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A confused sexual identity may affect students at a very
young age. Elements in the classroom including toys, activities, and language may have a serious impact on the students. Hence,
it is pertinent to make sure that the classroom environment is respectful, safe, and fair!
1. Gender-Specific Toys, Activities, and Expectations:
- When a child does not get pleasure from playing with the
toys they are expected to enjoy, both confusion and shame set in.
- A child with a confused sexual identity typically
develops solitary pursuits such as reading, drawing, listening to music, and playing on computers to name a few.
- By the 2nd grade some girls are already worrying
about being pretty, popular, fashionable, and pleasing the opposite sex.
- Children who do not fall into these norms begin
to feel disconnected from their classmates.
2. Bullying:
- Students who do not fit in well at school are likely to
experience being bullied.
- Bullied students often fear school, suffer
from depression, receive poor grades, and sometimes even have thoughts of suicide.
- As a result of harrassment, homosexual students
tend to repress their sexuality.
3. Offensive Terms:
- 90% of youth report hearing homophobic remarks in their
school frequently.
- Derogatory terms such as "fag", "dyke", or
"gay" are offensive to the homosexual community.
- 2/3 of students report that faculty does not
intervene when homophobic remarks are used within their schools.
4. How to Create a Respectful, Safe, and Fair Classroom:
- Encourage students to express themselves freely. For example,
provide class time for students to write in personal journals.
- When providing hypothetical examples, include
the homosexual community.
- Make sure your classroom contains androgynous
toys and activities.
- Openly discuss students' concerns about gender
issues.
- Discourage usage of derogatory terms.
- Remind students of the first amendment, which
provides all citizens with the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. RESPECT is key!
- Send a letter to parents informing them of
your classroom's policies and procedures.
5. Larger Steps Toward Equality:
- Learn your state's laws and regulations regarding the issue
of sexual orientation within public schools. Each state is different!
- Meet with the school board to discuss equal
treatment toward the homosexual community within the entire school.
- Ask for texts which include the homosexual
community.
6. The Alternate Perspective
- Since it is estimated that only 10% of our society has
a confused sexual orientation, some people feel that it is not necessary to teach about homosexuality in schools.
- Some states have laws and regulations prohibiting homosexual curriculum.
- Some people believe that sexual identity is
a religious issue and to uphold the seperation of church and state, the issue should not be discussed within schools.
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