Running Head: LGBTQ SUMMARY AND BEST PRACTICE

School Psychology Best Practices for the Inclusion of LGBTQ Youth

Megan Anderson
Rhode Island College

Dr. Elizabeth Holtzman

CEP 603 Professional School Psychology
08 December 2016

Running Head: LGBTQ SUMMARY AND BEST PRACTICES

Gender and sexuality in schools is an area of education that is often overlooked. In standard
sexual education, there is little explicit mention of alternative sexualities leaving the way open for
assumptions to be made, both by educators and pupils, that the context for such discussions is
heterosexuality. There exists no evidence-based, sexuality education interventions designed for
sexual minority teenagers, despite preliminary evidence that including information specically
geared toward these teens may be benecial (Donovan & Hester, 2008). Sex education that is
inclusive of same-sex relationships is necessary if schools are to provide ways for young LGBTQ
people to engage in healthy relationships where they can identify abusive behaviors, seek help and
support in abusive relationships. Donovon and Hester (2008) state that the aim of inclusion of
LGBTQ students in health curriculum should focus on ideas, beliefs and expectations of love, care,
equality, power, and intimacy, regardless of gender and sexuality, but that the curriculum also allows
both same-sex and heterosexual relationships to be validated.
Teaching teenagers about homosexuality, however, is a divisive topic. According to research
conducted by Schmidt, Wandersman, and Hills (2015), approximately three-quarters of parents
believe that homosexuality and sexual orientation should be taught in schools. However, nearly onefth of parents surveyed believe that students should be taught that homosexuality is wrong, while
just 8% say that students should be taught that homosexuality is acceptable (Schmidt, Wandersman,
& Hills, 2015). Nonetheless, the omission of this topic further marginalizes an already at-risk
population, and misses an opportunity to promote dignity, respect, and understanding for all students.
Rather than considering sexuality education as primarily a vehicle for a debate about the morality and
appropriateness of teenage sexual behavior, sexuality education should focus on giving students the
information they need to clarify their own attitudes and values about sexuality, and make healthy
decisions.
In the absence of meaningful knowledge about gender identity, gender variance, or
transgender identity, educators framed the presence of a transgender child as a crisis wherein the
order and civility of the school was being threatened. Fear shapes educators decisions around
supporting transgender students and shuts down opportunities for introducing the possibility of
gender uidity or nonconformity to childrens worldview (Payne & Smith, 2014). In addition to not
supporting diverse students by failing to incorporate different sexualities teachers also dismissed the
seriousness of bullying of LGBTQ students. Teachers reports found that they would label the
practice as immature and therefore insignicant even when it did occur (Preston, 2016). Teachers
dismissed the bullying they did witness as both immature and as baseless because they viewed

Running Head: LGBTQ SUMMARY AND BEST PRACTICES

victims as either aunting it and therefore deserving of bullying, or as straight and therefore viewed
bullying as having no signicant impact on the victim. Preston (2016) maintains that this doubleblindness held by teachers creates a void wherein teachers do not acknowledge the signicance of
anti-queer bullying for all students as a system of subordination and control, and which works to
reinforce notions that students who are LGBTQ identied are unsympathetic victims.
Fulcher (2014) points to the heteronormative structure of curriculum, traditions, and
organization that highlight heterosexuality throughout childrens days. Most schools missions
include language about nurturing the whole child, safety for every child, and providing all children
with an enriching learning environment. The responsibility for protecting children is more than
physical safety. To learn and thrive students need to be seen and recognized as themselves and to fit
into the social landscape of their school. In result of this, educators are crucial in creating an
inclusive environment and for setting the tone for ways discussions are held about the issues
surrounding gender diverse students at their schools (Rollins, 2012). One way to help facilitate these
discussions is to provide teachers with professional development. Providing teachers with the
professional learning to move towards more inclusive and afrming attitudes is more than giving
teachers a set of activities to take back to their classroom. Professional learning provided the
opportunity to explore how they felt about sexualities and diversity in a supported learning
environment prior to working with students, other staff, and parents (Ollis, 2015). This exploration
impacted positively on teachers ability to set up supportive learning environments for their students
by allowing them to develop an attitude of support for the inclusion of sexual diversity.
Homophobia and transphobia are embedded in schools in complex ways that can only be
addressed in thoughtful and individualized programmatic approaches. However, there are several
ways to facilitate diversity and a message of inclusion for LGBTQ students. To create positive
change, the entirety of the schoolthe people, the programs, the policies, the formal, and informal
curriculummust be infused with and embody unconditional positive acceptance of LGBTQ
students (Peter, Taylor, & Campbell, 2016). The language of the school must include the words that
describe the sexual and gender identities of the LGBTQ community. The words lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender must be spoken, become comfortable, and normal. LGBT people and lives
must be viewed as whole and multidimensional normalized, not problematized. LGBT people
should be seen and imaged more completely, and become a part of discussions about families,
friends, and daily life, not marginalized into separate categories that create difference and distance

Running Head: LGBTQ SUMMARY AND BEST PRACTICES

(Gleich, 2015). The endeavor to create a positive accepting environment in schools for LGBTQ
students must also provide safe visibility and support for LGBT adults who work in education.
School psychologists need to address the impacts of heterosexism, homophobia, and other
forms of discrimination on the mental health of LGBT students. To help promote health and safety
among LGBTQ youth, schools can encourage respect for all students and prohibit bullying,
harassment, and violence against all students. Schools can identify safe spaces, such as counselors
offices, designated classrooms, or student organizations, where LGBTQ youth can receive support
from administrators, teachers, or other school staff. School psychologists can work on system-wide
interventions that would work to encourage student-led and student-organized school clubs that
promote a safe, welcoming, and accepting school environment (e.g., gay-straight alliances, which are
school clubs open to youth of all sexual orientations).Collaboration and consult with other school
professionals to help ensure that health curricula or educational materials include HIV, other STD, or
pregnancy prevention information that is relevant to LGBTQ youth (such as, ensuring that curricula
or materials use inclusive language or terminology). School psychologists could also work to
encourage school district and school staff to develop and publicize trainings on how to create safe
and supportive school environments for all students, regardless of sexual orientation or gender
identity, and encourage staff to attend these trainings.