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Amid Book Bans, DEI Cuts and Don't Say Gay Laws...
Seven States Will Mandate LGBTQ-Inclusive Curricula
 

Washington will join six other states in requiring public schools to include LGBTQ-inclusive curricula.

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, a Democrat, signed a law in March 2024 that includes a mandate for the state’s public schools to teach LGBTQ history, as red and blue states continue to diverge on whether schools should expose kids to gay and transgender identities.

The new law, Senate Bill 5462, mandates that the state’s school districts adopt curricula that is as “culturally and experientially diverse as possible,” including the histories of LGBTQ people, people of color and people with disabilities. Schools will be required to institute the inclusive curricula by the 2025-26 school year.

“The governor was happy to sign legislation that aims to ensure students of all races and identities feel safe and welcome at school,” Mike Faulk, a spokesperson for Inslee, said. Faulk also referred to research published in the journal Sex Education that suggests LGBTQ-inclusive curricula can reduce rates of bullying and make children feel safer in school.

Kristie Bennett is a high school teacher in Sammamish, Washington, who is bisexual and leads her school’s gender-sexuality alliance organization. In an interview last week, Bennett echoed Faulk’s sentiment. “I’ve seen firsthand how important an inclusive curriculum can be and how life-changing it can be to help a student see themselves in the curriculum instead of some old dead white guys from the 1700s,” Bennett said.

Activists Celebrate New Washington State Law Requiring LGBTQ History in Schools
Washington Is Now the Seventh State to Require LGBTQ-Inclusive Curricula In Schools
Amid Book Bans, DEI Cuts and Don't Say Gay Laws, 7 States Will Mandate LGBTQ-Inclusive Curricula
These States are Not Afraid to Give Their Kids a Queer-Friendly Education

Washington is the seventh state to enact legislation mandating that public schools incorporate LGBTQ-inclusive curricula in some capacity. The other six are: California, New Jersey, Colorado, Oregon, Nevada and Illinois, states that have been won by Democrats in the last four presidential elections.

The law also comes as conservative lawmakers introduce record numbers of anti-LGBTQ measures, including legislation to regulate how LGBTQ issues are taught in public schools.

Over the last several years, Republican officials have sought to limit how sexual orientation and gender identity are taught in school through measures critics have dubbed “Don’t Say Gay” laws; bans on books with queer storylines or characters; and disbandments of diversity, equity and inclusion programs at public universities.

Seven states — all but one of them led by Republicans — have laws in place that restrict the instruction of sexual orientation or gender identity in some public schools.

Gabriele Magni, an assistant professor of political science at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles and director of the school’s LGBTQ Politics Research Initiative, called the enactment of the measures to mandate LGBTQ history be taught at public schools a “reaction” to anti-LGBTQ measures introduced in red states.

“It’s similar to the analogy we’ve seen with abortion. On the one hand, you’ve seen states banning abortion or making it much more unrealistic,” Magni said. “And then, on the other hand, you’ve seen states like California or New York ramping up their protections and also offering a more welcoming environment for people who may come from out of state.”

LGBTQ advocates in Washington similarly suggested that their state’s new law was necessary to counter the idea from conservatives that queer identities are inappropriate for children.

“It’s considered too controversial to mention to kids that Thoreau was gay or Walt Whitman was gay,” Ken Shulman, the executive director of Seattle-based LGBTQ advocacy group Lambert House, explained. “Alan Turing — who invented the first computer, helped serve the Enigma code and win World War II — was gay.”

[Source: Matt Lavietes, NBC News, March 2024]

Transition: Class of 2024 to 2036

Miss Frizzle, Sue Sylvester, and More: Our Fave Queer-Coded Teachers From Film and TV
Florida Teen Denied Entry to Prom for Wearing a Suit

Washington Public Schools to Begin Teaching LGBTQ History by 2025
Efforts to Block LGBTQ Issues in Schools Finally Backfiring
Virginia School Teachers Refusing to Follow Governor’s Transphobic Policies
Georgia Teacher Fired for Reading Gender-Inclusive Book to Students

Two Texas School Teachers Were Fired After Attending a Drag Show
 

Florida Teen Denied Entry to Prom for Wearing a Suit

The 16-year-old said she has worn suits to other events hosted by her charter school, including a Valentine’s Day dance this year.  The school says she violated its dress code for formal occasions.

Sophie Savidge, a 16-year-old junior at Mason Classical Academy, a top-ranked charter school in Naples, arrived at Vanderbilt Country Club for the school’s prom in May 2024 with her mom, Holly Savidge, and friends. But Sophie was turned away, Holly said, after the vice principal, told them Sophie’s suit violated the dress code. Holly said Sophie was told she could come back to the dance only if she went home and changed into a dress. “I was so upset,” her mother Holly explained. “Sophie doesn’t wear dresses. She doesn’t like to wear dresses. It’s just not her. And the vice principal said, Well, unfortunately, those are the rules.”

Sophie said the incident made her nervous because she had never spoken to someone from her school’s administration. “But I was also really shocked, because I didn’t think that it was going to be a problem,” she said of wearing the suit.

Mason Classical Academy said in a statement that it has clear dress code guidelines for all dances. “The dress codes are clearly presented and outlined to all students and parents,” the statement said. “Any student who shows up to an MCA dance and does not abide by the dress code is given the opportunity to return to the dance in the proper attire. All students are treated equally at MCA and are welcome and encouraged to attend these voluntary events.” A “guide to attire” on the school’s website says that, for formal occasions, “ladies” are required to wear dresses and “one piece attire only.”

Holly and Sophie said that they were both aware of the dress code but that Sophie has worn suits to other school events, including a Valentine’s Day dance in February. “They have never denied her before, but we were willing to take that risk because that’s just who Sophie is,” Holly said. “I’m very proud of her for taking that risk.” They plan to take any legal action against the school but that she hopes it does change the dress code.

Since local news coverage drew attention to her story, Sophie said, two students have come up to her at school to thank her for speaking out about what happened and to tell her they have also wanted to wear suits to school events. A local fashion designer reached out after he read about Sophie and gave her five silk bow ties and taught her how to tie an Eldredge knot. Sophie encouraged young people in similar situations to stick up for what they believe in. “Keep on pushing through even if other people don’t agree with how they want to express themselves,” she said.

[Source: Jo Yurcaba, NBC News, May 2024]

Conservatives Target Schools: LGBTQ Kids/Students of Color Feel Less Safe
Trans Girl is Told Not to Wear Dress to Her Graduation

School Officials Prevent Trans Teen from Attending Her Own Graduation
School Boards Canceling High School Student Plays with LGBTQ Characters
Florida Extends ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Law Through High School Graduation
What It's Like to Be an LGBTQ High Schooler in DeSantis's Florida

Back-to-School

Classroom challenges for LGBTQ students

This year’s Back-To-School season may look just a little different for LGBTQ students, their parents, and teachers. The record-high number of anti-LGBTQ laws, especially ones that limit what students get to learn or how they can be fully themselves in schools, has heavily impacted the mental health of LGBTQ young people and made going back to school more anxiety-inducing and lonely.

The truth is schools can be an incredibly positive environment for LGBTQ young people. Many LGBTQ students have found their chosen family at schools, whether it be in their sports team or drama club, through a supportive teacher or the group of friends that have been through it all together.

Today, we lift up the LGBTQ students who every single day choose to be brave, courageous, resilient and never allow anyone to tell them who they can or cannot be. We’re also thinking of and fighting for the LGBTQ students who may be feeling alone or unsafe in their schools because safe spaces aren’t always readily available. Remember this: You are stronger than you know, and you are never, ever, alone.

We thank every teacher, coach, guidance counselor, administrator, school librarian, and to everyone who has never stopped showing up for their LGBTQ students even when the whole world seems to be against you. You are the difference between an LGBTQ young person suffering and an LGBTQ young person actually being able to learn, thrive and enjoy their education.

[Source: The Trevor Project, August 2023]

Transition: Class of 2024 to 2036

Florida Teen Denied Entry to Prom for Wearing a Suit

Inclusive LGBTQ Resources for Teachers

Mississippi Trans Teen Misses Her Graduation After Judge's Transphobic Decision

Trans Student Voted Homecoming Princess as a Prank: She Refuses to Step Down
What LGBTQ Families Should Know For Back-to-School Time

Forced to Attend Anti-LGBTQ Group’s Christian Revival: Students Walk Out in Protest
High Schooler Censored By School Administration Over Saying He's Gay

She was School Principal for 16 Years Until She Displayed a Rainbow Flag

Georgia Teacher Fired for Reading Gender-Inclusive Book

 Teacher Katie Rinderle testified that she believes there is nothing inappropriate or sensitive about My Shadow is Purple

After administrators alleged that she violated the district’s regulations by reading a book about gender fluidity to her students, a Georgia public school teacher attempted to reverse her dismissal by speaking at a hearing concerning the matter in August 2023.

After teaching for a decade, Katie Rinderle got in trouble in March 2023 after reading My Shadow Is Purple, a picture book for children, to her fifth-grade students at Due West Elementary School in Cobb County, in the Atlanta metroplex. She was eventually fired.

In light of a nationwide conservative assault on LGBTQ-themed books and school lessons, this case has gained considerable attention due to its concern with teachers’ teaching abilities, the control of school systems over teachers, and whether or not some parents should have a say in the public curriculum. “This termination is unrelated to education,” Rinderle’s lawyer argued. “It exists to create political scapegoats for the elected leadership of this district. Reading a children’s book to children is not against the law.”

Cobb County officials say Rinderle broke school rules by teaching controversial subjects, and parents complained, leading to Rinderle’s termination. Cobb County is the second-largest school district in Georgia. “Introducing the topic of gender identity and gender fluidity into a class of elementary grade students was inappropriate and violated the school district policies,” argued the school district’s counsel.

But Rinderle disagreed. The fact that Rinderle read the book wasn’t wrong, she said, because she found it “appropriate” and not a sensitive topic. She argued that the book conveys a message to students about their many interests and the desire to be free to choose and explore them all.

Following Georgia Republican lawmakers’ ban on “divisive concepts” in the classroom and creating a bill of rights for parents in 2022, Cobb County adopted a rule prohibiting teaching controversial issues. Divisive concepts law prohibits teachers from “espousing personal political beliefs.” By law, parents have “the right to direct the upbringing and the moral or religious training of his or her minor child.”  According to Georgia law, teachers cannot be fired without cause. Three retired school principals will review Rinderle’s case and recommend whether to fire or retain her, but ultimately the school board will decide the educator’s fate.

[Source: Christopher Wiggins, Advocate, August 2023]
 

Georgia Teacher Fired for Reading Gender-Inclusive Book to Students

LGBTQ Authors Hit Back as US School Book Bans Pick Up
Texas Judge Orders LGBTQ Books Be Returned to Public Libraries
LGBTQ Books That Are Banned In Schools in 2022
Conservatives are Attacking LGBTQ Books
School Bans on LGBTQ Books Escalating Dramatically

Federal Judge Blocks Arkansas Law Targeting Books and Librarians

Florida Bans AP Psychology Course Over LGBTQ Content

Homophobic Governor Removes LGBTQ Topics From Psychology Course

Governor DeSantis is Florida is making the state a hostile place for students across the board.  And now, his administration is disqualifying all Florida students from taking AP Psychology. The College Board is asking: How can we accurately study psychology without talking about gender and sexuality, sending students to colleges or university without this education? Shame on Gov. DeSantis and every attempt to censor LGBTQ topics from the classroom.

Florida "effectively banned" Advanced Placement Psychology classes in the state due to the course's content on sexual orientation and gender identity, the College Board said in August 2023. The state's Department of Education informed the College Board that its AP Psychology class is in violation of state law, the higher education nonprofit said in a statement. Florida's Parental Rights in Education Act, or what critics have dubbed the "Don't Say Gay" law, restricts the instruction of sexual orientation and gender identity in the state's classrooms.

