Description of the importance of the topic The topic on the advocacy for LGBT community in schools among the student community is very important. In most cases the advocates of LGBTs have tried to persuade schools to improve their environment. Usually the school environment significantly determines whether the climate in the school is healthy and appropriate for LGBT students to learn in (Goldberg and Allen, 2013). Advocating for this community therefore means that school administrators are likely to adopt ignored programs that may concern the issues of sexual orientation and gender identity. Such initiatives improve the schooling environment for the diverse population of all the students regardless of their sexual orientation. Advocating for the LGBT students helps in fighting discrimination, in regard to the legal requirements many schools fail to recognize the sexual minority students hence failing to address issues that affect the safety as well as the education of the LGBT students. Advocacy on legal requirement for the schools is for instance based on the 14th Amendment of the US constitution (Jacob, et al. 2011). It states that all the students are entitled to equal protection under the federal law without any discrimination. This helps the students attain the education they deserve with no restrictions. The training of the staff members helps in understanding the sexual minority students and the use of effective interventions. Through advocacy, the staff members
[The Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) organization at my high school, which meets twice per month, generated a list of concerns that they shared with school administration. The focus was specifically about gender identity, the lack of support from school staff, and the daily scrutiny they face as a result of their sexual orientation and gender identity. Through collaboration with my colleagues it was evident that there had been an increase in teacher and student referrals surrounding gender identity. The feedback from GSA clearly identified that as a school we are not meeting the needs of our LGBT students and those struggling with sexual orientation. Members of the GSA clearly feel that teachers ignore negative comments like “gay” and “faggot” when they hear them in class, that teachers may not clearly understand gender neutral language, and that our Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) students do not feel safe and protected in school. Students needed support advocating for their right to use a restroom, correct pronoun, etc., requiring district, community, parent, and colleague
gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender students; part-time and full-time students; students with and without disabilities; and students of different races and national origins," it says. The guidance goes on to say that schools are obligated to "respond appropriately" to complaints of
In the documentary, Noah, an 18 year old male to female transgender, many people in school ask question about her gender over and over again. Because of the harassment, many tend to drop out from school. “Harassment and bullying lead almost one-third of LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning) students to drop out of high school” (T Salazar). For most of them dropping out from school means working at a lower wage. Or even worse they became homeless. Some people argue that we should create a separate school of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) students. However critics say that it means of “segregation or shielding the youth from the real world.” Giving a class about LGBT people in schools might be the solution, since students then will be aware of it. Education about LGBT people teaches not only students, but also the whole generation. Therefore, schools should be the primary targets to teach the society about LGBT
School psychologists must help create and foster an environment that educates administrators, teachers, and non LGBT students. Many lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, and transgender youth do not feel safe in school. Sexual minority students may suffer harassment (verbal and/or physical) from teachers and peers. As a result, they may experience more absences than heterosexual students. In addition, LGBT youth may turn to drugs and alcohol as a means of coping with the stressful school environment (Patterson 2013, p.192). Many will contemplate or even commit suicide.
Education is an important factor in life in order to thrive, but LGBT students face harassment in school due to their identity. According to a Human Rights report conducted in 2001, two million American students in the LGBT
Part of my training in becoming a counselor, I have developed and continue to develop skill to advocate for all youths. Through mindfulness training, I want be an advocate for LGBTQ youths by empowering them and providing useful skills that promote independent living. Every youth, gender conforming or non-gender conforming, deserves the right to live a success, content and fulfill life.
Supported by my high school principle, I researched the topic, created and presented a multimedia workshop to the Roslyn School District faculty discussing positive interventions for LGBTQ youth facing discrimination. The purpose of the training was to increase awareness of LGBTQ youth, to identify language that supports inclusion, and to offer interventions that address bias and discrimination in school settings.
In “We must celebrate gender and sexual diversity in our schools” published in The Conversation, February 16 2016, Lucy Nicholas argues that the current commentary on the LGBTI (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex) community against schools and the SSC (Safe Schools Coalition) is extremely out of touch. Many of youths already understand their sexuality, whether it be heterosexual, homosexual or bisexual.
