Two Inland school districts are being praised for creating a positive climate for LGBT students.

San Bernardino City Unified and San Jacinto Unified are among 130 California districts in Equality California’s Safe and Supportive Schools Report Card.

Both were rated as “spotlight” districts. The districts were cited for their anti-bullying and suicide prevention policies, cultural training, groups such as clubs for gay students and inclusive access to facilities.

Equality California, which advocates for the rights of LGBT Californians, named 22 of the 130 school districts that responded to their survey as spotlight districts.

“It’s not just LGBT students who benefit from less bullying in our schools, who benefit from more inclusive schools, who benefit from having better suicide-prevention programs,” said Samuel Garrett-Pate, a spokesman for Equality California. “These things benefit all students.”

Studies have shown that bullying victims have a lower chance of graduating and are more likely to abuse drugs and alcohol or to kill themselves.

Equality California sent the survey to all 343 California unified school districts. The group hopes to also distribute surveys to elementary and high school districts in the future.

The LGBT-friendly climate at both Inland districts comes from work meant to support all students.

“It doesn’t matter what your religious views are, it doesn’t matter what your political views are,” said Vanessa Gomez, who oversees counseling in the San Jacinto Unified School District.” We have to put our students first and make them feel safe.”

Both districts have worked to reduce bullying in their districts.

“Our kids are student advocates for each other,” Gomez said. “They support each other, and they don’t tolerate the disrespect and harassment.”

Staff and students are trained to identify the warning signs of suicide and what to do if they think a student is in danger. Studies show that LGBT students are more likely to kill themselves.

“A lot of times they do struggle emotionally, especially going through adolescence and maybe they haven’t come out yet,” Gomez said. “It’s important that there be a safe space with adults they can go to for support.”

In the San Bernardino district, a school counselor is at every school, from kindergarten through high school, where there’s one counselor for every 300 students.

“So we have lots of counseling available,” said Colleen Williams, coordinator of student wellness and support services for the San Bernardino City Unified School District. “And that’s very rare.”

Most of the San Bernardino district’s six comprehensive high schools have Gay Straight Alliances, National Alliance for Mental Illness or other support groups for students.

“The school district and schools have been very receptive to the needs of the students and the students have said they wanted a GSA and wanted to get one started on their campus,” said Jill Catlin, a program specialist for student mental health in the district.

San Jacinto High School restarted its GSA club last year. It isn’t the “Gay Straight Alliance” it is at most schools. The students renamed it the “Gender Sexuality Alliance” to more accurately represent the spectrum of students at the school.

“Most of the teachers here are very supportive,” said San Jacinto High senior Cinthia Villela, 17, the GSA’s vice president. When inappropriate or prejudiced comments are made, teachers respond, she said.

“Even if it’s a joke, I’ve seen the teacher step in and say ‘That’s not OK.’”

Supportive adults make a huge difference, said 16-year-old San Jacinto High School junior Estevan Aragon, the treasurer of the school’s GSA.

“It can really change kids and help them if they’re going through something and a teacher supports them, even with the smallest act of kindness,” Aragon said. “It can really help them go far.”

Dorothy Skates, one of the club’s two advisers, said the school has largely been supportive of its LGBT population.

“A few years ago, I had these girls in my classroom, and one of the girls said ‘I saw your boyfriend kiss another boy,’” Skates said.

Bracing for something ugly, she angled her way toward the students.

“And the girl said ‘Oh, that’s OK, we broke up.’ ‘Oh, good, I thought he was cheating on you.’ That was the whole discussion, that was it,” Skates said.

It was just ordinary high-school drama, nothing more.

“My heart was so warm, ‘Oh, that’s so wholesome, I’m so happy.’ And I’ve seen a lot of things like that: People are just really accepting.”

Other Inland districts profiled in the report include Barstow Unified, Beaumont Unified, Colton Joint Unified, Desert Sands Unified, Jurupa Unified, Moreno Valley Unified, Palm Springs Unified, Palo Verde Unified, Rialto Unified, Riverside Unified and Silver Valley Unified. All were rated as “foundational” districts, meaning they had taken “basic or initial steps toward creating a safe and supportive school climate for LGBTQ students.”

Needles Unified received a “priority” rating. That means it has only made “modest initial steps toward fostering LGBTQ-inclusive school climate but may lack the resources, understanding or commitment to fully implement the programs and policies discussed in this report.”

Garrett-Pate hopes Needles, and other districts that received the priority rating, will see this as a plan of action, rather than a badge of shame.

“We’ve already heard from districts that said ‘Great, now we’ve got a road map; next time we’re going to be a spotlight district.’”