Florida Bans AP Psychology Course Over LGBTQ Content

Florida Extends ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Law Through High School Graduation
Florida Expands Don’t-Say-Gay Rules and House Passes 3 LGBTQ Bills
So-Called Don't-Say-Gay Rules Expanded Through 12th Grade in Florida
Florida Board of Education Expands Don’t-Say-Gay Classroom Ban to All Grades

Gov. DeSantis has no training or expertise in education, psychology, mental health, or medicine, and yet he is making decisions on topics he knows nothing about, that adversely affect the lives of millions of people in his state. He should be ashamed.

“The state’s ban of this content removes choice from parents and students,” the College Board said in a statement. “Coming just days from the start of school, it derails the college readiness and affordability plans of tens of thousands of Florida students currently registered for AP Psychology, one of the most popular AP classes in the state.“  The state's move to restrict the AP Psychology course comes several months after its decision to block AP African American Studies courses was widely condemned by academics and civil rights activists.

The College Board added that Florida will allow superintendents to offer the college-level psychology class for high schoolers if they exclude LGBTQ topics.  However, the College Board argued that excluding the lessons — which it describes as teachings on "how sex and gender influence socialization and other aspects of development" — "would censor college-level standards."  It added that lessons regarding sexual orientation and gender identity have been included in AP Psychology since the course was created 30 years ago.  The group said that more than 28,000 Florida students took AP Psychology in the prior academic year.

Florida Bans AP Psychology Course Over LGBTQ Content

Florida Extends ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Law Through High School Graduation
Florida Expands Don’t-Say-Gay Rules and House Passes 3 LGBTQ Bills
So-Called Don't-Say-Gay Rules Expanded Through 12th Grade in Florida
Florida Board of Education Expands Don’t-Say-Gay Classroom Ban to All Grades

The American Psychological Association, the nation's largest scientific and professional organization of psychologists, argued against stripping AP Psychology of LGBTQ topics earlier this year, after the state requested that the College Board review sexuality and gender identity topics in all advanced placement courses. “Understanding human sexuality is fundamental to psychology, and an advanced placement course that excludes the decades of science studying sexual orientation and gender identity would deprive students of knowledge they will need to succeed in their studies, in high school and beyond,” the association's CEO, Arthur C. Evans Jr., said in a statement in June. “We applaud the College Board for standing up to the state of Florida and its unconscionable demand to censor an educational curriculum and test that were designed by college faculty and experienced AP teachers who ensure that the course and exam reflect the state of the science and college-level expectations.”

Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, the nation’s second largest teachers union, said the decision to restrict AP Psychology in the state is “part of the DeSantis playbook of eroding rights” and “censoring those he disagrees with.”

LGBTQ advocates also condemned the state's AP Psychology restriction. “Psychology is centered around people – all people," Kelley Robinson, president of the Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest LGBTQ advocacy group, said in a statement. "Erasing us from the curriculum ignores our existence, sets back Florida students who want to pursue psychology in higher education and disrupts pathways for future mental health professionals to provide comprehensive, culturally competent mental healthcare for the LGBTQ community."

DeSantis, a Republican who is running for president, signed the so-called Don’t Say Gay law last year.  The law was widely condemned by LGBTQ activists and prompted an ongoing feud between the governor and The Walt Disney Co., Florida's largest employer.

The measure initially prohibited “classroom instruction by school personnel or third parties on sexual orientation or gender identity” in kindergarten through third grade “or in a manner that is not age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards” in public and charter schools.  But earlier this year, DeSantis doubled down, signing a measure into law expanding the restrictions to explicitly include students through the eighth grade. The newer version of the law also restricts reproductive health education in sixth through 12th grade.

In addition to enacting the "Don't Say Gay" law, the governor recently signed into law a measure that bars transgender people from using public restrooms that align with their gender identities and another that restricts drag performances in front of minors. A judge subsequently blocked the drag law.

On the final day of LGBTQ Pride Month in June, DeSantis’ presidential campaign released a video portraying the governor as a champion of anti-gay and anti-trans policies. The video garnered widespread attention for its pairing of DeSantis’ anti-LGBTQ policy accomplishments alongside images of shirtless bodybuilders, in what appeared to be an attempt to portray the Florida governor as strong. It was condemned by both Republicans and Democrats, with some calling it "homophobic."

[Source: Matt Lavietes, NBC News, August 2023]
 

Transition: Class of 2024 to 2036

Florida Teen Denied Entry to Prom for Wearing a Suit

Teacher Carey Arensberg: Seek the Sunshine
Trans Girl is Told Not to Wear Dress to Her Graduation

Homophobic Students Make Gay Teacher’s Life a Nightmare and School Does Nothing
Tips For Navigating High School When You're In The Closet

Florida Bans AP Psychology Course Over LGBTQ Content
SPLC: Georgia Teacher Fired for Reading Children's Book About Acceptance in Class
Teacher Fired for Speaking Out Against School Banning the Song “Rainbowland”
Florida Teachers Navigate First Year Under Don't Say Gay Law
I Cannot Teach in Florida: LGBTQ Educators Fear Fallout From New School Law

Florida Expands Don’t-Say-Gay Rules

Classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity is limited.

In April 2023, the Florida Board of Education has voted to expand restrictions on classroom instruction related to sexual orientation and gender identity. "This amendment prohibits classroom instruction to students in pre-kindergarten through Grade 3 on sexual orientation or gender identity. For Grades 4 through 12, instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity is prohibited unless such instruction is either expressly required by state academic standards ... or is part of a reproductive health course or health lesson for which a student’s parent has the option to have his or her student not attend," according to the amendment.

This rule would build on the Parental Rights in Education law Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed in March 2022. The law bans classroom instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity for students in kindergarten through third grade. It also states that any instruction on those topics cannot occur "in a manner that is not age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards," according to the legislation.

Florida Extends ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Law Through High School Graduation
Florida Expands Don’t-Say-Gay Rules and House Passes 3 LGBTQ Bills
So-Called Don't-Say-Gay Rules Expanded Through 12th Grade in Florida
Florida Board of Education Expands Don’t-Say-Gay Classroom Ban to All Grades

Critics of these restrictions argue that "everyone has a sexual orientation and a gender identity. It looks like this rule would make it impossible to do much instruction at all," Laura McGinnis, of the LGBTQ advocacy group PFLAG, previously told ABC News. The law was dubbed "Don't Say Gay" by critics for aiming to restrict curriculum that includes history, literature and more that touch on LGBTQ identities.

Supporters of the rules argue that "there is no reason for instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity to be part of K-12 public education. Full stop," according to a spokesperson for DeSantis, who has backed restrictions on education about race, gender identity and sexual orientation and more in his war on "woke."  Woke is defined by the DeSantis administration as "the belief there are systemic injustices in American society and the need to address them," according to DeSantis' general counsel, as reported by The Washington Post.
 

Critics argued that the bill will censor speech and stop people from talking about their identities due to its vague descriptions on on what is considered instruction and what qualifies as gender identity and sexual orientation subject matter. "There's no clear distinction between discussion or instruction," one attendee told the board. "Can people even have those rainbow stickers? Can we talk about Stonewall even happening? We don't know exactly where the line is."

A supporter of the bill said the rule "strengthens the relationship between parents and children by leaving very personal important conversations within the home between students and their families." The attendee continued, "These subjects affect the mental and emotional health state of our children and most teachers are not trained mental health professionals."

One teacher who spoke at the meeting argued that she fields questions about gender identity and sexual orientation regularly, because students "felt safe to ask me because they trusted me as a teacher and their parents, who opt into sex education for their child, trusted me to answer them. Please understand, if students do not get their questions answered either by their trusted teachers or by those parents that are willing to talk with our children, they will likely find the answers from their peers or the internet with dubious safety inaccuracy."

[Source: Kiara Alfonseca, ABC News, April 2023]
 

Florida Teen Denied Entry to Prom for Wearing a Suit

Tips For Navigating High School When You're In The Closet

Orlando School Elects its First Transgender Homecoming Queen
Education Culture War Finds New Target: Pride Flags in Classrooms
Advocate: Education Dept Will Protect Students From Anti-LGBTQ Bias

My Son Asked Me How Two Men Have Sex

Principal Allegedly Hurt and Threatened to Kill a First-Grader with Gay Parents

Hundreds of Students Across Iowa Walk Out of Class to Protest LGBTQ Bills

Advocacy by Student-Led GSA Clubs Helps Reduce Depression Among LGBTQ Youth
Petition to Ban LGBTQ Content From UK Schools Fails
School Bans On Pride Flags Should Freak All Of Us Out
18 Attorneys General Challenge 'Don't Say Gay' Law in Amicus Brief

Hundreds of Students Across Iowa Walk Out of Class to Protest LGBTQ Bills
 

"We Say Gay!"

From Ames to Waterloo, students slipped out of classrooms by the hundreds in March 2023 in an organized "We Say Gay" walkout to protest a slew of legislative bills that target LGBTQ youth.   Organizers estimated students at 47 schools across Iowa walked out in protest, as Republican lawmakers pushed forward with legislation aimed at tightening school policies and state law regarding gender identity, sexual orientation, gender-affirming care and equity, diversity and inclusion.

Student organizers worry about the repercussions of those bills, which would, among other things, prohibit teaching about gender identity and sexual orientation to students through sixth grade and ban gender-affirming medical care for transgender and nonbinary youth under 18.

Hundreds of Students Across Iowa Walk Out of Class to Protest LGBTQ Bills
Queer Youth Negatively Affected by Anti-LGBTQ Laws and Recent Debates

Atlanta Queer-Friendly Black Church is Source of Solace for LGBTQ Youths

In Des Moines, about 400 students marched in sunny, temperate weather from Central Academy to the governor's mansion, chanting "We say gay!...  What do you want? Justice! When do you want it? Now!...  Trans rights are human rights."  Passing cars honked in support of the students. One administrator estimated about half of the students in the building took part in the march.

"In this legislative session, we've had a lot of bills introduced that would limit the rights of LGBTQ students," said Josue Aleman, Des Moines East High School senior and Central Academy walkout organizer, "and obviously we all took notice. It's not hidden from us."

Students from Des Moines Public Schools' Central Academy walked out of school in protest of several anti-LGBTQ bills introduced in the Iowa Legislature.  East High School senior Dayton Fleenor said he joined the walkout because the proposed bills will be especially harmful to LGBTQ students, particularly House File 180, which would require parental consent before children may identify themselves by different pronouns in school.  "Any person knows if your parent doesn't agree with what you are, life is not going to be easy for you … we're just trying to make it easier for all of those students," he said.

Des Moines Roosevelt High School juniors Hannah Hayes and Kathleen Loder carried a white sign that spelled “Pride” in rainbow lettering. Hayes said lawmakers "are trying to address something that's not broken."  She said, "We don't see that at all in class. I think that the only thing that's talked about is respecting other people and their identities. There's not any sort of brainwashing or anything going on."

Walkouts target 'don't say gay' bills

The "We Say Gay" walkout is a play on the "Don't Say Gay" bills students are protesting, said Waverly Zhao, a Johnston High School senior and co-founder of IowaWTF.   "The walkout also promotes the need for conversations about LGBTQ issues in schools, which is something that is being taken away with a lot of these bills," she said.

The statewide protests were organized by IowaWTF and Iowa Queer Student Alliance, which track legislation, in conjunction with groups at each school district. The protests came one day after Republican lawmakers introduced bills that would bar transgender youth from receiving gender-affirming care until they are adults and prohibit students from using a school bathroom that does not correspond with their sex assigned at birth.

A separate bill, Senate Study Bill 1145, requires school staff to tell a student's parent or guardian if they believe their child is transgender. Variations of these bills have been put forward by lawmakers around the country over the last few years. The current legislative session has focused heavily on Gov. Kim Reynolds' "parental choice" agenda, which includes bills prohibiting schools from teaching about gender identity to students in sixth grade and under, and placing any successfully challenged books on a statewide list.

