Lance Lundsten, an 18-year-old gay student at Jefferson High School in Alexandria, Minnesota, died on January 15. Friends and classmates started a Facebook memorial page in his honor, with many saying that Lance faced bullying in school because of his sexual orientation. Many of these same voices have also come together to form the Jefferson Anti-Bullying Coalition, where they admit that the school isn't doing an adequate job of protecting LGBT youth, or creating a safe learning environment for all students.

Box Turtle Bulletin also notes that in the Jefferson High School student/teacher handbook, nary a word appears about anti-gay bullying or harassment. There are protections for students on the basis of race, sex, religion, ethnic background, physical or mental handicaps, but not sexual orientation or gender identity.

That needs to change.

Send leaders with the school a message that anti-gay bullying can happen anywhere, in big cities and small towns. And it's up to school districts and school administrators to take the lead and make sure that schools have adequate anti-bullying programs, and that they are inclusive of all students, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.