More than 25% of LGBT community are students in high school. Two-fifths of the LGBT student population have been beaten up because they are different. Because of the verbal and physical harassment 66% of these kids feel scared to attend school. The outcome of finishing school and getting the right learning skills is low when they feel unwanted where they are put to learn. Students in high school feel targeted and bullied because of their sexual orientation, therefore leading them to drop out of high school. Failure to get a GED results in failure to get a real job later on in life and succeed. More failure rises when the outcome of no GED produces a low amount of money, therefore contributing low amounts of money to the economy. A persons sexual orientation does not need to determine the type of education they will uphold (Salazar). In February of 2016 a bill was passed denying schools to have transgender bathrooms. The students would have to go the restroom with the gender they were born with. North Carolina also passed legislation that discriminated against LGBT community. House Bill 2 provided protection against discrimination for all communities except LGBT. Schools were banned from giving LGBT kids the permission to use the bathroom they sexually orientated with. Many workers were not happy about this and spoke against the bill. Later, Dennis Daugaard, repealed the law. The
Most LGBT youth become happy with who they are which gives them room to thrive during their adolescent years. Attending a school that has a safe and comfortable environment for every student is especially important. Positive environments can help all youth achieve good grades and maintain good mental and physical health. However, some youths are more likely than their straight peers to experience bad health and life outcomes. Experiences with violence, compared to other students, come easy to LGBT individuals that can cause increased risks for unfortunate circumstances.‘Violence’ includes behaviors such as teasing, harassment, and physical assault. It is important that students at risk have access to resources and support to deal with any questions or challenges they may have or face as they mature. Surveyed LGBT students reported 10% were threatened or injured, 34% were bullied, and 28% were bullied electronically.
The issue of having an adjusted sexual orientation representation on the showing staffs of schools is a matter of worry to educationalists. It is viewed as vital by them that the educating of children ought not to be seen as purely a female task but rather that students ought to encounter both men and women working in classrooms. Educators have likewise communicated worry about issues, for example, assorted qualities inside of the calling what 's more, the status of a calling
District policies from each of the 29 districts sampled were reviewed to determine the extent to which policy vernacular enumerated LGBT students. Enumeration values included sexual orientation, sexual preference, LGBT, GLBT, homosexual, and gay (refer to Appendix E for complete checklist matrix). The district policies sought during the document analysis portion of the study included: (a) Anti-Violence and Non-Discrimination, (b) Bullying, (c) Code of Conduct, (d) Equal Educational Opportunity, (e) Equal Employment Opportunity, (f) Harassment and Violence Prevention, and (g) Mission
Setting the proper context gives due diligence to the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, (LGBT) community. It shows the great effort put forth in fighting for equality. Setting the proper context requires research of historical and statistical data, which are limited. A majority of the population wishes to suppress the efforts in achieving LGBT equality. Illustrating a historical overview creates a timeline of the major events leading up to the role colleges and universities have in the United States in bringing awareness to the social awakening concerning LGBT issues. By changing curricula, higher education raises awareness of its faculty and students. This provides a safer environment for LGBT students, and helps prepare heterosexual and cisgender students for the diverse world they will encounter after leaving their college/university.
In order to advance the cause of LGBT equality, society must create and enforce federal LGBT worker protections in order to protect LGBT adults and must ban gay conversion therapy in order to protect LGBT children. Federal LGBT worker protections would protect civil liberties, incentivize society to become more tolerant, and promote economic
Sexual orientation and gender identity are two things that members of the LGBTQ community often fear opening up about. They fear that they will be rejected or harmed because of who they are, and it is important that we make all aspects of our society a safe place for every human being, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. As School-based risk and protective factors for gender diverse and sexual minority children and youth: Improving school climate explained, “64% of students feel unsafe at school because of sexual orientation prejudice, and 44% feel unsafe at school because of gender expression” (American Psychological Association). Therefore, schools in America should be making a conscious effort to make their buildings a safe, comfortable place for members of the LGBTQ community. Schools can do several things to promote the