[Source: Samantha Hernandez, Chris, Higgins, Francesca Block, Phillip Sitter, George Shillcock, Stephen Gruber-Miller, Des Moines Register, March 2023]

Transition: Class of 2024 to 2036

Lesbian Couple Says School Denied Son Admission Due to Their Sexuality
Florida Student Goes Viral After Giving Classmates LGBTQ History Lesson
Launch of New Anti-Bullying Website to Support LGBTQ Youth

Missouri High School Crowns its First Male Homecoming Queen
Gay Teacher Fired After School Notified of Wedding to Partner

How School Systems, Educators and Parents Can Support Transgender Children
Orlando School Elects its First Transgender Homecoming Queen
 

18 Attorneys General Challenge 'Don't Say Gay' Law in Amicus Brief

The attorneys general say that the Florida law is unconstitutional.

Washington DC Attorney General Karl Racine announced a coalition of 18 attorneys general that are opposing Florida’s Parental Rights in Education Act — also known as the “don’t say gay” law. Racine’s office said in a press release late last week that the law posed a threat to LGBTQ students, emphasizing that they are at particular risk and harm to discrimination.

“My office has a strong track record of fighting for LGBTQ rights in the District and across the country to make sure that everyone can simply be who they are and love who they love,” Racine said. “Florida’s law offers no benefit to anyone and in fact puts children and families in harm’s way. We will continue to use all of our authority to help strike down this law and any other hateful, discriminatory policies that threaten people’s fundamental freedoms.”

In an amicus brief submitted in support of a lawsuit brought by several Florida families, the attorneys general state that the law, “are far outside the bounds of ordinary educational decision-making,” adding that its “outlier” status further indicates it is “constitutionally suspect.”

Karl Racine Leads Attorneys General Challenge of Florida's ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Law
AG Racine Leads Coalition Challenging Florida's "Don't Say Gay" Law, Which Bans Discussion of LGBTQ Issues in Schools

The law, which has been called vague by critics, bans “classroom discussion about sexual orientation or gender identity in certain grade levels or in a specified manner. “Classroom instruction by school personnel or third parties on sexual orientation or gender identity may not occur in kindergarten through grade 3 or in a manner that is not age appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards,” it also states.

The families’ lawsuit, which was filed only days after the bill was signed into law by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis in March, argues that the legislation violates Due Process and Equal Protection, as well as First Amendment free speech rights. The suit also raises questions about how the law will change in-classroom discussions and school functions. Already, many teachers and school district officials have voiced uncertainty about what goes against the law and what doesn’t.

“To appreciate how this dynamic will unfold in practice, just consider how students, teachers, parents, guests, and school personnel might navigate these common questions: Can a student of two gay parents talk about their family during a class debate about civics? Can that student paint a family portrait in art class? Can a lesbian student refer to their own coming out experience while responding to a work of literature? Can a transgender student talk about their gender identity while studying civil rights in history class? What if that occurs in homeroom, or during an extracurricular activity with a faculty supervisor, or in an op-ed in the faculty supervised school newspaper? Are teachers allowed to respond if students discuss these aspects of their identities or family life in class? If so, what can they say?” the suit reads.

The brief points out that the states that submitted it “have curricula in place that allow for age-appropriate discussion of LGBTQ issues while respecting parental views on the topic,” according to the release.

“The law is causing significant harms to students, parents, teachers, and other states. Non-inclusive educational environments have severe negative health impacts on LGBTQ students, resulting in increased rates of mental health disorders and suicide attempts,” the release said. “These harms extend to youth not just in Florida, but throughout the country.”

Racine is joined by the attorneys general of New Jersey, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Washington.

[Source: Alex Cooper, Advocate, December 2022]

Transition: Class of 2024 to 2036

Education Culture War Finds New Target: Pride Flags in Classrooms
Advocate: Education Dept Will Protect Students From Anti-LGBTQ Bias

My Son Asked Me How Two Men Have Sex
Students Stage Walkout to Protest Bi Teacher Being Placed on Leave
California Budget Includes Funding to Train Teachers on LGBTQ Issues

Educators: When It Comes to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, We Can't Be Silent

Inclusive Sex Education Needed for LGBTQ Students

Students Defend Their Lesbian Lacrosse Coach
Vermont High School Homecoming Halftime Turns Into a Drag Show
LGBTQ Inclusivity in Schools: Self-Assessment Tool

Becoming the Gay Teacher I Wish I Had
Different Worlds: Two Gay Teachers

Back-to-School for LGBTQ Students

Going back to school can sometimes be stressful for LGBTQ students, especially for first-year folks. Depending on your school setting, your situation might be very affirming and supportive.  Or it might be intolerant, hostile, and even unsafe.

Ask for Pronouns
 

You’ll meet new people even if you are returning to the same school. By providing an opportunity for teachers and students to share their pronouns, you demonstrate that you're not assuming anything about their identity or experience. It’s important to remember that the way you perceive someone does not dictate how they identify, what their pronouns are, or generally how they like to be referred to. It also opens up the opportunity for you to share yours as well!

Example 1: “Hi! My name is El and I use they, them, theirs pronouns. What about you?”
Example 2: “This is my friend El, they are in my Theatre class.

Back-To-School Tips For LGBTQ Students
LGBTQ Back-to-School Resources
Back-to-School Guide for LGBTQ Youth

What LGBTQ Families Should Know For Back-to-School Time
Inclusive LGBTQ Resources for Teachers

Tips For Navigating High School When You're In The Closet

On Coming Out

Despite negative stigma about being “in the closet”, your inability or fear of expressing yourself does not make you any less of a person who belongs in the LGBTQ community. Do it for yourself, and only if you are ready. If you decide to come out at school, consider your safety and the capacity of your support system. Amongst other things, you’ll want to think about who has power over you, where you feel most safe, and what resources you can supplement when having to educate others. We all deserve to live openly and personal safety is the most important thing on the list.

You are Valid!

Remember that no matter what comes your way, your reaction/emotions are valid. School can throw a lot of things at you; from group projects and strict teachers to bullying or difficult breakups. It’s important to find positive coping mechanisms or outlets to release these emotions. This may take the form of listening to music, speaking to a therapist/trusted adult, or finding time in your schedule to do something you enjoy; like drawing or watching an episode of your favorite TV show. You can also follow us on Instagram and check out our cool affirmations and photos!

Transition: Class of 2024 to 2036

Teacher Carey Arensberg: Seek the Sunshine
Trans Girl is Told Not to Wear Dress to Her Graduation

How School Systems, Educators and Parents Can Support Transgender Children

Advocate: Education Dept Will Protect Students From Anti-LGBTQ Bias

California Budget Includes Funding to Train Teachers on LGBTQ Issues

Educators: When It Comes to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, We Can't Be Silent

Inclusive Sex Education Needed for LGBTQ Students

Meet the Queer School Teacher Who Made Bernie's Mittens

Schitt's Creek and Mariah Carey: To the Class of 2020

Students Succeed When Diversity is Valued

It's the Perfect Time to Make Our Schools LGBTQ Inclusive

My Son Asked Me How Two Men Have Sex

Locate a Trusted Adult

It can be difficult, but locating an adult that you trust can really improve your K-12 school experience. This could be anyone; a teacher, a school nurse or psychologist, a librarian, a coach, or even a janitor. Ensuring you have someone to talk to or rely on at school can be really helpful when trying to report harassment, seeking help for mental illness, or navigate other school processes. You don’t have to go through anything alone!

Finding Yourself

It is okay to still be figuring things out! Middle school and high school are a great time to experiment with your identity. Finding what is right for you may come in the form of changing up your self-expression, going by different pronouns, pursuing relationships with people of different genders, or finding a class/extracurricular you really enjoy. Allow yourself time and space to explore your identities, they can also change over time and that is totally OK!

Check Your Records

If you are going back to school using a different name or pronoun, there are ways that you can prepare. You can change the information on your school records by reaching out to your school office or guidance counselor. Another option is to email your teachers before classes start and explain how you wish to be addressed throughout the school year. You can also ask them to call out only last names to give other students the opportunity to share the name they go by rather than what is automatically listed on the roster. A reminder: you must explicitly state how you wish to be referred to depending upon the audience (to avoid being outed).

Inclusive Sex Education Needed for LGBTQ Students

Meet the Queer School Teacher Who Made Bernie's Mittens

Schitt's Creek and Mariah Carey: To the Class of 2020

Students Succeed When Diversity is Valued

It's the Perfect Time to Make Our Schools LGBTQ Inclusive

My Son Asked Me How Two Men Have Sex

Serve as A Mentor

If you are an LGBTQ student returning to your school, take the opportunity to share your knowledge with others. You could join/form your school’s GSA, put up posters encouraging acceptance, or perhaps even form a kind of “lunch bunch,” allowing other LGBTQ-identified students to meet others like them. Using your experience to help other LGBTQ folks navigate the challenges at school will not only make you feel good, but hopefully foster a culture of support.

Connect with Leaders

It’s a great idea to connect with your Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA) advisor/leaders when entering a new school year (if you haven’t already.) As an LGBTQ-identified student, GSA can serve as an affirming place for you to experiment with your identity, change your expression, try out new names, or pronouns. If you don’t have a GSA check out this resource on how to start one and how to find new members.

Back-To-School Tips For LGBTQ Students
LGBTQ Back-to-School Resources
Back-to-School Guide for LGBTQ Youth
What LGBTQ Families Should Know For Back-to-School Time
Inclusive LGBTQ Resources for Teachers

Teacher Carey Arensberg: Seek the Sunshine

Transition: Class of 2024 to 2036

Binding and Tucking in School

F or trans students...  This tip is especially significant for those of you who take gym class, choir, or play a wind instrument. If you’re someone who chooses to bind, ensure that you have a sports bra or looser fitting piece of clothing in case you need to change. If you are someone who tucks, you can plan ahead and bring a change of clothes like tights or tighter but not restricting undergarments. Remember: only bind or tuck with articles meant for that specific purpose and always follow the time guidelines provided by the supplier.

Use Your Resources

Many school districts have health professionals such as social workers, psychologists, and nurses already on staff. It’s a good idea to know how to contact them and where their offices are. For example: the nurse might have a non-gendered bathroom you can use, the social worker may be able to provide you or your family guidance on any given issue, and the psychologist could advise you on healthy coping skills. These folks are resources at your disposal so make sure you take advantage! Whatever you are going through, you don’t have to face it alone.

[Source: GLSEN]

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Don't Say Gay: Sad Day for Education

"I'm a proud gay man. I am the 2022 Kentucky Teacher of the Year. And I'm afraid to return to the classroom. I want my kids to see me and feel hope. But I am tired. I've been doing this for a long time, and things are getting worse. This is painful and I am sorry."
-Willie Edward Taylor Carver

Dannielle Boyer has no plans to dismantle the safe space she’s created in her classroom for students. “I’ve always been an advocate and fought for students in the LGBTQ community to feel comfortable and free,” the Miami Northwestern Senior High teacher said. While holding back tears, she said, “I don’t want my students to feel as though they have to live in fear and can’t be who they are.” Her comments came hours after Florida passed the “Parental Rights in Education’ bill, dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay” bill.

The bill bars K-3 lesson plans that discuss sexual orientation or gender identity. Student-led discussions in the classroom that address the topics, however, are allowed. Whether the bill will have a silencing effect on students and teachers in fourth grade and above is still unknown.

Boyer’s sentiments mirror what a handful of educators across Miami-Dade said following the vote: Despite the bill’s trajectory, many teachers plan to continue creating safe spaces for their students and having discussions about their sexual orientation or gender identity. “I know firsthand the students who have made tremendous strides to be proud of who they are,” said Alexandria Martin, a teacher at Miami Carol City Senior High. “It’s a sad day for education and for our Legislature because I believe they’ve taken our state backwards.”

For United Teachers of Dade President Karla Hernandez-Mats, the bill is not only a waste of taxpayer dollars, it’s insulting to teachers because it’s addressing topics absent from state curriculum. “The rhetoric about teachers is absurd. Teachers haven’t been teaching this,” she said. Moreover, she said, teachers go to work every day to ensure all children feel welcomed and safe. “This is an attack on educators. It’s unfortunate. This is political pandering because lawmakers are trying to move their base.” Joy Jackson, a teacher at Robert Renick Education Center in Miami Gardens and a 47-year educator, shared Hernandez-Mats’ sentiments. Students in lower grades don’t have sex-education classes, she said; the bill has “no logical meaning.”

