A gay Duluth police officer who says he was harassed by superiors because of his sexual orientation is meeting with city officials today after rejecting a $21,000 settlement offer from the city earlier this week, according to WSB radio.
Officer Bobby Johnson filed a complaint with the EEOC in February naming Lt. Chuck Wilson and Chief Randy Belcher for making anti-gay comments. Johnson said he was often the target of anti-gay jokes.
"The work environment became so hostile, I couldn't stand it," Johnson told the Duluth Patch.
Virtually all LGBT students from Georgia who participated in a recent School Climate survey reported hearing homophobic slurs like "dyke" and "fag," and almost half said they had been pushed or shoved because of their sexual orientation.
The Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network surveyed some 7,261 LGBT students across the country for the 2009 National School Climate Survey. The survey — conducted every two years — included 175 high school and middle school students from Georgia. GLSEN released the Georgia-specific results today.
“LGBT students face disturbing levels of victimization in Georgia. We hope this new research will be a wake-up call to Georgia leaders that more needs to be done to ensure that LGBT students are safe and have an equal opportunity to learn,” said Dr. Joseph Kosciw, GLSEN Senior Director of Research and Strategic Initiatives, in a June 27 press release. “Students are clearly saying educators and policymakers are not doing enough to stop anti-LGBT bullying and harassment.”