ANOKA (AP) — One year after Minnesota's largest school district settled a lawsuit over bullying, life for gay and lesbian students is getting better there.

The Southern Poverty Law Center filed the lawsuit against the Anoka-Hennepin School District after getting a call from Jackson Middle School teacher Ann Lindsey in 2010.

Lindsey says the atmosphere for LGBT students was "toxic" at the time. But she says the mood is much brighter now, and anti-gay slurs have decreased.

Under the settlement, the district agreed to take a series of several steps to track and prevent bullying.

Jefferson Fietek, an outspoken teacher in the district and advocate for LGBT students, says it hasn't gotten better for everyone yet. But he says it's starting to head in the right direction.

 

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