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A student’s sexual orientation or gender identity has “nothing to do with me educating you,” said Jackson, who is also a pastor. “But lawmakers have their own agendas they want to get across, so they come up with this.” Martin, the Carol City High teacher, agreed: It’s a “hyper-political bill. There is no rationale for this additional language when we have this language already.”

Aside from the effects the bill will have on teachers and students, Hernandez-Mats said it will have a negative impact on the teaching profession. The effort to curtail certain classroom conversations (with support from lawmakers and the governor) will weaken efforts to recruit and retain educators, Hernandez-Mats said. “Being attacked on things that are not even real” is yet another reason for people to leave the classroom,” she said.

Despite the bill’s language to address curriculum discussions in grades K-3, many teachers, including Liz Morales, a teacher at Felix Varela Senior High School and sponsor of the schools’ Gay-Straight Alliance, say it could have a silencing effect on teachers in higher-level grades, too. “I think it could create a lot of fear among teachers and school personnel, like counselors,” she said. That’s because the bill also grants parents the ability to sue school districts if they believe their child’s school has violated the measure’s provisions. That’s what concerns Martin. Though most teachers, she believes, will want to continue providing safe spaces for students and engaging in conversation, some “may feel less inclined if they don’t feel like their school district is behind them, and that’s a scary situation.”

And that’s especially true for early career teachers. With the minimal pay and “all of these additional stressors,” Martin worries about the longevity of teachers. Nevertheless, educators agreed most teachers will continue to foster a safe, welcoming environment for students. At Jackson’s school, for example, most counselors have signs and logos on their doors signaling to students that their office is a safe space, she said. She believes others, too, will continue to hang that banner to support students “because that’s what we do,” she said. “We protect them.”

[Source: Sommer Brugal, Miami Herald, March 2022]

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Hope and Affirmation for Alabama LGBTQ Students

LGBTQ Students Find Hope In New Affirming School: The Magic City Acceptance Academy.

For back-to-school shopping, Elliot likes to hit up one of his favorite thrift stores with his mom. They often go thrifting together, and so far, the rising 11th grader has picked out three shirts, all in the same style: navy blue, short-sleeved button-ups. “I like to call them beach dad shirts,” Elliott said

Elliot is transgender. This year, Elliot smiles when he talks about going back to school. That is because he will be one of over 270 students starting at the Magic City Acceptance Academy, a new public charter school, in Birmingham, Alabama, that has built affirmation for LGBTQ students into its very foundation. It is one of the first schools in the South to do so.

Elliot’s mom could not be more thrilled. “The change between last year at this time and this year at this time is just a complete 180. He’s just a different child altogether,” Elliot’s mom said. “Every time I think about it, it makes me smile.”

All public schools are supposed to provide a safe learning environment for children, but that doesn’t always happen for LGBTQ students. At his previous public school, Elliot started falling behind during virtual learning and didn’t get the academic help he needed. He was also outed to his school by someone close to him and didn’t feel safe. “I got death threats, I got called every name in the book,” Elliot said. “I got the whole gross, disgusting slurs. Just because I’m living my truth.”

His family said it was a “no-brainer” to transfer to the new charter school that actively supports students like Elliot. “Being in a place where I don’t have to pretend is very, just calming,” Elliot said. “I feel safe, and I feel like I don’t have to hide anymore.”

The Magic City Acceptance Academy put its goal to affirm LGBTQ students directly into its mission statement. It is a public charter school, with open enrollment and welcomes LGBTQ students and allies. “It’s to create a learning space for all students from all walks of life with an excellent learning experience in a brave, LGBTQ affirming atmosphere,” said Michael Wilson, the school’s founding principal.

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New Start

Wilson has been an educator in Birmingham City Schools for 28 years, but now that he has the opportunity to support LGBTQ students, he said it feels incredible. “You know, I’m a member of the LGBTQ community, but I’ve never been able to say that in my work environment and be who I truly am,” Wilson said. “I can actually be myself as a principal and not be judged for that.”

Wilson said he has seen how many LGBTQ students live through difficult experiences in schools. “Students were coming with such anxiety and angst and depression and some suicide ideation, and so it informed us that in their traditional learning spaces, they are not getting the support they need,” he said.

The CDC’s Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance from 2019 found that LGBTQ students are more likely to be bullied compared to their heterosexual or cisgender peers and three times more likely to contemplate suicide. Which is why Wilson said this kind of school is so important. “Everybody has a place in this world, whether they identify as trans or bisexual or pansexual or just because they’re Latinx or African-American,” Wilson said. “If we learn to live better as humans and we can show that within our school community, then I am so proud.”

The school has an on-campus counselor and teachers who will focus on social and emotional learning just as much as traditional academics. In classes with no more than 20 students, sixth through 12 graders will learn about social justice and equality. They’ll go up rainbow stairs and see big windows and brightly colored walls, meant to feel like home.

AJ Johnson will be a student at the new academy this year and they hope to find a place they belong. “I didn’t really find any student-home anywhere within the student body,” Johnson said. “The whole system of the way education worked wasn’t really correct for me. I eventually stopped trying just because I didn’t find any help through anyone there. So I came here in search of a new start.”

A Brave Space

Over the summer, parents and students gathered at information sessions to prepare for the new school year. Andrew and Beth Smith are the parents of two queer children and wanted them to have a supportive school experience. “I can’t believe that in Alabama this has been available to us,” Andrew Smith said. “So we’re really excited about this. One of the first schools in the nation to be able to do this, that’s LGBTQ affirming.”

Principal Wilson agreed it is striking this school is in a conservative state like Alabama and not somewhere like New York or Los Angeles. But he said Birmingham has always been a place with progressive values. “It’s kind of poignant that this is happening in the place that was part of the birthplace of the civil rights movement and other movements for equity and equality in this country,” Wilson said.

LGBTQ students said they are feeling hopeful and ecstatic about the school’s first year. Especially since they can go back to school without the usual worries of ridicule and hiding their identities.

Parents are also relieved. Elliot’s mom said she hopes other families take advantage of the opportunities at Magic City Acceptance Academy. “I was talking to one of the other parents, and she said she feels like this could really, really take off. And I hope it does because there are so many kids out there like mine,” Elliot’s mom said.

In fact, Elliot’s sister will also be at the new charter school for her senior year. Elliot already plans on joining band and theatre at his new school. “Despite admitting it, I’ve known who I am for a very long time,” he said. “And finally being able to get ready for school, just going into that as me is very exciting.”

[Source: Kyra Miles, WBHM-FM Public Radio, Birmingham, Alabama, August 2021]
 

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Texas Students Walk Out to Support LGBTQ-Friendly Teachers

Teachers in a Dallas suburb who refused to take down "safe space" stickers have been absent from their school.  And hundreds of students at MacArthur High School in Irving, Texas, walked out in Sept 2021 to protest disciplinary actions against two teachers supportive of LGBTQ youth.

The sponsors of the Gay-Straight Alliance at the school, located in a suburb of Dallas, had handed out “safe space” stickers for other teachers to place on their classroom doors to indicate they were welcoming to LGBTQ students. Many teachers put them on their doors this year and last.

But recently school administration, led by a new principal this year, began forcing teachers to remove the stickers, citing a policy against using their classrooms to “transmit personal beliefs regarding political or sectarian issues." Two teachers who refused to take down the stickers or objected to their removal, have been absent from MacArthur ever since.

Students said they saw one of the teachers, Rachel Stonecipher, being escorted off campus. Administrators declined to discuss the employment status of Stonecipher or the other teacher, who has not been publicly identified. Stonecipher, who is lesbian, did not go into detail about her job status but said students shouldn’t worry about her, although the situation is unsettling.

A “safe space” poster Stonecipher had put on her door was missing in addition to the sticker, she told the station. “I was freaked. The kids were freaked out,” said Stonecipher, an English teacher and GSA sponsor. She added, “I was a little scared too because I’m the only openly, very obviously gay teacher, lesbian teacher.” But she also said, “I’m fine. The kids don’t need to be concerned about me.”

District officials had sent a memo to staff saying they wanted to convey a message that the entire campus was a safe space, not just certain classrooms, but students at the protest said the stickers let them know where LGBTQ students could go for help. Students who had been attended GSA meetings were called into administrators’ offices and interrogated about the stickers and related matters.

Some students and teachers objected to the idea that the stickers were “political” or “sectarian.” “These aren’t political stickers; they are merely a signal that a teacher has the confidence to have conversations with LGBTQ students,” Stonecipher said.

[Source: Trudy Ring, Advocate, September 2021]
 

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Trans Students Protected by Title IX

The US Department of Education announced, in June 2021, that transgender students protected at school by Title IX. This moved reverses the GOP-authored guidance that said those students were not protected by any federal laws.

The announcement from the Department of Education comes not only during Pride Month, but also during a national debate over whether transgender athletes should be allowed to compete in sports that match their gender identities. Such debates have prompted a wave of anti-trans legislation from GOP-led state legislatures.

“Today, the Department makes clear that all students (including LGBTQ students) deserve the opportunity to learn and thrive in schools that are free from discrimination,” Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said in a statement. “The Supreme Court has upheld the right for LGBTQ people to live and work without fear of harassment, exclusion, and discrimination – and our LGBTQ+ students have the same rights and deserve the same protections."

USA Today: Transgender Students Protected at School by Title IX

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CBS News: Title IX Protection Extended to Trans Students

The interpretation of the law reverses guidance issued under former President Donald Trump. That administration, in turn, had rescinded guidelines that said Title IX applied to discrimination based on gender identity.

"This is a day that transgender kids and their families have been waiting for," said Rodrigo Heng-Lehtinen, deputy executive director for the National Center for Transgender Equality. The Biden administration, Heng-Lehtinen said, "will defend their right to fully participate in school."
 

The news comes one year after the Supreme Court ruled gay and transgender workers are protected by the Civil Rights Act, legislation that bans discrimination in the workplace. The Education Department's interpretation says gay and transgender students will have those same protections in schools. The new guidance is particularly important for students in places where state-level protections for transgender youth don’t exist, said Christy Mallory, legal director at the University of California-Los Angeles’ Williams Institute, which conducts research on sexual orientation and gender identity law and policy.

According to research by GLSEN, an LGBTQ youth advocacy organization, more than half of all states lack comprehensive guidance concerning transgender, nonbinary and gender-nonconforming students.

Title IX guidance changed under Obama, Trump, and Biden. Former President Barack Obama's administration made clear to schools in 2016 that Title IX, a 1972 law prohibiting sex-based discrimination in schools, protected transgender students. In 2017, the Trump administration rescinded the Obama-era guidance that spelled out schools' legal responsibilities. The Trump administration also threatened to withhold federal funding from schools that allowed transgender students to participate in school sports.

Trump's secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos, also suggested the Office of Civil Rights, a branch of the Department of Education, would not investigate discrimination complaints from transgender students. None of those actions changed the law, but they created confusion.

The June 2021 notice clarifies that confusion by reminding public schools of their obligation under Title IX to provide safe and non-discriminatory environments to LGBTQ students, said Paul D. Castillo, a lawyer and students' rights strategist at Lambda Legal, a civil rights organization that defends LGBTQ people. And it signals the Office of Civil Rights will review their complaints with the same vigor as other complaints, he added.

[Source: Erin Richards, Alia Wong, Lindsay Schnell, USA Today, June 2021]

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Hostile Environment for LGBTQ Students

Bullying, lack of resources, and bigotry create hostile environments for LGBTQ students in US schools.  Many schools across the United States remain hostile environments for LGBTQ students despite significant progress on LGBTQ rights in recent years, Human Rights Watch said in a December 2016 report. Measures to improve student safety and inclusion are urgently needed at all levels of government.

The 106-page report from Human Rights Watch, Like Walking Through a Hailstorm: Discrimination Against LGBTQ Youth in US Schools, documents a range of problems facing LGBTQ students. The concerns include bullying and harassment, exclusion of LGBTQ topics from school curricula and resources, restrictions on LGBTQ student groups, and discrimination and bigotry from both classmates and school personnel on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.

