In the last year, the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network has seen a 'huge surge of interest' in addressing anti-LGBT bullying in middle schools. 'That makes it even harder for them,' he said. Most children are aware of their sexuality between the ages of 8 and 11, according to Jennings, but are told they are 'too young' to know their orientation. 'Moving from small to larger schools, cliques and social pecking order are a bigger deal.' 'There seems to be something about the onset of puberty that makes those years different,' said Kevin Jennings, founder and executive director of the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network. In a 2005 study conducted by Harris Polling, 'From Teasing to Torment,' teachers reported that middle school students were 30 percent more likely to be teased about their sexual orientation than high school students.
At Sean's school there wasn't even a sex education program, according to his mother. Only 11 states have enacted laws to protect schoolchildren from being bullied specifically because of sexual orientation. Taunting and bullying often goes unnoticed by teachers, and administrators have few policies in place to handle it.
