 200 and 220, prohibits discrimination against any person on the basis of sex, race, religion, national origin, disability or sexual orientation in any school program or activity conducted by an educational institution that receives financial assistance from the state. This law also declares that it is the affirmative policy of the state to afford all persons in these categories equal rights and opportunities in educational institutions of the state.
While the exact parameters of this law have yet to be established, we believe that it will provide a strong basis for requiring schools to crack down on student harassment, to permit lesbian and gay student groups to meet on campus without harassment, and to allow access to school activities such as proms to gay and lesbian students.
This new law does not mean that school districts are required to provide any particular new curriculum or material in the educational program.
