The Lisbon Reporter

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Sunday, January 24, 2010

Here Is What Maine Is Doing

State panel to focus on sexual bias in schools

By MATTHEW STONE, Kennebec Journal January 24, 2010

AUGUSTA — "Nearly five years ago, Maine's anti-discrimination laws expanded to cover discrimination based on sexual orientation.

Now, the agency charged with enforcing those laws is preparing new guidance for public schools on preventing discrimination against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students and staff.

This effort is an outgrowth of a 2007 case in Orono, in which the school department denied a transgender student access to the girls' bathroom. The Maine Human Rights Commission heard the case in June 2009 and ruled the school department had discriminated against the student.

The commission's guidance will help schools and colleges identify unlawful discrimination and harassment based on sexual orientation, and provide guidance on proper accommodations for transgender students.

While this process is similiar to guidance the commission developed for workplaces two years ago, Maine is one of the first states to address the issue in educational settings."

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