“Too many US schools are hostile environments for LGBTQ kids, and not only because they can’t use the appropriate bathrooms or locker room,” said Ryan Thoreson, a fellow in the LGBTQ Rights Program at Human Rights Watch. “In every state we visited, we heard stories of students who were insulted, cyber-bullied or attacked, and teachers who allowed discrimination and harassment because they see it as normal behavior.”

Human Rights Watch conducted in-depth interviews and discussions with more than 350 students and 145 parents, teachers, administrators, and service providers in Alabama, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, and Utah. None of the five states examined have anti-bullying or anti-discrimination laws that expressly protect LGBTQ youth, and three of them (Alabama, Texas, Utah) have laws that deliberately restrict schools’ ability to include discussions of LGBTQ topics in classes and curricula. LGBTQ students described how these laws, often combined with harmful school policies, exposed them to harassment and violence, restricted their access to information and their freedom of expression, and singled them out for discriminatory treatment.

Human Rights Watch explored the many forms that anti-LGBTQ bullying takes, including physical violence, sexual assault, verbal harassment, cyberbullying, and exclusion. In many instances, teachers did not intervene, and in some cases educators participated in the harassment.

“My biology teacher my freshman year would bring in kids who were wearing short shorts or weird sweaters and say, ‘You’d better take that off, you’re going to look gay,’” said Bianca, a 16-year-old bisexual girl in Alabama. “But she’d say it in front of the whole class.” Names of students quoted in the report were changed for their protection.

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In many schools, discriminatory policies and practices exacerbate the sense of exclusion students face. Human Rights Watch found that teachers are made to fear adverse employment consequences for identifying as LGBTQ or supporting LGBTQ students. Students in same-sex relationships are barred or discouraged from attending events as a couple, and transgender students are denied access to facilities, classes, and extracurricular activities because of their gender identity.

Many schools censor discussions about LGBTQ topics, even as LGBTQ people and issues have become increasingly visible in public life. Eight US states restrict discussions of LGBTQ topics in schools, and some school districts in other states impose their own restrictions. These laws and policies send a strong signal to students that being LGBTQ is abnormal or wrong.

“I remember in middle school, asking about same-sex relationships, and being totally shut down, and being pulled aside by an administrator and told that’s not something we talk about.” said Angela, a 17-year-old girl in Pennsylvania.

Students in many schools have responded to hostile environments by forming gay-straight alliances (GSAs) and other supportive groups. Human Rights Watch found, though, that students in many schools face significant obstacles when they form and operate these groups, despite clear protections under federal law. The students described being stonewalled, unable to find a faculty sponsor, or prohibited from operating on the same terms as other student organizations.

“People would pound on the GSA doors, people would join to make fun of us, we’d put up posters and they’d get written on and torn down,” said “Ethan,” a 16-year-old transgender boy in Texas. “We complained but the administration said they couldn’t do anything.”
 

Advocacy groups in the five states examined in the report emphasized that rejection by families and classmates leave students with no place to turn. “Too many of the LGBTQ youth in our community are subject to slurs and jokes, or even physical attacks, that make them feel alone," said Danielle Wilcox, a board member of the Center for Equality in Sioux Falls. "And as we've seen in our youth programming, having a supportive community and access to resources can make a huge difference.”
 

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The Human Rights Watch findings illustrate why it is important for lawmakers across the US to continue working to make schools safer and more inclusive in the upcoming year. In 2016, South Dakota Governor Dennis Daugaard set a positive example, vetoing a bill that would have restricted bathroom and locker room access for transgender students across the state.

“There was no place for discrimination in our state when this bill was proposed by a handful of legislators, and there’s certainly no place for this type of discrimination in our future,” said Libby Skarin, policy director of the ACLU of South Dakota. “Political leaders in South Dakota and beyond should follow the governor’s example and dismiss any efforts to single out already vulnerable transgender students for bullying, harassment, and discrimination.”

Federal, state, and local authorities should take steps to promote safety, well-being, and access to education in schools, Human Rights Watch said. States should pass laws expressly aimed at combating bullying against LGBTQ youth, repeal discriminatory laws that restrict teachers from discussing LGBTQ topics, and pass employment protections for LGBTQ teachers. Local school districts should revise policies to curb bullying and discrimination, provide resources and support for LGBTQ students, and foster environments in which all children feel included and are able to learn.

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LGBTQ Curriculum in the Classroom
 

Nationwide, LGBTQ history often doesn't make it into the curriculum. Just under a quarter of students say that they have learned about LGBTQ-related topics in their classes, according to 2016 research from GLSEN, a national advocacy group for LGBTQ students.

In some states, teachers face restrictions on how they can discuss issues of gender and sexuality in the classroom. Six states have anti-LGBTQ curriculum laws that apply to sexual health education. Advocates say that the way these laws are written leaves room for them to be misapplied to other parts of school life, including curriculum in other classes or extracurricular activities, like a Gay-Straight Alliance.

Recently, though, some states have moved in the opposite direction. In April 2019, Arizona repealed a law that banned teachers from delivering any instruction that "promotes a homosexual lifestyle." New Jersey and Colorado's laws, requiring schools to teach LGBTQ history, were both passed in 2019. The tide seems to be is turning when it comes to LGBTQ-inclusive curriculum.

California became the first state to pass a law requiring schools to teach LGBTQ history in 2011, followed by New Jersey, Colorado, Oregon, and Illinois in 2019. Civil rights and advocacy groups have praised these states for expanding their definitions of American history in the classroom.

But, there has been some pushback from state officials, conservative groups and parents. One critic, Barnegat, New Jersey, Mayor Alfonso Cirulli, also a former assistant principal, said "The government has no right to teach our kids morality."

Despite this new wave of efforts to integrate LGBTQ content into the classroom, six states (Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas) still have laws prohibiting the "promotion of homosexuality." These laws, also known as "no pro homo" laws, prohibit schools from teaching lesbian, gay or bisexual people or topics in a positive light in health or sexual education classes.

GLSEN said these laws "foster an unsafe and unwelcoming school atmosphere," and cited its study showing that LGBTQ students in these states are likely to have less support in school from teachers and students.

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Why Are We Still Failing LGBTQ Students?
 

Stopping bullying is not enough.

This past Pride Month, like most in recent history, saw a growing number of signs with phrases like “Pride is still a riot,” and “Black queer lives matter.” A critical and timely effort to refocus the movement on its origins and those in the community who are most marginalized, these signs represent a broader reminder: Pride isn’t just a party. It’s also a time to call attention to efforts toward improving queer and trans lives. While we see many of these efforts displayed prominently at Pride (efforts around healthcare, legal support, social and financial services) one area we still don’t often see addressed is education.

Advocate: Why Are We Still Failing LGBTQ Students?

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HRW: LGBTQ Students in US Still Face Discrimination, Hostile Environment

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Video: What LGBTQ Students Want You to Know

Education Week: Are Schools Safe Enough for LGBTQ Students?

Though more and more schools are implementing anti-bullying laws and gender neutral bathrooms, there’s still a long way to go. As Michael Sadowski says in his book Safety is Not Enough, we need to go beyond making schools simply safe for queer and trans kids, and start working to transform them into learning spaces that validate and engage them, personally and intellectually.

Just last month, a story from Boulder, Colorado told us about a local public school teacher named Chris Segal who has seen at least three queer or trans students in his school who dropped out after being bullied. Chris realized that safety should not be the endgame when it comes to supporting queer kids. He includes queer authors in his curriculum, but even he wants teachers like himself to be able to do more to create an inclusive environment for LGBTQ students.

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Inclusive environment?

So what exactly does an “inclusive environment” look like? Quite simply, it’s a learning environment in which every student is engaged in and relates to the content. It’s instructional materials, as Rudine Sims Bishop describes, that both gives students a window into lives and experiences different from their own, and holds up a mirror so they can see themselves reflected. It’s an environment in which the teacher understands the learning contexts of their students and leverages unique parts of their identities as tools for learning. We know that students learn better when they feel validated and challenged by what they’re learning. And yet, many preK-12 schools continue to teach about a very narrow set of lived experiences — one to which fewer and fewer students can relate.

Like Chris, many teachers have the will, but not the way, to teach queer-inclusive content. With so many teaching standards to meet, little time or funding, and no inclusive teacher professional development, most educators don’t know where to start. Even with great teaching resources from GLSEN, Teaching Tolerance, and others, the real problem is that many educators don’t know where to find them, how to implement them, or how and when to share them.

Particularly for teachers who are not queer themselves or have not before engaged with topics of sexual and gender minorities, talking about these topics with students can be a formidable challenge, even with a how-to guide. What’s worse is that many districts including those in the handful of states in which it is still illegal to mention LGBTQ identities in the classroom, are far from the point of even attempting to prioritize queer students.

LGBTQ Topics for Discussion

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Video: Interviewing LGBTQ High Schoolers

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So what do we do? In states and districts like this and beyond, it will take difficult, ongoing conversations between schools and those advocating for inclusion to frame inclusive curricula as a feasible goal. It will take careful articulation of what anti-racist queer inclusivity is, why it matters for all students, and what the ramifications are of not creating inclusive classrooms. It may even take more robust data on the outcomes of these types of materials on student social-emotional learning, engagement, and test scores. This type of data, particularly on queer K-12 students, is as severely lacking as it is desperately needed. Though storytelling has historically been and remains a cornerstone of the queer community, it may not be enough to sell this idea to those resisting it.

At the same time, intentional LGBTQ inclusion will require tearing down the misconceptions around what it means to support queer students. It requires empowering teachers to approach their lessons with language awareness and self-respect, not inappropriate conversation and indoctrination as some believe. There is much that can be done in classrooms to support queer students outside teaching about the gay civil rights movement. School leaders, educators, and students can be intentionally inclusive in everyday interactions, and promoting this in the classroom benefits all students. To get existing resources into the hands of teachers who are willing and prepared to use them, we ought to talk to districts and school leaders, and promote collaboration between students and experts in the community.

Pride month or not, inclusive learning environments should be a priority among the community and our allies. There is both a will and a way for supporting queer students, and connecting them is our challenge.

[Source: Sabia Prescott, Senior Program Associate, Education Policy Program of New America, Advocate Magazine, Sept 2019]

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National Safe Schools Coalition
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LGBTQ Students in the Classroom

Imagine this. Lindsey is sitting in her 4th grade class on the first day of school, and everyone is sharing stories about their families. When it’s Lindsey’s turn she tells the class that she has two moms because they are lesbians. The class is confused and Megan asks “What is a Lesbian?” What do you do as a teacher? Do you answer the question or ignore it and change the subject? How do you answer this without overstepping your ethical boundaries? When discussing the inclusion of LGBTQ it is important to understand the diversity in a classroom. There may be students in your class that are already struggling with understanding their own sexual orientation. One report indicated that LGBTQ students first come to realization of their sexual orientation at age 10. When you put that age into perspective, that child is in the 3rd or 4th grade. People fear the unknown. They fear what they are unfamiliar with. On the issue of homophobia, Kevin Jennings, executive director of the Gay, Lesbian, & Straight Education Network states, “If you really want a long-term solution to homophobia, you’d better start when kids are young, and start teaching very early."

There are different reasons why incorporating LGBTQ issues in the classroom may come result in negative results rather than positive. It may not be the best to bring these issues up with children that are 8 or 9, even though some may already be experiencing a feeling of attraction towards the same sex, and not understand why they feel that way. Teachers could feel great discomfort in speaking about this subject in the classroom. Many parents feel that incorporating LGBTQ curriculum into the classroom, may cause their child to choose a gay lifestyle. When a teacher raises gay and lesbian issues in the classroom, some students respond with intellectual curiosity, but often the consequences are less positive. Some students become embarrassed and uncomfortable, become hostile, or even question the teacher's sexuality. A lot of times students tend to make homophobic accusations against other students in the class or against other students and staff within the school. Negative results could come about when LGBTQ issues are raised in the classroom.

