By Lornet Turnbull, The Seattle Times (MC)
posted October 6, 2010
This article highlights the problems that LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bi and Transsexual) students are facing in today’s schools. Though administrators are recognizing the problem, and the rights of all students, the bullying continues, even to the point some students have committed suicide. Some states, such as Washington, have passed anti-bullying laws to include bullying people because of their sexual orientation. Even with these laws in place, it is still up to school officials to enforce them. Schools around the country are starting to see this as a real problem, and have taken steps to enforce the laws and policies that have been put in place.
Dan Savage, editorial director of The Stranger, a weekly newspaper tailored to LGBT teens that face issues such as harassment, has started a project named It Gets Better. This project gives hope to LGBT teens by letting them know that things get better after high school (where they are primarily bullied in their teen years). Another project, Make It Better, has been started by the national Gay-Straight Alliance network. This project allows adults to make videos aimed at LGBT teens to deliver messages about what it is like to be a LGBT adult in their community.
In our Equity class this term, we talk a lot about the differences between students and consider how to help make education more equitable for them. Reading this article today makes me realize that we, as a class, have talked about all kinds of differences that can be variables in a students’ education, but we have not once really talked about sexual orientation. It makes me wonder if our class has just not realized that this is a factor in a students education, along with culture, family orientation and socioeconomic status, or if we are not ready to talk about it as a class because we, ourselves, are not comfortable with the topic. I know this is a very real issue for many students not only in our own community, but also nationwide. My hope for our class is that we will begin to consider and explore topics like this, in addition to the obvious barriers some students face, so we can become teachers who can teach to, and advocate for, all of our students.
Great thinking. Does the syllabus for Equity indicate the topic will be addressed? How comfortable are you approaching Jody about this?
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In review of the syllabus, it does not specifically address this. I feel very comfortable talking with Jody about this, as I feel it is an area we, as educators, should at least have on our radar.
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