4.3 Violence Prevention and Support of Students
in the BC School System

The education stream of participants had a broad representation. There were parents, educators and youth present as well as a diversity of age and racial/ ethnic backgrounds (majority of delegates were from rural areas). This group, in spite of the wide divergence of opinion that might be expected from such a diverse group, were able to develop a consensus on the issues raised by sexual orientation that are facing the educational system. The education stream developed strategies for resolving "real-life" school incidents and a number of recommendations within education both at the BC Teachers' Federation (BCTF) and Ministry of Education levels. The strength of these recommendations is grounded in the diversity of the group who developed them.

Case Studies

These are "real-life" examples from the past six months within BC schools and communities. They were given to participants who brainstormed the following strategies to help solve or alleviate the problem for the victim. Their solutions are not meant to be an exhaustive list. They serve as starting points from which to move at different levels within the education system.

Scenario #1 It is the last period of the first day of school. A student arrives late and, pointing at another student, declares loudly "I'm not staying in a class with that faggot!" How would you respond to this situation?

  • Strategies:
    • address inappropriate language
    • define terms and their origins- Where does the term "faggot" come from?
    • set boundaries in the classroom.
Scenario #2 Homophobia is rampant at your high school. Name calling often goes "unnoticed" when it pertains to students who are or are perceived to be gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered. What can be done at the school and district level?
  • Strategies:
    • tell administration and faculty
    • sensitivity training on gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered (LGBT) issues
    • written "zero tolerance" harassment policies
    • literature available to students/staff
    • speaking/writing to Minister of Education/Parent Advisory Council (PAC)
    • complain to school board
    • log/journal incidents of harassment
    • write letters to former school/district about your experiences in high school
Scenario #3 You live in a "red-neck" community where gay bashing is a constant threat. Students are often victims of this crime. Where do you start and what can be done to begin to educate the community?
  • Strategies:
    • identify the offenders
    • determine where the attitude is coming from e.g. fear, ignorance etc.
    • more defensive - e.g. self-defense classes: mental, emotional, physical, psychological
    • teach skills: life skills, survival
    • positive, healthy spaces - safe for youth to encourage positive adolescence experiences
    • foster parents plan/big brothers/big sisters program for disowned children/youth
    • educate/inform broader community: use "letters to editor" page
    • touchstone/role models in the community
Scenario #4 You have the son of lesbian parents in your classroom. How do you deal with: a) the reactions of other students? and b) the needs of the parents?
  • Strategies for a) - student reactions:
    • discuss diversity issues (differences and similarities) and attitudes of students
    • discuss all forms of name calling jargon-why is it used? how does it make you feel?
    • teach respect of all students
  • Strategies for b) - parent reactions:
    • check personal boundaries: ask family if they are willing to be "out" so they can be used as a positive family example within the school.
Scenario #5 Your school is very conservative. You would like teachers to begin to deal with issues of: a) protection of LGBT students and children from same-sex families from harassment and discrimination; and b) use of age-appropriate books in classrooms and the school library that accurately and positively portray the lives of LGBT people and their families. What strategies can you use?

  • Strategies for a) - protection of students:
    • inform teacher of home status e.g. that you are a same-sex family
    • support your child
    • voice your discomfort level to teachers, principal
    • support other students for all forms of harassment
    • define "terms" for students
    • encourage students to discuss issues
    • set boundaries/rules and enforce them
    • provide information on services/resources for students that are in safe spaces where they can pick them up easily without having to come out to access them
    • Gay Straight Alliances (GSA)/Coalition for Human Equality clubs formed with in the school
  • Strategies for b) - using literature:
    • get involved in PAC/School Board
    • make books accessible
    • ask Ministry of Education to approve of books on a provincial level
Scenario #6 A teacher is talking about marriage and the family as part of the Personal Planning curriculum. A young female student puts a question into the "question box" the teacher keeps on her desk asking "What about lesbian couples?" When the teacher pulls out this question she reads it aloud and then states "We don't believe in this sorry thing. We won't talk about this." This then became the occasion for giggling and jokes among the students in the class. What can the student do?
  • Strategies:
    • student to approach teacher privately
    • speak up/object in class
    • talk to parents - ask them to approach teacher
    • go to principal, counsellor
    • put idea back into idea box
    • talk to a friend
    • seek allies
    • keep asking "Why?"
    • ask to make presentation on topic to the class
    • group strategy: to agitate/debate - "organized defiance"
    • start a student petition for the protection of LGBT students within your school
Conference participants also came up with other strategies as a result of their own experiences or those they had seen within the school system. A list of these are below and include what individuals can do at the personal and collective level as a group:
  • talk to co-worker privately - debunk myths
  • tell others you are hurt/offended by actions
  • have counselors/teachers to talk to
  • queer positive literature
  • love as common denominator (despite backgrounds)
  • set example in own behaviour: don't discriminate against any group
  • remove offender's psychological ammunition by asking them what the words mean
  • talk to parents about realities of children from same-sex families
  • encourage/keep students informed of LGBT resources/activities
  • talk to children about name-calling, have discussions, materials, speakers

Individual Strategies:

  • speak up, speak out
  • set an example
  • talk privately - educate and inform
  • keep logs/records of incidents
  • write letters - to politicians, school boards, newspapers, to old schools re: what it was like for you in school
  • tell teachers, principals, school boards of same-sex family realities
  • start petitions
  • stuff suggestion boxes
  • recognize difference - bigotry, ignorance
  • set boundaries
  • debunk stereotypes, myths
  • question teachers/school boards
  • get involved - school board elections, PAC, etc.

    Collective Strategies:

  • seek allies
  • build/start GSA and gay/straight bridges
  • sensitivity training
  • workshops
  • speakers
  • support students about all forms of harassment
  • push for policies and inclusive language: zero tolerance for harassment
  • make books/resources easily and safely accessible to students

Recommendations:

The participants came up with the following recommendations for change within education at both the BC Teachers' Federation and Ministry of Education levels:

Believing that issues of sexual orientation are issues of diversity and need to be addressed as such in the educational system of BC, we recommend:

1. That the BCTF initiate a mandatory and free Professional Development on LGBT/ sexual orientation issues and sensitivity training for teachers. Further, that they use skilled and trained mediators and facilitators from within LGBT communities using a "train the trainers" approach.

2. That the Ministry of Education make the provision of resources and materials mandatory for the Kindergarten to Grade 12 levels to support the Career And Personal Planning (CAPP) curriculum specifically as they pertain to LGBT issues and the reality of same-sex families.

3. That the Ministry of Education and the BCTF promote, develop and support effective "zero tolerance" policies at every school in the province to protect students from all forms of harassment, specifically including students' real or perceived sexual orientation as a protected status.

4. That the Ministry of Education strike a task force of broad community representation (gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered (LGBT), urban/rural, school, parental etc.) with the power to make recommendations and policies about the safety of LGBT youth to school boards and the ministry.

5. That the Ministry Responsible for Multiculturalism or the Ministry of Education or BCTF fund a program of resources and speakers to attend district and local parent advisory councils on LGBT educational needs, including a youth delegation segment.

6. That information, support, protection, policies and rights be accessible, safe, understandable and widely available to all students in ways that work for them. And further, that students be involved in the creation and dissemination of such information. (Similar to Street Kid's materials developed by the Ministry for Children and Families.)

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