Becky Collins Zach's Mother speaking: "And
the principal looked at my son and said, "I
don't have any other problems with any other
gay students in the school, he said the problem
seems to be with you. What can we do to change
you." "Zachary was in the third grade when
he started getting picked on." Zach speaking:"
They thought I resembled a girl, my voice
was like a girl." Becky speaking: ' as he
got older.." Zach speaking;" They started
calling me like fag, and queer, gay." Out
of 7,000 LGBT middle and high school students
surveyed, 90% were bullied based on sexual
orientation or gender identity. Becky speaking:
' in the
end of his eight grade year and the beginning
of this year, is when it started becoming
physical with Zach and the kids at school."
Zach speaking: " I didn't really feel I could
be able to talk to any person at school because
like I didn't really trust anybody." Becky
speaking: "I talked with school staff many
times bout the names that Zachary was called
and some of the physical things that were
happening at school. The response was well
ill talk to them, and then I never heard anymore
after that." 66% of LGBT students surveyed
felt unsafe at school. On October 17, 2011,
Zach was attacked for being gay. ( Video footage
of Zach being beaten by a student) Becky speaking:
' my phone rang, and it was my son on the
other end of the line screaming and crying
that someone had just beat him, someone had
just punched him like twenty times in the
face. And I got real upset ran and put my
clothes on and i go down to the school and
the principal said Zachary your moms here.
Like we were just going to leave. And I said
no no no no either you call the Sheriff or
I'm calling 911. Because this is not going
to go unpunished." The ACLU of Ohio is representing
Zach and Becky to protect Zach and other students
from bullying. Zach speaking: ' i fee less
safe after what happened because people are
probably going to be more mad because of what
I did so they're going to want to do the same
thing." Becky speaking; " the school officials
should have training its not a bad school
its just not a good school for gay or lesbian
children."
The Student Non-Discrimination
Act would ban discrimination and harassment based on a student's sexual orientation or
gender identity in all U.S. public schools.
Tell Congress to pass the Student non- Discrimination
Act and make schools safe and fair for students like Zach, go to action.aclu.org/snda
