How to Address LGBT Issues in the Classroom?

[jaysays]

For the teachers and students:

How is LGBT being presented in classrooms today? Is it entirely ignored? Is it discussed only in the aspect of "anti-bullying"?

[SistersTalk]

Andrea's a teacher. I will have her respond when she's done with her work day.

[Paulette Adams]

I teach, and I try to educate as much as I can, especially in the areas of equal rights, respect and anti-bullying.

It is hard because I live in a small rural area in the South, and prejudice abounds. But my new students are quickly realizing that I willnot tolerate them using gay, lesbo, dyke, faggot, etc, just as I will not tolerate racial slurs.

[jaysays]

This came up initially when seeking out show ideas - I asked a few people what areas they would like to learn more about and one of the responses involved tolerance and LGBT issues in school. I began discussing it with some of my teacher friends. One of which advised that she has a 13 year old boy in her class who is horribly bullied over his perceived gayness. He is severely depressed about it and has talked to her some. She's able to control it in her classroom environment, but once he walks out into the hall there's not much she can do without following him around. She's also at a very conservative, although not rural school.

There also seems to be a lack of good sex education available for LGBT youth, particularly in the world of "abstinence only" training.

Seems whatever they can do to make life harder on LGBT kids...

[Andrea Kleinheksel]

As Genia said, I am a teacher and have been eager to respond to this discussion. I teach very young little people and feel that it is important to teach tolerance and acceptance of ALL people regardless of the age of the child. In the past two years I have taught the son or daughter of 3 same sex couples. Often questions would come up to the child about his/her parents from the other children. This would easily open the chance to talk about the many types of families that children might have. Many times I will hear the children have their own discussions about marriage and they would always bring up that two men can be together and two women as well. I would hear my voice come out in these instances and am happy to know that my message has been received. In general, I just want them to know that we have the right to make our own choices and decisions as we get older. As long as these choices don't harm other people, they should feel they can make choices that keep them as true to themselves as possible.

I always strive to teach my students to see people as individuals and to see how we are all unique but that we also share many commonalities. I only can hope that parents and future teachers of these children will encourage this way of thinking. If not, I know that I have not ignored the opportunity to foster acceptance and equality for all people.

[Samantha Vander Veen]

At my high school I thrived on questions to myself on how people would talk about any of those. Especially in Health class. I feel like it's being ignored & it doesn't need to be discussed in any shape, form, or idea. I hear comments in the halls about "That's gay" or "Look here comes the IT". I hate hearing it & if you try telling someone about it they have no idea on how to go about it other to say "Stop it" or "Don't do that." It's like no one knows how to go about any LGBT subject. No matter what it is. You ask questions about daily & they just look at you weird. IDK!!

~Samantha

[jaysays]

Thanks Andrea and Samantha. I know a lot of focus has been placed on anti-bullying, but I think it goes much deeper. Surely there are LGBT kids in these classrooms. My partner, Christopher, had a high school teacher that would talk very poorly of gays in the classroom and talk politics against them. It's a tough enough time for our kids without those influences.

[Haley Noelle]

I am in high school right now and it's something that no really cares what you are. My high school is so diverse it really doesn't matter to most people. I haven't had any problems with other students calling me names or anything which I am thankful for. There are some football players that think they are the ladies men and they really aren't.....they think that gay men are sick. They think its the nastiest thing ever, but what they don't know is that 3 players on the feetball team are gay. So, I think if they found that out they wouldn't be so weird about it. LGBT is not really talked about in my school, but it's something that is spread throughout others around.

[jaysays]

Thanks Haley.

Do you find that there is inclusive sex education? Seems a lot of LGBT Youth I've talked to, particularly those in the "abstinence only" area of the country, feel they don't know anything about sex - the how to's of safe sex, etc.

What are your thoughts?

Haley Noelle said:

I am in high school right now and it's something that no really cares what you are. My high school is so diverse it really doesn't matter to most people. I haven't had any problems with other students calling me names or anything which I am thankful for. There are some football players that think they are the ladies men and they really aren't.....they think that gay men are sick. They think its the nastiest thing ever, but what they don't know is that 3 players on the feetball team are gay. So, I think if they found that out they wouldn't be so weird about it. LGBT is not really talked about in my school, but it's something that is spread throughout others around.

[Samantha Vander Veen]

Anytime, but yes if you look around there are gays out there that no one seems to notice about & if they are reconized by someone who like doesn't care them then it's world war 3. . .If not it's like whatever. I find it very interesting in to see in the future of schools to see who's LGBT. It's like wow who knew & yet they're respected like all others, but before they were treated as different & not excepted. There are times when I don't seriously think that the people picking on LGBT people know anything about LGBT in general.

However, I feel that sometimes it should get discussed not just in the classroom, but in the gym in front of everyone. To where people can ask questions & hopefully get there answers answered. It's an eh for an answer waiting to be solved. I think more people should talk about this more often. There are books, but I don't know how much they really help at all. Some say they do & some say it's just a book.

~Samantha

[Jean-Phylipe Theriault]

Im curently going to school full time. Its a decent sized french school from kindergarden to 12th grade. im in 11th grade. Im openly gay to teachers and students. the only time i ever get teased about it was when i was in primary, or this kid in 9 th grade. I warned the pricipals about it, and they spoke to him. the problem still prosists, but isint as bad. we sont often hear people talk about being gay. but when it comes to this one day every year. its this day where you wear pink in rememberance of this gay teen who killed him self. its really quite nice. and we have the day of silence too.