In Atlanta Georgia, the first LGBT school will be the first in the state to open. Pride School Atlanta is a k-12 private school for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered students who have been bullied in traditional schools. It is expected to open September 2016 with a tuition $13,000 with financial assistance available for students who need it. Christian Zsilavetz, the founder of the Pride school, says that the school was designed to support students in ways that other schools couldn’t. He wants to inspire students and educators to be themselves.

This is expected to be the first of many Pride Schools to open up around the country for the LGBT community to be educated in an environment more accepting of their differences. Although it is aimed at LGBT students, Pride school will accept anyone who is interested in attending. Zsilavetz himself is a transgender man. On the school’s website he writes “Pride School Atlanta admits students of any race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, affectional preference, sexual orientation, marital or relationship status, gender identity or gender expression to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school.”

The school plans to operate outside of Unitarian Universalist church. It is also said that the school will use a “democratic decision-making process” and that there will be no mandatory homework or tests.  Sophomore Tori Anderson feels that this is a great opportunity for LGBT students and teachers. “Just think – there are students all over the country that fall under the LGBT spectrum and feel uncomfortable in their school environment because they’re so ‘different.” But something like this can bring youths together and make them feel accepted.”