Diversity initiative

1. WARMING HEARTS WITH
DIVERSITY
SCHOOL CLIMATE REFORM

2. Presented by:
Kaci Mize
University of South
Carolina

3. Purpose Statement
The purpose of this presentation is to:
• Address the issue of unsafe school environments for
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender
(LGBT) students
• Educate faculty, administration, students, families and the
community about the need for acceptance
• Create inclusive programs, organizations, and events to
build an accepting school climate
• Bridge the gap between LGBT students and their peers

4. School Climate Survey
In order to gain a better understanding from school
personnel, students, and parents regarding LGBTQ
issues, inclusive events, education, and
communication, a survey will be administered at the
beginning of each school year. The survey will be
administered to all school personnel, students, and
parents.

8. According to the 2011 National School
Climate Survey, 63.5% of LGBT students feel
unsafe at school due to their sexual
orientation, and 43.9% reported feeling
unsafe due to their gender identity. Many of
the students stated that they felt particularly
unsafe in bathrooms and locker rooms.
Other places that were mentioned as places
that were avoided due to feeling unsafe
were athletic fields or facilities, school
busses, cafeterias, hallways, parking lots,
and gym class. See Figure 1 below for exact
percentages regarding avoided areas
(Kosciw, Gretak, Bartkiewicz, Boesen &
Palmer, 2013).

9. Figure 1: Percentage of Students Who Avoided Places at
School Due to Feeling Unsafe
39%
38.80%
20.50%
22.80%
14.80%
15.30%
Locker Rooms
Bathrooms
Cafeteria
Hallways
Athletic Fields or Facilities
School Busses

10. National School Climate Survey:
As compared to other identifiable characteristics that attribute to
student’s feeling unsafe, sexual orientation and gender expression
remain the highest. For example, the NSCS states that only 16.3%
of students feel unsafe due to religion and 8.1% due to race or
ethnicity. Feeling unsafe at school can negatively affect a
student’s academic achievement. As reported in this survey,
almost 30% of students admitted to skipping class at least one
time during the last month as a result of feeling unsafe. In
addition, over 30% of students also stated that they missed at
least one entire school day because they felt unsafe or
uncomfortable. Therefore, students are missing instructional
time resulting in lower academic achievement (Kosciw, Gretak,
Bartkiewicz, Boesen & Palmer, 2013).

11. School Based Support and Resources
Only 50% of LGBT students attend a school with a club or organization;
such as the GSA (Gay-Straight Alliance), that addressed issues for LGBT
students regarding education. These clubs and organizations are
valuable in providing LGBT students with an outlet that is safe and
affirming within school grounds. According to the Equal Access Act,
public schools are required to allow GSAs to exist; however, there are
many attempts to restrict these clubs all together, or hinder access to
these clubs by requiring parental consent (Kosciw, Gretak,
Bartkiewicz, Boesen & Palmer, 2013).
In the study, High School Gay-Straight Alliances (GSAs) and Young Adult
Well-Being: An Examination of GSA Presence, Participation, and
Perceived Effectiveness, students with GSAs that effectively promoted
safe school environments reported less LGBT victimization.
Furthermore, GSA effectiveness was also positively related to post
secondary education attainment as well as negatively associated with
depression (Russell, Ryan, Toomey, Diaz & Sanchez, 2011).

12. How can we improve school climate?

13. School Safety:
• In regards to school safety, school officials must take a
zero tolerance approach to bullying, verbal
harassment, physical harassment, physical assault, and
electronic harassment. This approach must specifically
include LGBT students, as well as school personnel.
Schools must implement policies stating that if these
actions are reported to school officials, proper action
must be taken. These policies must be implemented in
classrooms, hallways, restroom facilities, athletic fields
and facilities, locker rooms, as well as, parking lots,
school busses and during any school related activity.

