Schools and Legal System Mistreat Gays, Study Says (NewYorkTimes)
Gay, lesbian and bisexual teenagers in the United States are far more likely to be harshly punished by schools and courts than their straight peers, even though they are less likely to engage in serious misdeeds, according to a study published on Monday in the medical journal Pediatrics.
The findings, based on a national sample of more than 15,000 middle and high school students, come at a time of heightened attention to the plight of homosexual and bisexual teens. While several high-profile bullying and suicide cases around the country have highlighted the harassment of these adolescents by peers, the study suggests they also suffer a hidden bias when judged by school and legal authorities.
“Gay, lesbian and bisexual kids are being punished by police, courts and by school officials, and it’s not because they’re misbehaving more,” said Kathryn E. W. Himmelstein, the study’s lead author, who initiated the research while an undergraduate student at Yale.
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Complete article at New York Times : http://nyti.ms/ig1ssF
