LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - As many as 2 million gay teen-agers are subjected to such widespread bullying and teacher indifference in U.S. schools that they do not receive an adequate education, a new study said on Wednesday.

The study, conducted by Human Rights Watch, a nonprofit advocacy and research organization, found school officials often refuse to accept reports of harassment of gays or hold the perpetrators accountable. In some cases, they have encouraged or participated in the abuse, it said.

"The U.S. school system gets a failing grade when it comes to providing a safe place for gay students to get an education," said Michael Bochenek, counsel to the children's rights division of Human Rights Watch and an author of the report.

"Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender kids face a greater risk of bullying than any other students in American high schools."

The 203-page study interviewed 140 youth and 130 school officials and parents in seven states -- California, Georgia, Kansas, Massachusetts, New York, Texas and Utah.

It found that an estimated 2 million gay teens spent a lot of time figuring out how to get to and from school safely, avoiding hallways when other students were there to escape slurs and shoves, and cutting gym classes to escape being beaten up.

The harassment takes a serious toll on students' emotional and physical health and on their academic studies, the report said. Some drop out of school. Others commit suicide. A growing number are demanding school administrations ensure their safety and that they be allowed to organize student groups, according to the study.

The report called for immediate action by school districts, states and the federal government, including the enactment and enforcement of policies prohibiting harassment and discrimination of both students and school officials based on sexual orientation.

Human Rights Watch also urged states to pass laws to protect students from such harassment and for extra monitoring and intervention from the U.S. Department of Education.