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The Trevor Project
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Defining LGBTQ Words for Elementary School Students

Info: LGBTQ Youth in Crisis

It Gets Better Project

Creating a Safe Learning Environment

Everyone is entitled to a safe learning environment, regardless of one's sexual orientation or gender identity. It is important to let the LGBTQ students know that teachers care, and that they are not alone. It is the duty of a teacher to keep order and command respect from everyone in their classroom and to create a safer environment for LGBTQ students. These suggestions, compiled by Youth Pride, would help reduce homophobia in the classroom environment:

--Make no assumption about sexuality.
--Display something LGBTQ-related visible in your office or classroom.
--Support, normalize and validate student’s feelings about their sexuality.
--Do not pressure youth to come out to parents, family, and friends (Instead, encourage them to come out at a time and place that they are comfortable with).
--Guarantee confidentiality with students.
--Challenge homophobia.
--Combat heterosexism in your classroom.
--Learn about and refer LGBTQ students to community organizations, events, and activities.
--Encourage school administrators to adopt and enforce anti-discrimination policies for their schools or school systems which include sexual orientation and gender identity.
--Provide positive LGBTQ role models.

Inclusive LGBTQ Resources for Teachers

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Scotland Becomes First Country to Require LGBTQ Curriculum in Schools

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Retrospective: Plight of Being a Gay Teacher

LGBTQ students need to be protected and the best way to start that is by educating their classmates and peers on what it means to be LGBTQ. Opening these conversations with young children provides an opportunity to prevent prejudice, discrimination, and violence and to support the lives of all children.

An estimated 6 to 11 percent of school children have LGBTQ parents, and another 5 to 9 percent will at some point realize that they are LGBTQ. Even with these statistics, schools are still hesitant to include LGBTQ curriculum into the school. Society as a whole is beginning to be more tolerant of LGBTQ issues and talking about LGBTQ subjects no longer represent a taboo. Students are choosing to come out while still in school, and they are expecting to be accepted. Regardless of a students' sexual orientation or gender identity, they deserve to be able to come to school and feel like they are safe. It is of utmost importance that these students are treated with respect and equality.

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Mr. Ratburn Gets Married: LGBTQ Subject Matter in Kid's Cartoons

Arthur, the beloved 22-year-old series on PBS Kids, has just introduced its first queer character, Arthur’s teacher, Mr. Ratburn, who got married on the May 2019 season premiere. Even though he’s not the first queer character on children’s television, he still breaks new ground.

The series, based on the books by Marc Brown, features anthropomorphic aardvark Arthur and his friends and family. In the “Mr. Ratburn’s Special Someone” episode, the children learn that their third-grade teacher, Mr. Ratburn, is getting married, but they don’t know to whom. Still, one of Arthur’s friends opines, “Teachers don’t get married. It’s just wrong!” which leads to an amusing debate over whether teachers have any life outside the classroom. It’s not that the kids don’t want him marrying another man—it’s that they can’t envision him marrying anyone.

Arthur Cartoon Character Comes Out as Gay and Gets Married

Arthur Kid's Cartoon: Mr. Ratburn Comes Out and Gets Married

NY Times: Arthur Opens Season with Same Sex Wedding

It’s a funny and sweet story, not only because of the same-sex wedding, but because it also shows that “toughening up” isn’t always desired for a man—without going overboard in the other direction and portraying Mr. Ratburn as an effeminate stereotype. The fact that he’s marrying another man is a complete non-issue. The students are more horrified by the fact that, at the wedding, one of their teachers is (gasp!) dancing.

The episode follows previous, sporadic efforts by PBS Kids to show queer characters. Most famously, they did so in 2005 on Postcards from Buster, where anthropomorphic rabbit Buster visits a maple sugar farm run by a two-woman couple. Then-President George W. Bush’s secretary of education, Margaret Spellings, denounced the episode and asked the show’s producers to return all federal funding. Producer Jeanne Jordan told the New York Times that the controversy made it difficult to find funds for a second season.

More recently, the venerable Sesame Street has shown kids with same-sex parents in a few of its episodes. Disney Junior’s Doc McStuffins, produced by Chris Nee (a lesbian mom herself), featured a two-mom couple in one episode in 2017. A few shows on other networks, such as the Cartoon Network’s Steven Universe and Clarence, Nickelodeon’s The Loud House, and Amazon’s Danger and Eggs, have ongoing queer characters. And cable service Xfinity On Demand last year launched a Kids & Family collection within its LGBTQ Film & TV collection on Xfinity X1, featuring Mombian recommendations.

Two female characters in the Steven Universe episode “Reunion” last year made history with the first-ever same-sex wedding in children’s television. The Arthur episode is, to the best of my knowledge, the first wedding of two male characters in children’s television, and the first time a network show has shown any same-sex wedding.

Even more notably, the episode features a queer teacher—at a time when many teachers still struggle with how much of their sexual orientation or gender identity to disclose at their schools and debates rage about LGBTQ inclusion in the curriculum. Count this doubly because of PBS Kids’ previous run-in with the Department of Education over queer content.

[Source: Dana Rudolph, Queer Nation]

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LGBTQ Students' Bill of Rights

The right to fair and accurate information about sexual orientation and gender identity in textbooks and other classroom materials.

The right to unbiased information about the historical and continuing contributions of LGBTQ people in all subject areas, including art, music, literature, science, sports, history, and social studies.

The right to positive role models, both in person and in the curriculum.  The right to accurate information about themselves, free of negative judgment, and delivered by trained adults who not only inform LGBTQ students but affirm them.

The right to attend schools free of verbal and physical harassment, where education, not survival, is the priority.

The right to attend schools where respect and dignity for all students, including LGBTQ students, is a standard set by the state superintendent of public instruction, supported by state and local boards of education, and enforced by every district superintendent, principal, and classroom teacher.

The right to be included in all support programs that exist to help teenagers deal with the difficulties of adolescence.

The right to legislators who guarantee and fight for their constitutional freedoms, rather than legislators who reinforce hatred and prejudice.

The right to a heritage free of crippling self-hate and unchallenged discrimination.

[Source: P.E.R.R.S.O.N. Project. Adapted by GLAAD/SFBA's Project 21 from Project 10 (Los Angeles Unified School District) and National Education Association's "Teaching and Counseling Gay & Lesbian Students Action Sheet"]
 

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Comprehensive Sex Education

Schools are unsafe and unwelcoming for most LGBTQ students, which can have negative impacts on health and well-being. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning youth need and deserve to learn in settings that are inclusive of their experiences and that give them the education necessary to stay safe and healthy.

Educators can improve the health and well-being of LGBTQ students in their schools.
 

--Be a visible and supportive ally to LGBTQ students

--Ensure access to comprehensive sexuality education
--Support your school’s Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA)
--Implement comprehensive and LGBTQ-inclusive policies

Far too many LGBTQ youth are sitting in classrooms where their teachers and textbooks fail to appropriately address their identities, behaviors and experiences. Nowhere is this absence more clear, and potentially more damaging, than in sex education.

Sex education can be one of the few sources of reliable information on sexuality and sexual health for youth. Hundreds of studies have shown that well-designed and well-implemented sex education can reduce risk behavior and support positive sexual health outcomes among teens, such as reducing teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted infection rates.

For LGBTQ youth to experience comparable health benefits to their non-LGBTQ peers, sex education programs must be LGBTQ-inclusive. Inclusive programs are those that help youth understand gender identity and sexual orientation with age-appropriate and medically accurate information; incorporate positive examples of LGBTQ individuals, romantic relationships and families; emphasize the need for protection during sex for people of all identities; and dispel common myths and stereotypes about behavior and identity.

Whether legally barred or simply ignored, LGBTQ-inclusive sex education is not available for most youth. The GLSEN 2013 National School Climate Survey found that fewer than five percent of LGBTQ students had health classes that included positive representations of LGBTQ-related topics. Among Millennials surveyed in 2015, only 12 percent said their sex education classes covered same-sex relationships.

In qualitative research conducted by Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) and the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation, LGBTQ youth reported either not having any sex education in their schools or having limited sex education that was primarily or exclusively focused on heterosexual relationships between cisgender people (people whose gender identity matches their sex assigned at birth), and pregnancy prevention within those relationships.

The research also showed that LGBTQ youth have a limited number of trusted adults they feel comfortable talking with about sexual health, so they frequently seek information online or from peers. Much of the sexual health information online is neither age-appropriate nor medically accurate, and peers may be misinformed.

Sex education ought to help close this gap. Both public health organizations and the vast majority of parents agree and support LGBTQ-inclusive sex education. Eighty-five percent of parents surveyed supported discussion of sexual orientation as part of sex education in high school and 78 percent supported it in middle school. Sex education is a logical venue to help all youth learn about sexual orientation and gender identity, and to encourage acceptance for LGBTQ people and families. When sex education is another area where LGBTQ youth are overlooked or actively stigmatized, however, it contributes to hostile school environments and places LGBTQ youth at increased risk for negative sexual health outcomes.

HRC: LGBTQ Youth Need Inclusive Sex Education

GLSEN: Inclusive Sexual Health Education

Info: Safe Sex

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Teacher Carey Arensberg: Seek the Sunshine

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GLAAD: Why We Need Inclusive Sex Education
Defining LGBTQ Words for Elementary School Students

LGBTQ Sex Ed Facts All Queer Teens Should Know
 

LGBTQ Concerns in the Classroom and On Campus

Diversity

When schools and other institutions seek to convey to the public that they value diversity and embrace multiculturalism, oftentimes they tend to take a rather narrow approach. In making genuine efforts to create an open and affirming environment for all their students, they may define diversity in a manner that is sometimes too limiting. To foster a truly inclusive environment, schools and institutions must consider a broader definition of diversity and more all-encompassing view of multiculturalism.

Any diversity training with broad-based credibility must address a wide range of minorities and sub cultures.  while most programs include race, ethnicity, nationality, gender, age, religion, politics, ability, and personality, they should also include sexual orientation and gender identity. Any meaningful discussion of diversity issues should include the concerns of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer people.

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GLSEN: National School Climate Survey

Defining LGBTQ Words for Elementary School Students

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Trans Student is Valedictorian at Maine High School

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Info: LGBTQ Bullying

Curriculum

Teachers and instructors who seek to present a classroom curriculum that is balanced and objective might consider what blind spots or omissions their current lesson plans may have. In teaching such academic subject matter as history, social studies, politics, science, literature, music, and the arts, instructors may want to consider what bias has unwittingly been introduced into the curriculum by the omission of certain groups whose contributions have been ignored.

In a society that is disproportionately white, male, Christian, and heterosexual, there oftentimes must be a deliberate effort by teachers to present material from the non-white, female, non-Christian, and LGBTQ perspectives. By now, schools are very familiar with efforts, especially in history and literature coursework, to broaden classroom curriculum to include the contributions of African-Americans and women. Efforts have also been made to include Asian, Hispanic, and Native perspectives. Schools can be, and have been to some degree, instrumental in broadening the minds of students to appreciate elements of other cultures, religions, and lifestyles that differ from their own.

Students' education is greatly enhanced when they recognize the vast diversity of backgrounds from which major contributions have been made in areas of history, social studies, politics, science, literature, music, and the arts. Many important contributions have been made throughout society and down through history by people who are LGBTQ. To avoid bias and to expand learning, these various leaders, politicians, scientists, authors, artists, musicians, and poets should not omitted from the curriculum.

Bullying

Identifying the roots and causes of bullying and eliminating bullying behavior has been a critical focal point for schools over the past several decades. Because it is a common occurrence among school aged children; and because of its impact on the victims; teachers, counselors, and administrators take very seriously their role in providing effective intervention.

Bullies prey on classmates they perceive to be weaker or different. They target other students because of a myriad of stereotypical features that they view as odd related to physique, physical appearance, clothing, and behavior. Many times, students who are perceived to be LGBTQ, or who are effeminate or "butch," or who act "sissy" or "tomboyish" become the victims of naming-calling, harassment, and violence.

