The NEA's new webpage on Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgendered Students

National Education Association ^

[Coleus]

• Focus On: Gays, Lesbians, Bisexuals, and Transgendered Persons
  ( 825 KB, 2pp)

• Teaching Tolerance or Attacking Religion: How far can schools go in teaching tolerance for gays and lesbians?

• Safe Schools for Everyone: An interview with Kevin Jennings, founder of the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (GLSEN)

• School Employee's Guide to GLBT Issues

• The Safe Zone: Links to bullying resources, a brief glossary of bias terms, and a downloadable poster

NEA believes that a great public school is a fundamental right of every child—free from intimidation and harassment, and safe for all students, including those who identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered.  There is only one real issue for educators: We are responsible for our students' safety and education. We must ensure that everyone is given the opportunity to achieve and thrive.

Measurable Damage

We know that students are more likely to learn and succeed in safe, supportive environments. Unfortunately, safety can be an issue for children and teens who are seen as different because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. From the earliest grades, students routinely use homophobic language, and verbal taunts often escalate to physical confrontations.  The effects of bullying, harassment, and discrimination are clear. Students who are subjected to frequent harassment do less well academically, and are much more likely to be truant or drop out of school, be depressed or suicidal, consume drugs or alcohol, or carry a weapon to school.

Alarming Statistics

According to the 2005 National School Climate Survey, taken by the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN):

• More than a third (37.8%) of students experienced physical harassment at school on the basis of sexual orientation;
• More than a quarter (26.1%) of students experienced physical harassment at school on the basis of their gender expression;
• Nearly one-fifth (17.6%) of students had been physically assaulted because of their sexual orientation;
• Over one-tenth (11.8%) of students had been physically assaulted because of their gender expression.

NEA is committed to reversing these trends and addressing the needs of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered students. That's why we provide information and resources for educators to create great schools for every child.

[Coleus]

And one wonders why America's Children aren't learning in schools? How about focusing on education and the learning of the subject material at hand and not focus on a confused child's sexuality and sexual preferences. Why is this even discussed in school?

[indcons]

"Transgendered" students BARF ALERT ping

[flynmudd]

God forbid they learn to READ WRITE AND ADD!

[bordergal]

All one has to do is enforce a strict, equitable code of conduct/manners for ALL students, rather then subdividing by percieved differences.

Just another way to create a victim class.

[amchugh]

I went to high school with a kid who killed himself because everyone thought he was gay. To the best of anyone's actual knowledge he was just effeminate. I don't think the Federal Gov't getting involved is going to help that kind of situation at all, but I'm not sure bullying shouldn't be addressed in school. Whatever the reason for the bullying it's not conducive to a good learning environment for anyone involved.

[PeterPrinciple]

gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered.


These are all behaviors, they are not a race, they are not a right, there is no gene. Because they are behaviours they are learned somewhere.......looks like at school.

[traditional1]

Why don't they just put up a sign over the Schoolhouse door that says "We Welcome Sex Deviates" ???

[Paleo Conservative]

All one has to do is enforce a strict, equitable code of conduct/manners for ALL students, rather then subdividing by percieved differences.

Just another way to create a victim class.

And to divide an conquer. Create another class of clients for a socialist state.

[lonevoice]

Well said ping

All one has to do is enforce a strict, equitable code of conduct/manners for ALL students, rather then subdividing by percieved differences.

Just another way to create a victim class.

[gotribe]

And yet they won't allow child molesters to live within 1000 feet of a school. NEA is organized hypocrisy.

[AbeKrieger]

These are all behaviors, they are not a race

Spot on ! Gay is not who you are, Gay is WHAT YOU DO.

[little jeremiah]

Thanks, indcons - and if/when you find relevant articles, ping wagglebee too, since sometimes I'm not on the job, he's the main one lately.

(I'll try to get to this later, we're dealing with flu over here.)

[Coleus]

Whatever the reason for the bullying it's not conducive to a good learning environment for anyone involved. >>>

Bullying is the teachers' fault for they do very little to prevent it, intervene when it happens or react when they are told about it. Apathy is the norm.

[Tired of Taxes]

ANOTHER REASON TO HOMESCHOOL PING!

This ping list is for the "other" articles of interest to homeschoolers about education and public school. If you want on/off this list, please freepmail me. The main Homeschool Ping List by DaveLoneRanger handles the homeschool-specific articles.

[Old Professer]

Are they telling us that as many as 1/3 of the students are androgynous or that their fellow students are just careless and very poor at picking those who truly have gender issues?

[Old Professer]

ADD is why they can't add.

[Old Professer]

Didn't I say that about a month or so ago?

[Tired of Taxes]

Thanks for the ping. I've been thinking about how innocent my children are, and how they have no idea how crazy the world is. This practice of sexualizing children and classifying them according to sexuality... is just plain weird.

[texpat72]

"We know that students are more likely to learn and succeed in safe, supportive environments."

This is exactly why we homeschool them.