Joel Burns

Joel Burns is a city councilman for District 9 in Fort Worth, Texas. He received extensive press attention in October 2010 after speaking at a council meeting about the issue of suicide among lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth, as part of Dan Savage's It Gets Better campaign.

Burns partners with parents, teachers, administrators, and students, both in Fort Worth and nationally, on ways to end bullying in our schools.

“No child should be made to feel like they are without worth. It is not the responsibility of the child to put a stop to bullying. It is our responsibility and obligation as adults to ensure that every child can grow and learn in a safe environment.”

For his efforts to end bullying, Burns was honored with the 2011 Elected Official of the Year award from the National Association of Social Workers in North Central Texas-Fort Worth Area Branch. Joel’s commitment to Fort Worth youth also earned him the 2011 “Believing in Youth” award presented by Santa Fe Youth Services.

Burns supports strong anti-bullying legislation that gives teachers access to the tools they need to prevent, identify, and report bullying. He also supports federal legislation, the Safe Schools Improvement Act, which would direct schools and districts to adopt codes of conduct to prevent bullying and harassment.

Joel Burns was born at the maternity hospital of the Gladney Center for Adoption, five blocks from where he now lives in the Ryan Place neighborhood. He grew up on the O.C. Armstrong Ranch in southwest Fort Worth. For decades, the Armstrong family helped fund Texas Wesleyan University, where he would later attend. He has served on many local Boards and Commissions and worked with many neighborhood and professional groups dedicated to preserving and protecting Fort Worth.