Counselors and administrators seeking to put a stop to bullying might consider how often LGBTQ students are targeted by bullies and implement programs that include sensitivity to that segment of the student population.
 

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LGBTQ Topics for Discussion

Advocate: How Coming Out as a Gay Teacher Helped My Students

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NEA: Report on Status of LGBT People in Education

LGBTQ Documentary: Story of Our Own

HRW Report: Discrimination Against LGBTQ Youth in US Schools

Harassment
 

Harassment, like bullying, creates a hostile environment whereby the balance of power is disproportionate. Victims of harassment are often subjected to inappropriate behavior simply because they are in the minority role in a particular setting. Perhaps a woman finds herself alone in an all-male setting. Or perhaps an African-American finds himself the lone exception in a classroom of white students. Or perhaps a Buddhist student is the only one of his kind in a classroom of Christians.

Likewise, an LGBTQ person is an easy target for insensitive heterosexuals who might unwittingly, or even intentionally, create a hostile or harassing environment through their ongoing homophobic or heterosexist behavior. Any sensitivity training conducted for staff or students must surely include the LGBTQ perspective to be effective.
 

Ethics

Ethics are at the heart of all professional behavior. Adherence to ethical standards is expected from any counselor, teacher or administrator who is regarded as a professional.

Unethical behavior on the part of the practitioner usually impacts negatively on the clients, students and consumers of the services provided. Therefore, any effort to focus on the necessity of ethical standards is also a sincere act of advocacy on behalf of the individuals who might otherwise be affected.

Most statements of professional ethics include admonitions to practitioners who violate confidentiality, engage in inappropriate relationships, and who are insensitive to the cultural concerns of their clients. Any understanding of ethical behavior, therefore, must include the expectation of the professional to avoid insensitive or derogatory behavior towards LGBTQ people.

Discrimination
 

Equal opportunity in any setting means that no acts of bias will take place based on factors related to race, ethnicity, nationality, gender, age, or ability.  Any discrimination policy that hopes to be inclusive, or to have any long term credibility with all members of society, must also include sexual orientation and gender identity. The rights of all members of society must be protected, and LGBTQ individuals should be included in that protection.

[Source: Queer Cafe]

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James Corden: Teaching Children About Gay Relationships

WikiBooks: Diversity, Education and LGBTQ
LA Times: How to Teach LGBTQ Issues in the First Grade

Info: LGBTQ Youth in Crisis

Teacher Bans Child of Lesbian Moms From Writing About LGBTQ Marriage

Star High School Football Player Comes Out

Gay Elementary School Teacher Comes Out to Students

Understanding Diversity: Culturally Relevant Teaching

As an effective teacher in the 21st century it is important for educators to have a conceptual understanding of diversity. This understanding must go beyond just clarifying differences and begin to develop into a layered, social justice-oriented multicultural perspective.

This can only be achieved thorough exploration of historical/political/socio-cultural factors that contribute to America's various ways of learning and living. Teachers must understand the roles of power, privilege and oppression and the complicated fashion in which they permeate our society.

Teachers should process this information with great care and reflection so that they can make appropriate and socially just classroom decisions (both curricular and non-curricular). Teachers who acknowledge the relevancy of various cultural contributions instill cultural pride in their students and a sense of personal connection to curriculum.

[Source: Dr. Barb Beyerbach & Thurman D. Nassoiy]

It's Elementary: Talking About LGBTQ Issues in School

Video Series: Part One

Video Series: Part Two

Video Series: Part Three

Video Series: Part Four

Video Series: Part Five

LGBTQ Bullying in Middle School

Sean has felt since the age of 2 or 3 that he was a boy in a girl's body. Telling his parents at age 11 was difficult but coming out as transgender among his seventh-grade classmates was like walking into a lion's den. When Sean first shared his sexuality with his mother, "She didn't take it well," he said. "She cried for about a week, but then went on the Internet and understood it better."

About a month before Sarah's "transition" to Sean, his mother informed school officials, but no one told teachers or students. "One day I was Sarah with female pronouns and Monday I was Sean with male pronouns, without any explanation," said Sean, a pseudonym for the central New Jersey teen who wants a fresh start in high school this fall. "I was bullied every day, shoved into lockers, beaten up and made fun of," said the 14-year-old. "The teachers were standing right there, saying nothing or just not aware of it."

Things got so bad for Sean that he dropped out of middle school, and his mother home-schooled him for the remainder of the year.

Like Sean, an increasing number of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer children are "coming out" earlier than high school because of greater cultural acceptance. But in the immature and sometimes predatory world of middle school, Jason's experience is not uncommon, according to advocacy groups.

Taunting and bullying often go unnoticed by teachers, and administrators have few policies in place to handle it. Only 11 states have enacted laws to protect schoolchildren from being bullied specifically because of sexual orientation. At Sean's school there wasn't even a sex education program, according to his mother.
 

Video: What LGBTQ Students Want You to Know

GLAAD: Why We Need Inclusive Sex Education

LGBTQ Documentary: Story of Our Own

Tips For Navigating High School When You're In The Closet

HRW: LGBTQ Students in US Still Face Discrimination, Hostile Environment

Video: Interviewing LGBTQ High Schoolers

TED Talk: Why We Need LGBTQ Education

Video Report: Back to School for Non-Binary Youth

LGBTQ Documentary: Story of Our Own

More Teasing in Middle School

In a 2005 study conducted by Harris Polling, From Teasing to Torment, teachers reported that middle school students were 30 percent more likely to be teased about their sexual orientation than high school students. "There seems to be something about the onset of puberty that makes those years different," said Kevin Jennings, founder and executive director of the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network. "Moving from small to larger schools, cliques and social pecking order are a bigger deal."

Most children are aware of their sexuality between the ages of 8 and 11, according to Jennings, but are told they are "too young" to know their orientation. "That makes it even harder for them," he said. "People don't believe them."

In the last year, the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network has seen a "huge surge of interest" in addressing anti-LGBT bullying in middle schools. Much of it has been a reaction to the February killing of openly gay student Lawrence King. The 15-year-old was shot twice in the head by a classmate in California.

In 2007, students from 520 middle schools participated in a Day of Silence to raise awareness about sexual orientation. After King's 2008 murder, 1,046 middle schools participated in a vigil.

Today, the network sponsors about 110 gay-straight alliances (or GSA clubs to support LGBTQ students) nationwide. But that number, compared with 3,000 such clubs at the high school level, may still not be enough.

Josh Rivero enrolled in a virtual high school after he was repeatedly threatened at his Brevard County, Florida, middle school after trying to start a GSA club. "The conversation about his sexuality started in eighth grade, but since elementary school he'd been called a fag," said his mother, Lisa Rivero.

Cyber-Bullies Threaten

By middle school, Josh's grades began to drop and his stress level soared. One classmate bullied Josh in cyberspace, sending homophobic messages and calling him names on the school's social media page. "The school did nothing," said Lisa Rivero, who sought help and later began a local chapter of Parents, Families & Friends of Lesbians & Gays (PFLAG) where she now serves as president.

The threats soon became physical and Josh's mother, at the suggestion of the school's principal, reluctantly filed a temporary restraining order against her son's tormentor. "He had a right to go to school and get an education without being bullied," she said. "We had no issues with him being gay. What we had the most difficulty with was accepting our fear that we knew our son would be a target."

Rivero said students need support, but teachers also need training. "It starts with teachers in the classroom," she said. "A lot of them stepped up and intervened, but there were other teachers who looked up at him and said, 'What do you want me to do?'" The Riveros lobbied unsuccessfully for a Florida law to outlaw sexual orientation bullying. As his mother sought support, so did Josh, now 16 and in high school, forming a GSA at his school.
 

Video: What LGBTQ Students Want You to Know

GLAAD: Why We Need Inclusive Sex Education

LGBTQ Documentary: Story of Our Own

HRW: LGBTQ Students in US Still Face Discrimination, Hostile Environment

Video: Interviewing LGBTQ High Schoolers

TED Talk: Why We Need LGBTQ Education

LGBTQ Documentary: Story of Our Own

Students Take Control

Josh "took control" of the situation, his mom says. Indeed, it is the students themselves who are emboldened to make their schools more comfortable for all those with differences.

Leah Matz of St. Peter, Minn., first came out as a lesbian at the age of 12 in the seventh grade where she says gay issues were talked about in "hushed tones." The taunts began after she pioneered the first GSA. "The harassment started right away," said Leah, now 15. "They were hollering derogatory terms, then it escalated to physical harassment. I was tripped, pushed and spit on by both boys and girls."

The GSA grew in numbers, but so did the taunts. Her breaking point came when she found the words "Dykes Suck" painted on her locker. Club members organized a rally against bullying and homophobia, selling t-shirts that read "Stop hate, just love." Leah called the press and got television and newspaper coverage of the event.

Not all reaction was positive: Leah was criticized in a letter to the editor in the local newspaper for "recruiting" students into the "gay lifestyle." But she says this is a school safety issue, and most of the members of her GSA are not gay, but "straight allies." "Students feel more comfortable now in schools because of GSA," said Matz. "Because of our efforts we are stronger people and face our adversaries."

Leah's mother, Kathy Chalhoub, had no problem with her daughter's sexuality. "I feel really fortunate to have a child who felt free to come to me," she said. "My fear was for her. There's always a blessing in every curse and what Leah has gone through has had such good come from it."

But experts say many middle school administrators have no policies in place when it comes to sexual orientation bullying. "I never dealt with this as a middle school principal in the 1990s," said John Norig, director of program development for the National Association of Secondary School Principals, which is beginning to address the issue. But even progressive schools with strong anti-gay harassment policies said coming out is particularly hard in middle school.

"I still don't believe it's safe for 11-to-14-year olds to come out without support," Alison Boggs, principal at Casey Middle School in Boulder, Colo., told ABC News. She has seen one or two students a year come out. "About 98 percent of the kids are questioning at this age," she said. "Many are not coming out right away and some are not gay." But for those few who feel strong enough to come out, the school sends them to a counselor so they feel "supported and accepted" at the school.

Doing Whatever It Takes

The Boulder school starts each year explaining to students that all categories of harassment are forbidden. When incidents occur, they are dealt with swiftly and individually. "We do whatever it takes," said Boggs. "We can't let it go and assume we did it in class and everyone heard it."

"Like other forms of sexual harassment, once they are educated, kids do pretty well and will stop if we make it clear," said Boggs. "In this age group, they are still forming their identity, and they may be sure, but not all that sure," she said. "But they are feeling safer to express themselves."

Jody Huckaby, national president of PFLAG, agrees, but said, "There's so much more work to be done to create a safe environment for these kids." Even in families with parental acceptance, there is a great need for support and education and information for other family members, neighbors and the community, said parents and advocates. And now, many children who have been raised in same-sex families are entering elementary and middle school. "When Bobby shows up with two mommies, sexual orientation presents itself at earlier and earlier ages," said Huckaby. "The work to develop curricula has to be done earlier. "It's a reality that gay people exist and it's easier and easier for kids to develop a language around the fact that they are different."

[Source: Susan Donaldson James, ABC News Internet Ventures, 2008]
 

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Gays and Lesbians in Your Schools

PREFACE

It is important to look at prejudice broadly, not just at prejudice directed towards race and gender. Any study of multiculturalism must include the LGBTQ community.

All forms of prejudice are based on ignorance and misconceptions and there are many misconceptions and much ignorance about LGBTQ people. If we are to ever effectively eradicate the pain caused by discrimination, we must recognize that we perpetuate prejudice by only addressing those issues that are familiar, like race, ethnicity, gender, and sometimes disability. In so doing, we are effectively saying that discrimination is in fact acceptable and it is only certain groups that are to be protected. The deafening silence that pervades the issues facing LGBTQ children and adolescents results in leaving these children to fend for themselves in a hostile and brutalizing environment.

INTRODUCTION

Imagine waking up one morning and living in a world where everywhere you look, you see no one like you... a world where your family is not like you... where the relationships are not like yours... where what you see in movies, books, and magazines is not reflective of your life... where if you speak about yourself you are subject to being brutalized verbally and physically...  where on Sunday mornings, many spend much of their time listening to respected ministers ranting and raving about what a moral pervert you are...  where the country to which you pledge allegiance denies you the same equal treatment that is enjoyed by your neighbors.

