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Writer's pictureNettie Webb

Save our Schools' Response to School Board Refusing 'It Gets Better' Grant

Updated: Nov 17, 2023

Save our Schools Lynchburg is dedicated to fighting for the educational rights, quality, safety, equity, and justice of all students. This includes students of color, economically disadvantaged students, students without educational resources, and LGBTQIA+ students.

We support E. C. Glass’s GSA, their efforts towards the GSA grant, and denounce the influence of the religious right. The messages from these groups were built and continue to have an underlying ideology of discrimination. As they center traditional values and anti-LGBTQIA+ rights they also denounce many notions of racism and calls for social justice. They pick and choose which conversations they're willing to include in politics and which they avoid.


Members’ religious values do not have a place on the school board. They are the ones politicizing the grant. They are politicizing queer students’ existence. These students deserve care, protection, and justice.

Providing 10,000 dollars for a safe room is not the same thing as accepting the grant. As Dr. Edwards said, if this was not a grant for the GSA, it would not receive this much scrutiny. Again, the school board has told students their voices do not matter, their experiences are not valid, and their existence is a political statement.


The work of the students and teachers of the GSA is admirable. They want resources for all students. It gets better is a hopeful message for students who are struggling with mental health, self-harm, and suicidal thoughts because of harassment.

We stand with the GSA because injustice to one is an injustice to all.


Thank you to Mr. Anthony Andrews, Dr. Carter, and Superintendent Edwards for advocating for our queer students. While the school board’s vote shows many do not value every child by name and need in Lynchburg, you continued advocating.

-- Save our Schools Lynchburg

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