The majority of LGBTQ youth experience negative and even hostile school environments, according to a new report from the Human Rights Campaign.

The advocacy group surveyed roughly 12,000 students between the ages of 13 and 17 who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer, and found that 70 percent had been bullied at school because of their sexual orientation.

In addition:

—Only 27 percent said they could “definitely” be themselves in school as an LGBTQ person.
—And only 26 percent of survey respondents reported that they always felt safe in the classroom.

The results highlight the challenges such students face when preparing academically and emotionally for life after high school. Seventy-seven percent of survey respondents reported feeling down or depressed in the prior week.

“Because youth spend the majority of their time in school, their experiences in the classroom, in the halls, at lunch, and during extracurricular activities can have a critical impact on their overall health and well-being,” report authors note.

Read the full report and learn more about some of the challenges LGBTQ students face after graduation.

Admitted writer/editor Mary Stegmeir welcomes additional comments and story ideas at mstegmeir@nacacnet.org.