14. School Climate Initiatives
• Adopt positive and proactive school climate
initiatives and promote policies that encourage
respect. Initiatives such as “No Name-Calling
Week” can bring attention to the need to
improve peer relationships, as well as,
relationships between students and school staff.
These initiatives also provide the opportunity for
discussion within the school about important
topics such as diversity, discrimination, bullying
and harassment (Greytak, Kosciw, & Jerman
2008).

15. Gay-Straight Alliance
Promote school organizations that foster
support and affirmation for LGBT students, such
as GSA. Ensure that faculty and administration
are supportive and involved with these
organizations and initiatives by becoming
sponsors or attending meetings and events.
Click here for more information!

16. Education and Curriculum
• Educate administration, faculty and staff about issues
affecting LGBT youth through staff developments,
trainings, and literature devoted to concerns regarding
LGBT education.
• Develop curriculum that includes historical LGBT
events, people, and current issues. Adapt sex
education curriculum to include LGBT youth. Include
reference materials containing information about LGBT
events, history, advocacy, support and important
people, as well as, internet access to websites that
provide educational information about these topics.

17. Legislative Changes
• Adopt a nondiscrimination law for employment
that protects LGBT school personnel. Provide
support for LGBT personnel and support their
efforts to become positive role models for LGBT
youth.
• Adopt legislation that prohibits discrimination, or
bullying based on specific characteristics such as
sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender
expression. Include a zero tolerance policy for
offenders, and educate school personnel on the
protocol for managing these events.

18. The National Education Policy Center offers a legislative
brief from which policy makers may select options that
best reflect their district’s goals. The entire brief may
be found here:
Biegel, S. & Kuehl, S. J. (October, 2010). Safe at School:
Addressing the school environment and LGBT safety
through policy and legislation (NEPC policy brief).
Retrieved from
http://nepc.colorado.edu/files/Biegel_LGBT.pdf/.

19. Parent/Guardian,
Student, Community
Letter
Dear Students, Parent/Guardian, and
Community Members:
T.L. Hanna High School takes pride in our
diverse student population. We honor and
respect the differences among the students,
school personnel, and community members.
This year, we will take special interest in our
Lesbian, Gay, and Transgender, (LGBT) student
population.
Throughout the school year we will provide
opportunities for EVERYONE to learn more
about inclusion and respect as well as form
friendships and support within our school and
community.
We look forward to your participation and
involvement!
Sincerely,
T.L. Hanna High School

20. Supportive Activities:
• Involve your students/family/community in
open conversation regarding LGBT issues.
• Attend GSA meetings to educate yourself on
LGBT issues and make new friends!
• Support T.L. Hanna High School athletic events
• Come out for Lunch on the beach with the TLH
administration- this is a great opportunity to
meet faculty and administration

21. Support Activities
• Come out and support Rydell’s annual talent
show “Summer Nights”
• Bring your friends and family and join us for a
movie on the football on the first Friday of
every month
• Educate yourself on LGBTQ issues with our
guest speaker: Wanda Sykes (be prepared to
laugh!)

22. Year Long Plan:
• August: Annual Student Talent Show:
“Summer Nights”
• September: Guest Speaker: Wanda Sykes
• October: come and trick-or-treat the campus
organizations and meet our newest
organization and members of the Gay-Straight
Alliance
• November: Student led program: Thankful for
Diversity

23. Year Long Plan con’t
• December: Gifts for Gays: join us in collecting
items for the LGBT homeless community
• January: Yoga and smoothies with the
principal
• February: “Love is for EVERYONE” Valentine
Dance
• March: The “Pink Ladies” answer questions
from the audience regarding lesbian issues on
the athletic field

24. Year Long Plan con’t
• April: April Fools- Support groups for students
to come out to their peers in a safe, loving,
environment
• May: Sunshine festival- join us for beach
games and a classic car show
• June: End of school lunch on the beach with
faculty, staff, and administration

25. LGBT Advocate Position
Qualifications:
• Must have flexible schedule and be available for after
hour events
• Must have prior experience in working with LGBT
issues
• Must be self-motivated and organized in planning
inclusive events
• Must take pride in advocating for LGBT rights and
equality

26. LGBTQ Advocate Position
Duties:
• Oversee the development of the GSA at T.L. Hanna High
School
• Plan inclusive events for the school and community
• Be actively involved in school functions
• Research current issues regarding the LGBT
community
• Compose monthly newsletters for students, school
personnel and community regarding news,
policies, and upcoming events.