And if that isn't enough, imagine dearly loving someone else and having to keep it totally secret because if you don't you will be punished -- cast out of your home by your family, ostracized by your friends, perhaps losing your job. This is the world of the lesbian and gay young person.
 

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A SIGNIFICANT ISSUE FOR EDUCATORS

The suicide rate for these kids is 30% higher than for any other group of youngsters. Not acknowledging the existence of LGBTQ students puts educators at risk of having to live with the question of whether or not they contributed to a young person's suicide or murder. Educators are in the position of speaking out in ways that give children and adolescents messages of support. Every time they hear a derogatory comment about LGBTQ people and let it go unchallenged, they give a message of non-support. Many LGBTQ adults have stated that they are alive today because one teacher stood up for them or took an interest in them. One person can make a difference. In the words of Ellie Weisel, "Take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented" (Weisel, 1988).

According to the Kinsey report in 1948 (Kinsey, 1948) approximately 10% of 5300 males reported being more or less homosexual. In 1953 Kinsey et al (Kinsey, 1953) found that in a study of 5,940 white women, 2 to 6% reported being more or less exclusively lesbian. In 1970 a Psychology Today study of 20,000 readers found that 37% of the males and 12% of the females had had some same gender contact. Many other studies continue to find that anywhere from 2 to 35% of men and 3 to 12% of women have had some homosexual contact.

From these studies it seems clear that all communities in this country have LGBTQ people in their midst. It is likewise reasonable to assume that every school district in the country has LGBTQ students, teachers, administrators and other school personnel. Furthermore, there is a growing number of LGBTQ parents whose children attend our schools. The bottom line is that it is impossible for school administrators to know how many LGBTQ people are in their schools. Given this impossibility, a reasonable, statistical assumption for the purposes of planning would be to assume that about 10% of your students, parents, teachers and staff are LGBTQ.

TEACHING POSITIVE VALUES REGARDING HOMOSEXUALITY

Teaching positive values regarding homosexuality is not about teaching sex.  One of the most common beliefs about the LGBTQ community is that it is all about sex. This is reflected in the focus on the bedroom of LGBTQ people by media, politicians, and religious groups. Even members of the LGBTQ community will say that they don't talk about their personal lives because what they do in the privacy of their home is nobody else's business, implying that their lives are only about their sexual behavior. Talking about sex and sexuality is controversial at best in our schools. This commonly held attitude that homosexuality is about sex puts it into a hotly debated controversy in terms of its appropriateness for school discussions.

One of the practical implications of this attitude is that often when presentations about LGBTQ topics are proposed for school-aged young people, principals will say they have to get permission from parents for children to attend the sessions. The principals' perception is that a sex lecture will be given. Asking parental permission to discuss homosexuality with their children reflects and perpetuates the attitude that it is about sexuality and usually guarantees that children will not hear the information they need.

Even in schools where the presentations are allowed, they most often are confined to high school-aged adolescents. If you believe that homosexuality is about sex, then you don't have to concern yourself with it until the children reach puberty. The implication of this is that children before the age of 12 or 13 receive no education or supportive messages about homosexuality. To focus only on sex among LGBTQ people is to ignore the wide range of cultural and emotional elements in the LGBTQ community. As with other cultural groups LGBTQ people have their own literature, poetry, music and art, as well as other aspects of any cultural community.
 

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LGBTQ Documentary: Story of Our Own

SUGGESTION 1

LGBTQ teachers and administrators and school personnel must be provided a safe environment in which to come out of the closet.

The attitude in our school system which requires LGBTQ school personnel to be closeted affects their effectiveness, not only with LGBTQ youth but with all youth. If for no other reason, everyone should be concerned about teachers' effectiveness.

This attitude also means that LGBTQ young people have no mentors. LGBTQ students will often "suspect" that some teacher is one of them but the teacher's silence and lack of acknowledgment of their gender orientation leaves the student totally without role models or mentors. Furthermore, the message communicated is that being LGBTQ is so bad that one must keep totally hidden. Taking this one step further, LGBTQ students are often treated badly by their LGBTQ teachers who reject any attempts the student may make, in desperation, to reach out for some understanding.

Many teachers will often explain their decision to be closeted by saying they need to maintain the "respect" of the parents, administrators, and other teachers.  Rather than create bridges with the accepting members of their school community to form some safety and protection, they instead shun those people and court the "respect" of their avowed enemies. This behavior was well documented in early Nazi Germany when many Jewish people believed that the way for them to be safe was for them to be invisible or to attempt to join their enemies. Now, like then, there was no safety for the German Jews and there will be no safety for American LGBTQ teachers unless they begin the long and frightening process of "coming out."

This implies that non-LGBTQ teachers and administrators must do their part to make it safe for LGBTQ teachers and administrators to be out. They must actively work to make the school system a safe community for everyone.

SUGGESTION 2

Just as they have learned to not accept racial, ethnic, or gender slurs, all educators must speak up when LGBTQ people are maligned or discriminated against.

All too often people sit in small groups and remain silent when they hear racial, ethnic, anti-women, or homophobic jokes. By this behavior they participate in some of the most reprehensible forms of discrimination. Even if they are uncomfortable, frequently listeners will remain silent or even participate in the conversation in order to fit in. This most often occurs in small groups where there is no obvious member of the targeted group present. Because LGBTQ people so often choose to remain invisible, they are frequently members of a small group where anti-homosexual remarks are made. To speak out against the homophobic jokes or comments is tantamount to admitting one belongs to the community. LGBTQ people who choose to remain in the closet are often terrified of being found out. To sit silently means participating in their own bashing in order to hide. For non-LGBTQ people, the risk of speaking out is of being believed to be something that has been labeled perverted, abnormal, evil, and sinful.

Teachers have learned to address issues which have to do with race or gender discrimination. The skills needed are the same. The only difference is the fear that if they address homophobic remarks they will be "suspect." Clearly only someone who is LGBTQ would speak out against "gay bashing" comments. These fears must be overcome so that teachers may respond in an educative way to homophobic behaviors, just as they respond to racist and sexist behaviors.
 

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SUGGESTION 3

Schools must make a conscious effort to teach the whole truth, including information about and by LGBTQ people.

It is consistently amazing that when college-aged people are asked to identify major figures in history who were LGBTQ, they draw a complete blank even though they have studied these figures in high school. A stunning example of this is that although students know that James Baldwin was African American, they do not know that he was gay and that a major reason Baldwin left the United States to live in Europe was because he felt so uncomfortable living in the US as a gay man. For any high school teacher to teach Baldwin and not to talk about the issues he faced as a gay man is as unprofessional as it would be to not mention that he was African American.

This type of distorted teaching is perhaps one of the most insidious aspects of the prejudice against the gay and lesbian community that infects the professionalism of education. Leaving LGBTQ issues out of education distorts history, much as leaving out women and various racial or ethnic groups has distorted history to the detriment of the whole society.

One of the fastest growing areas in publishing is in queer studies. Fortunately that means there are a growing number of books for teachers, young people, and their families. Every school should begin to look at this material and start the process of placing age appropriate material in school libraries. Teachers should make sure that they encourage pupils to include them in their reports.

ENCOURAGING HOMOSEXUALITY?

A major objection that lies behind many educators' reluctance to discuss LGBTQ issues with their students is the belief that young people may be "recruited" into a lesbian and gay lifestyle. This reluctance rests on the belief that people make a choice to be gay or lesbian and that children are vulnerable to being swayed into being homosexual.

Until very recently, the focus of the research on homosexuality has been to determine "how did they get that way?" Unfortunately the driving force behind the research was that after first determining the cause, the cure would soon follow. This research direction in the 1940's and 50's created an atmosphere of pathology when viewing the homosexual community that still remains today in many quarters of our society. Fortunately, beginning in the 1950's with the evolution of organizations like the Mattachine Society, the Society of One, and the Daughters of Bilitis, many lesbians and gays challenged that view (Blumenfeld, 1989; Legg, 1994). They were successful in convincing people like the psychologist Evelyn Hooker (Hooker, 1965) and others (Marmor, 1980; Bayer, 1981), to reevaluate the nature of the research that was being conducted. This reevaluation successfully rejected the earlier theories of emotional pathology in homosexual men (early research was focused exclusively on gay males). However, it did not answer the question of "cause."

Today the question of "cause" remains an open question but it clearly seems that we are moving closer to the answers. The most recent research by LeVay (1993) and others has opened the door to the issues of biology and genetics as major contributors to the ideas of gender orientation in both the homosexual and heterosexual communities. While we don't have the "real" answer to this question it has become increasingly clear that neither homosexuality nor heterosexuality is entirely about sexual behavior and certainly is no more about choice than, for example, height or gender.

Continuing to believe in the idea of "choice" leads to continuing to debate the issues of free will, sin, and morality with groups which see it as a "choice", and wastes time which could be spent in more productive discussions.
 

Continuing to believe in the idea of "choice" leads to the perpetuation of pain, guilt, and anger that parents of LGBTQ young people often feel. They are told that they are responsible and they may be told to get little Johnny involved in sports to stop his interest in ballet dancing. The implication is that they can do something about this or could have done something, and that it is their fault. Educators have many opportunities to help parents understand that having a child who is LGBTQ is not a result of the parents having done something wrong.

Continuing to believe in the idea of "choice" implies that children or adolescents who are LGBTQ decide to be "that way," perhaps having heard a presentation about homosexuality or perhaps wanting to "get" their parents somehow. They decide this knowing that they will place themselves in the most frightening situation imaginable. The prejudice and discrimination against lesbians and gays that children and adolescents are exposed to frequently results in school drop outs, adjustment problems in school and home, homelessness, a variety of other emotional difficulties, and all too often suicide. The idea that someone would freely choose this is obviously ludicrous when you stop to reflect. LGBTQ romantic attractions occur in the same way as opposite gender attractions occur in straight youth, through normal maturation of the sexual development of the human body. There are NO differences except in the object of those attractions. In other words, LGBTQ people and non-LGBTQ people are much more similar than they are different. The one difference is the gender to which they are attracted.

Regardless of how LGBTQ people get here, we need to consistently focus on the fact that they are here and we have to realign the school curriculum to include them in a positive way.

While the question of "cause" will continue to be open for discussion, it essentially should only remain in the realm of the pursuit of knowledge and should have no bearing on the issues we address here. John Boswell (1980) in his ground breaking text on Christianity, Social Tolerance and Homosexuality, states that "the issue of who is "black" or "colored" or "mulatto" is only vexing to societies affected by racial prejudice; such differentiations, if present, are much looser in cultures not concerned to categorize people by skin color." It is easy to translate this comment of Boswell's into today's struggle to determine the "cause" of homosexuality.
 

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LGBTQ Documentary: Story of Our Own

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Video: Interviewing LGBTQ High Schoolers

Advocate: Why Are We Still Failing LGBTQ Students?

TED Talk: Why We Need LGBTQ Education

LGBTQ Documentary: Story of Our Own

SUMMARY

In summary, these children are your students and the adults are their parents and your colleagues. They are the class clown, the high school star athlete, the class valedictorian, the ordinary kid next door, your neighbor, your sibling, your child, your principal, your teaching partner. Unfortunately, because of the invisibility, it is often virtually impossible to identify the LGBTQ community in your school. Tragically this invisibility has led to our collective ability to ignore the problem and failure to design a curriculum that will address these issues similar to the curriculum that has been developed to address the issues of other at-risk communities such as ethnic, racial, female or disabled groups.
 

Each child that dies by their own hand is a child with loved ones who are left behind to pick up the pieces of their shattered lives. Each child that dies by their own hand could have become that adult who found the cure for cancer. Each child that dies by their own hand could have been that adult that made world peace possible. Each child that dies by their own hand may have been that invisible child in your school.

[Source: Wiggsy D. Sivertsen, L.C.S.W. and Terri B. Thames, Ph,D.]

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