LGBTQ+ Students and Education Christian Santos

In what ways are schools providing resources to LGBTQ+ students and promoting schoolwide acceptance of these youths?

Quotation and Discussion In what ways are schools providing resources to LGBTQ+ students and promoting schoolwide acceptance of these youths? Subclaim One Having a safe and nurturing environment for LGBTQ+ students to learn in is vital to their academic performance and mental health. However, this is often not the case. Quotation and Discussion “Since many youth go through adolescence and the associated developmental tasks while in high school, such settings are a key place of socialization and exposure to ecological factors that may affect the development of LGBTQ youth” (Seelman et al. 20) Adolescence is an important time as it is when a youth begins to develop their sense of self. This is also the time when they begin developing their sense of sexuality or their gender identity. Because a majority of adolescence is spent in schools, schools play an important role in the development of all youths, including LGBTQ+.

Quotation and Discussion In what ways are schools providing resources to LGBTQ+ students and promoting schoolwide acceptance of these youths? Subclaim One Having a safe and nurturing environment for LGBTQ+ students to learn in is vital to their academic performance and mental health. However, this is often not the case. Quotation and Discussion “Harassment or bullying at school, including physical assault, has been reported at consistently higher rates among LGBQ students compared with heterosexual peers across North America and other countries” (Saewyc 264) LGBTQ+ youths are more likely than their heterosexual classmates to face discrimination and harassment in their school settings.

Quotation and Discussion In what ways are schools providing resources to LGBTQ+ students and promoting schoolwide acceptance of these youths? Subclaim Two The role of having safe adults in schools, such as teachers and school psychologists, is vital to ensuring a safe learning environment for LGBTQ+ students. Quotation and Discussion “When youth feel safe and protected by an adult at school, it can make the difference between dropping out or graduating. Students learn more, make better grades, and have enhanced emotional well-being when the adults in their schools stand up for their right to learn free of verbal and physical harassment.” (Young 9) When educators and adults in schools work to ensure a safe and accepted environment in school, youths feel better at school and will perform better, both academically and mentally.

Quotation and Discussion In what ways are schools providing resources to LGBTQ+ students and promoting schoolwide acceptance of these youths? Subclaim Two The role of having safe adults in schools, such as teachers and school psychologists, is vital to ensuring a safe learning environment for LGBTQ+ students. Quotation and Discussion “With regard to education, a large number of participants [current school psychologists and graduate psychology students] indicated receiving training in working with LGBT youth (59.9%)” (Arora et al. 731) In this study, it was found that over half of school psychologists and current graduate students have received training in how to work with LGBTQ+ youth, thus showing an emphasis in caring for these students in schools.

Quotation and Discussion In what ways are schools providing resources to LGBTQ+ students and promoting schoolwide acceptance of these youths? Subclaim Three Another aspect of schools that encourages school connectedness and safety of LGBTQ+ students are Gay-Straight Alliances (GSAs) Quotation and Discussion “GSAs have, however, emerged as an effective response to pervasive hostility against LGBT youth in schools. GSAs provide support for LGBT students and their allies, and they make efforts to improve school climates “ (Patterson 194) GSAs provide LGBTQ+ students with support and they have been shown through research to improve the climate of the school in regards to LGBTQ+ youths.

Quotation and Discussion In what ways are schools providing resources to LGBTQ+ students and promoting schoolwide acceptance of these youths? Subclaim Three Another aspect of schools that encourages school connectedness and safety of LGBTQ+ students are Gay-Straight Alliances (GSAs) Quotation and Discussion “Efforts need to be made to encourage positive support for the GSA, countering any homophobic or transphobic communication that attempts to denigrate the group or its members. Straight and/or cisgender allies—whether students or staff—can be trained to take the lead in creating a comprehensively supportive school climate for a GSA.” (Seelman et al. 27) It is not enough to simply have a Gay Straight Alliance. Schools needs to encourage their students, of all sexualities, to counter homophobia and transphobia. Even heterosexual students and staff alike should be encouraged how to create a supportive and accepting school environment for LGBTQ+ students.

Quotation and Discussion In what ways are schools providing resources to LGBTQ+ students and promoting schoolwide acceptance of these youths? Subclaim Four However, unfortunately, the education system is not completely advocating for providing resources to LGBTQ+ students Quotation and Discussion “Indeed, nearly nine of 10 students surveyed in one national study reported hearing at least one homophobic statement in front of a teacher. Even more disheartening, 31% of teachers surveyed in the same study reported no intention of intervening on hearing a homophobic remark” (McCabe et al. 673) Unfortunately, despite the stressing the importance of these types of educators for LGBTQ+ youth, these statistics show that teachers are not as willing to intervene.

Quotation and Discussion In what ways are schools providing resources to LGBTQ+ students and promoting schoolwide acceptance of these youths? Subclaim Four However, unfortunately, the education system is not completely advocating for providing resources to LGBTQ+ students Quotation and Discussion “The Trump administration … ended federal protections for transgender students that instructed schools to allow them to use bathrooms and locker rooms matching their gender identities.” (Associated Press) Under Trump’s administration, there are no longer federal-wide protections for transgender youth in schools to use the bathrooms and locker rooms of the gender they identify with.

Where to go from here? How a hostile environment for LGBTQ+ students can also be bad for heterosexual students “For every lesbian, gay, bisexual, or gender nonconforming youth who is bullied, four straight students who are perceived to be nonstraight are bullied” (Young 10) Need to explore more research into this Federal Protections for LGBTQ+ Students Title IX Integration of LGBTQ+ history and events into school curriculum FAIR Education Act in California