My secret: Comg out as a gay elementary prcipal an era of social nservatism

Contents:

• I’M A GAY KRGARTEN TEACHER FLORIDA. THE ARE THE QUTNS I’M ASKG MYSELF.
• ‘I’M AAID TO RETURN TO THE CLASSROOM': A GAY TEACHER OF THE YEAR SPEAKS OUT
• THE PLIGHT OF BEG A GAY TEACHER
• RSIA'S GAY-FRIENDLY SCHOOLTEACHERS IN THE CROSSHAIRS

I’M A GAY KRGARTEN TEACHER FLORIDA. THE ARE THE QUTNS I’M ASKG MYSELF.

In 1996, the film “It's Elementary: Talkg About Gay Issu School” was released, showg teachers krgarten through fifth gra leadg thoughtful and rigoro lsons about gay and lbian people and fai.

In light of recent data showg ntued hostily schools towards LGBTQ youth (GLSEN 2017 NSCS), and suicis by young children for beg gay, this ntu to feel like urgent and important work. The appendic clu specific law and policy rmatn for Canadian tors as well as rourc for GSAs (Genr and Sexualy Allianc/Gay-Straight Allianc) and other school-wi programmg ias. Durg Kristal Torr’s sophomore year of high school, she transferred om an all-girls Catholic school to a ed public high school.

Sanford, a teacher who was openly gay. “I grew up an upper middle class, relig area Oh where didn't really feel like gay people existed.

‘I’M AAID TO RETURN TO THE CLASSROOM': A GAY TEACHER OF THE YEAR SPEAKS OUT

I had iends theater who were gay, but I didn't see any exampl of what life would be like as a gay adult. It wasn't until I was llege and had profsors who were gay that I really had any picture of what was like to be a gay adult a regular relatnship wh a fay. "I didn't have a teacher who I knew intified until my sophomore year of llege.

“This year I've been very openly out wh stunts, but a lot of that was motivated by my first year of teachg where I was tryg to bat issu of homophobia and transphobia. ” I did a home vis where I spoke to the mom and I remember tellg her that I was actually gay and I thk really helped her and ma her feel more relieved. “When I was workg rporate, I was out and unapologetilly gay.

Even as gay and lbian issu have slipped om natnal headl, public attus on LGBTQ issu ntue to evolve. Other polls have shown there is even stronger support for gay and lbian people teachg elementary schools. In 2019, a Gallup poll showed overwhelmg support for gay and lbian people beg hired as elementary school teachers—81 percent said gay and lbian people should be hired to teach elementary schools.

THE PLIGHT OF BEG A GAY TEACHER

Support for hirg gay and lbian people as teachers has not been ntroversial for some time; even as far back as 2005, nearly two-thirds (64 percent) of Amerins said gay and lbian people should be hired as elementary school teachers. But spe feelg fortable wh gay, lbian, and transgenr teachers, Amerins are ls nvced that LGBTQ inty and experience nstut an important subject for stunts to learn about.

At the same time, most Amerins believe that high school social studi and history textbooks should clu referenc to the gay rights movement.

RSIA'S GAY-FRIENDLY SCHOOLTEACHERS IN THE CROSSHAIRS

Dpe reports of angry parents prottg LGBTQ books classrooms, a majory (54 percent) of Amerins say they are not bothered by the cln of gay and lbian characters and stori elementary school library books.

Notably, ls than half of fathers (46 percent) say they would feel fortable wh their lol library cludg tl that featured gay and lbian characters. Public opn appears to be headg towards greater support for gay, lbian and transgenr people, and fort wh stunts learng about LGBTQ issu and experienc. As a krgarten teacher who is gay and has pictur of himself and his partner his classroom, I regularly answer qutns om my stunts like: “Mr.

Calls and emails were ma to my supertennt mandg my termatn, far-right news outlets began nng headl like “Gay krgarten teacher wants to talk to his kids about his love life, ” and the number of random-number phone lls to my personal cellphone creased twofold. And a key part of that tn is the necsary, valuable buildg block of muny is built the classroom, the level of engagement I see my stunts mak hard to believe they are only 5 and 6 years the Parental Rights Edutn law, which crics have lled the “Don’t Say Gay” law, ultimately eros that muny. RelatedRon DeSantis’ woke math sndal shows how he’s bee more dangero than TmpFlorida’s anti-gay bill is wrong.