"They were only joking": efforts to decrease LGBTQ bullying and harassment in seattle public schools.

Background: Seattle Public Schools has implemented policies and programs to increase safety, family involvement, and student achievement for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) youth. This case study examines students' perceptions of bullying and harassment in the school environment, and teacher intervention when these problems arise in the presence of strong district policies and programs aimed at reducing LGBTQ bullying and harassment in schools.

Methods: We surveyed students in Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) groups at 13 secondary schools (N = 107).