Susan Castillo knows the importance of conversation.  As the Superintendent of all Oregon public schools, it's her job to make sure that important issues of education are talked about with honesty and tolerance.  "The more we're able to call these issues out and talk about them in an open way, the better we can move forward," she says.  LGBTQ discrimination is one such important issue.

"I've heard firsthand from students who are gay about horrible experiences they have had in their schools," she says.  "They do feel discriminated against, and we take every instance of discrimination, bullying or harassment seriously.  We need to work hard to ensure this doesn't happen."

Castillo is leading the conversation about making Oregon schools a welcoming environment for LGBTQ students.  She feels the most important voices are frequently those of the students who experience discrimination because of their sexual orientation. "We want to hear from our students, and we want to hear how we can take action to make our schools better," she says. "The message sent by LGBTQ students is clear: there has to be a better way."

With the passage of Oregon's new anti-discrimination bill, Senate Bill 2, Susan believes the implementation of that law will bring new opportunities for us to make progress.  "Senate Bill 2 brings about more awareness and provides a new opportunity for having open, honest conversations in our schools, and giving greater space to LGBTQ students to voice their concerns," she says.  "We also have more opportunities for increased training for teachers and administrators."

As the conversation about improving Oregon's schools continues, we must listen carefully to these voices and take deliberate actions to create a safer environment for LGBTQ students, Susan says. "It gets to the essence of what the public education system is supposed to be about: Equal access for all children."