28. School-Community Compact
At T.L. Hanna High School, we strive to honor and respect all
individuals. We embrace diversity and seek to encourage
everyone to be their authentic self. We represent a
community that strives for academic excellence while
becoming responsible citizens and role models for our
community. We will treat everyone with respect and have
zero tolerance for bullying and harassment.
I pledge to uphold the values of T.L. Hanna High School:
_________________
Signature

30. Teacher Preparation
• A large majority of LGBT students (83.2%) reported that they have not been exposed to
positive representations of LGBT people, history, or events within the school curriculum.
When exposed, students reacted positively as in the following statement reported in the
NSCS Full Report: “This year in my U.S. History class, my teacher used a textbook [that]
actually did mention LGBT rights during the civil rights movement of the 60s, along with
Harvey Milk, Stonewall Riots, etc.-that made me happy” (Kosciw, Gretak, Bartkiewicz,
Boesen & Palmer, 2013).
• In addition to not being explicitly taught a curriculum that includes LGBT events and people,
research shows that the overwhelmingly majority of students do not have access to
additional reading materials, or resources in the school library. Students are also unable to
access this information on the internet via school computers (Kosciw, Gretak, Bartkiewicz,
Boesen & Palmer, 2013).
• Sex education curriculum brings forth an overwhelming issue regarding LGBT students. Less
than half of the students surveyed reported having sexuality curricula that was something
other than abstinence only. If sex is prohibited outside of marriage, what implications would
this have for LGBT students (particularly those living in areas that do not permit same sex
marriage). In addition, LGBT youth are not included in material explaining sexually
transmitted diseases, and other health related topics during this course (Kosciw, Gretak,
Bartkiewicz, Boesen & Palmer, 2013).

31. Teacher Preparation con’t
As teacher’s strive to include LGBT student’s in
the curriculum and assignments, teacher’s must
be sensitive to issues regarding these students.
In order to become more aware of these issues,
teachers should stay up to date on current news
and research regarding the LGBT community.
The following resources will be helpful when
constructing an inclusive and inviting classroom
environment…

32. Resources

33. Resources
• Harriet Hancock LGBT
Center
• Gay, Lesbian, & Straight
Education Network
• Consortium of Higher
Education LGBT
Resource Professionals
• The Trevor Project
• LGBT Education
• It Gets Better Project
• GLBT National Help
Center
• GLAAD
• Human Rights
Campaign
• The National LGBT
Health Education
Center

34. References
• Biegel, S., & Kuehl, S. (2010, October). Safe at school: Addressing the school
environment and lgbt safety through policy and legislation. Retrieved from
http://nepc.colorado.edu
• Greytak E.A., Kosciw, J.G. & Jerman, K. (2008). No Name‐Calling Week Project: Year
Four Evaluation. New York: GLSEN
• Kosciw, J. G., Greytak, E. A., Bartkiewicz, M. J., Boesen, M. J., & Palmer, N. A.
(2012). The 2011 National School Climate Survey: The experiences of lesbian,
gay, bisexual and transgender youth in our nation’s schools. New York:
GLSEN
• Russell, S., Ryan, C., Toomey, R., Diaz, M., & Sanchez, J. (2011). High school Gay–Straight Alliances
(GSAs) and young adult well-being: An examination of GSA presence, participation, and
perceived effectiveness. Applied Developmental Science, 15(4) 175-185.