NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Schools across Tennessee are reminding students this month about the damage they can do to peers by bullying. Among the reasons kids are teased or physically harmed is sexual orientation, and experts say bisexuals face even more challenges.

According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Youth Risk Behavior Surveys, as many as 28 percent of bisexual students report assault, teasing and harassment in the prior year.

Heron Greenesmith LGBT movement and policy analyst for the Movement Advancement Project, said the bullying behavior often follows bisexual people into their adult lives, although it sometimes becomes more subtle.

"Bi people don't feel comfortable coming out," she said. "We're closeted at home, we're closeted to our friends, we're closeted at work and that speaks to how we feel we are treated or might be treated if we shared our sexual orientation."

According to data recently compiled by the Movement Advancement Project, bisexuals are less open about their sexuality with their family and friends, compared with gay men or lesbian women. In addition, Greenesmith said bisexuals are more likely to experience intimate-partner violence and poor health.

While there is growing societal acceptance and understanding of gay and lesbian people, Greenesmith said, bisexuals often face stereotypes specific to their orientation - including that they are confused about their sexual orientation.

"There is growing research that underscores that bi folks have their own unique disparities," she said, "unique both from lesbian and gay folks and from straight folks, too."

According to the data compiled by the Movement Advancement Project, 20 percent of bisexuals report experiencing a negative employment decision based on their sexual orientation, and 60 percent reported hearing anti-bisexual jokes on the job.

A Movement Advancement Project infographic is online at lgbtmap.org. The CDC research is at cdc.gov.


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HARRISBURG, Pa. -- With kids stuck at home early in the pandemic, a new report said child-abuse cases decreased in 2020, but children's advocates say it is likely a result of the abuse going undocumented, and there is work to be done to better respond to children's needs during a public-health crisis.

Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children's annual State of Child Welfare report showed nearly 33,000 fewer cases of child abuse or neglect in 2020 than the previous year, a 22% decrease. But this year, the number of abuse cases investigated and substantiated was at its highest in the last five years.

Rachel Miller, policy director at Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children, said it is cause for concern.

"As stay-at-home orders were implemented, children were moved to virtual learning and having less contact with those mandated reporters, such as teachers or medical professionals," Miller explained. "And we saw a direct correlation to a significant decrease in mandated reporting trends."

Pennsylvania's Department of Human Services (DHS) data from 2021 on child-abuse reports, investigations, and foster care will not be available until 2022. Miller predicts the state will likely see an increase in kids entering foster care or staying longer in the system as a result of mandated reporting making a comeback.

The report also included policy recommendations, such as investing in the Child Protective Services workforce, which has seen high turnover due to low pay and burnout exacerbated by the pandemic.

Miller argued the skilled workers are critical to preventing child abuse and intervening when abuse is detected.

"Child-welfare staff are essential employees," Miller contended. "Those staff shortages lead to workers carrying high caseloads where they can barely do the bare minimum, let alone meet any of the other important outcomes for children like conducting thorough investigations, preventing placement and ensuring permanency."

She added the Pennsylvania Partnerships report has been shared with DHS. Other recommendations included creating a statewide case management system and addressing racial inequity in child protective services and foster care.

FARGO, N.D. - As North Dakota families navigate the latest phase of the pandemic, community action agencies worry the crisis is affecting parents' enrollment decisions for Head Start programs.

These regional organizations carry out school readiness programs for low-income families across North Dakota.

In Fargo, Lindsey Burkhardt is the Head Start birth to five director for the Southeastern North Dakota Community Action Agency.

Recently, they've had roughly 75 openings for their program, and she said she can't remember having this kind of a struggle to keep classrooms full.

"And we have had more and more families accept slots, but then they don't show up," said Burkhardt. "We can't find them. There's just so many things that we're finding as barriers. "

Directors say transportation issues might be a factor, while acknowledging the likelihood of some families losing a loved one to COVID, affecting their ability to get their child to Head Start site.

Family members who are immunocompromised are cited as another factor.

Locally and statewide, agencies are ramping up their outreach and recruitment to reach eligible families.

Those increased efforts include using COVID funding to bring in more recruitment staff, while updating materials.

Burkhardt said they're especially worried about not enrolling enough four-year-olds, which could put them back as they move up the education ladder.

"We want our children enrolled in our program to go to kindergarten on their first day and be just as well-equipped to start that and have the same starting line as other children," said Burkhardt.

The agencies say just like child-care centers across the state, Head Start programs face staffing shortages. But leaders say that shouldn't prevent eligible families from applying to Head Start.

The statewide Community Action Partnership says it's hearing of similar enrollment issues in its Dickinson and Jamestown locations.

EVERETT, Wash. -- After community pushback, Everett Community College has paused plans to close its Early Learning Center, which has provided child-care services and nutritional counseling to many low-income families north of Seattle for 29 years.

Parents and employees were notified last week through a letter from the college, which stated a review of revenue and expenses shows the program is "not financially sustainable."

Prior to a Tuesday night Board of Trustees meeting, the college sent a letter to the community saying the board will work with state and local leaders to find permanent funding.

Michelle Doran, whose three-year-old daughter attends the center, said the program has been a lifeline over the past few months as she's experienced homelessness.

"I can't tell you how phenomenal that program has been," Doran remarked. "The support that I've gotten from Early Learning Center basically has made it, so I don't hit rock bottom, I have been able to maintain a full-time job and get quality child care."

Everett officials said the center has accumulated a net loss of $700,000 over a five-year period. In its original letter to staff, the college said it planned to close the center next June 30, and 14 employees would be laid off.

Everett Community College said it is interested in turning the lease of the building over to the YMCA of Snohomish County to run a day-care program.

Amie Waters, assistant director of Everett Community College's Early Learning Center, said she is encouraged there is a chance to fight for the future of the program, because she does not think the YMCA would be able to provide the same high-quality education.

"The YMCA starts their lead teachers at $13 an hour, and they cap out a little over $17, so their ending wage is lower than our starting wage," Waters explained. "To have the Young Men's Christian Association take over our beautiful, diverse program feels very insulting."

The Early Learning Center was accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. Fewer than 10% of child-care and early-education centers in the U.S. receive the accreditation.