Ten years after college student Matthew Shepard was brutally killed because of his sexual orientation, anti-LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) violence has spread to middle schools. 15-year-old Lawrence King was shot and killed in California last week by a 14-year-old eighth-grader who classmates said had been bullying Lawrence because of his sexual orientation and gender expression. The attacker was charged with a hate crime.

Anti-LGBT bullying and harassment is still the norm in school. Nearly two-thirds of LGBT students (64.3%) feel unsafe at school because of their sexual orientation and two-fifths (40.7%) because of their gender expression, according to GLSEN's 2005 National School Climate Survery. "Faggot" and "Dyke" are still common insults, and "That's so gay" has become an accepted form of expression.

But it doesn't have to be this way. We can teach respect.

Students across the country, gay and straight alike, are coming together to erase the hate and ensure safe schools for all students, regardless of sexual orientation and gender expression/identity. Please make your voice heard:

• Join a vigil, rally or remembrance this week in honor of Lawrence King. Find an event or register one in your area at www.rememberinglawrence.org.
• Be a friend here on Think, at MySpace or Facebook.
• Join one of the nearly 4,000 Gay-Straight Alliances in middle and high schools registered with GLSEN across he country. Find one near you at www.studentorganizing.org.
• Form a GSA at your middle school, high school or college to help make school safe for all students. Find out how here and register at www.studentorganizing.org.
• Take part in the National Day of Silence on April 25, as hundrends of thousands of middle school, high school and college students take a vow of silence to bring attention to anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying and harassment.
• Be an ally. Anyone can make a difference by speaking up when they witness bullying and harassment of any kind.
• Learn more at www.glsen.org.