Queering the Schoolhouse: LGBTQ+ Inclusion for Educators

Welcome to Queering the Schoolhouse course. In this short module you will get the chance to know the instructors who will help you learn and understand LGBTQ+ issues in education. We hope you enjoy in taking this course as much as we enjoyed creating it.

In this module, we’re going to explore three concepts: allies, accomplices, and advocates. People use these three words to talk about the kinds of actions they want to see from others who want to act on their behalf. Although this module focuses specifically on what it means to be an ally for LGBTQ+ people, many of the ideas we’ll work with here apply to being an ally for other marginalized people and communities. This module will prepare you to talk about allyship, advocacy, and accomplices, as well as to support LGBTQ+ people through your words and actions.

In this module, we will briefly discuss the history of LGBTQ+ experiences in school. Then, we will examine some statistics to understand the current state of LGBTQ+ experiences of school. Finally, we will learn how to frame problems that LGBTQ+ students face in a way that supports school-wide solutions.

In this module, we will walk through some very specific strategies you can use to help make your school more inclusive. The four strategies we will cover in this module are: Ask for and use correct pronouns and names; Start or support a GSA or other school organization; Learn about school policies; and Keep learning locally and generally.