Imagine the impact of having the first Secretary of Education who is also the parent of a lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender school-aged child. 

In the wake of the tragic murder of Lawrence King – and surveys showing that LGBT young people are far more likely than their heterosexual peers to drop out of, or not excel in, school – having a prominent national advocate who understands the importance of setting safe schools goals could make all the difference in the world. 

At PFLAG, our chapters are working in the schools, every day, to educate educators, administrators and parents about the importance of having not just the right policies, but also the right environments, in their classrooms. 

 Those parent-advocates, however, could have much more sway, and make a much bigger difference, if they were backed up by a federal-level champion who supports their efforts.  

 Having the right person, sending the right message from the top, sets a much-needed standard for allies at the local level to follow.

Jody Huckaby is the executive director of PFLAG

Go back to the main story for more opinions on where we need LGBT officials.