OCPS Best Practices for Working with LGBT Youth in the School Setting

1. OCPS Best Practices for Working with LGBT Youth in the School Setting

2. Today’s Overview • Introductions • OCPS Best Practices for Schools • Resources

3. Orange County Public Schools,Orlando, FL • OCPS – 10th largest school district in Nation with 176,000 students. • 19 HS • 34 MS • 120 ES • 3 K-8

4. Introductions – About Presenter • District OCPS SAFE Program • SAFE Coordinators in all HS • SAFE Coordinators in some MS • Be Real of Orlando • Present Position = Community School Coordinator at Evans High School • LGBT Trainings: www.supportlgbtyouth.com

5. Introductions – About You Positions Educators, Counselors, Administrators, Community Organizations, Parents Perspectives District, Community, School Priorities What do you want to take away from today’s training?

6. Breaking Down the Numbers … • If we ONLY consider the 91,000 secondary students: • Anywhere from 3,000-9,000 LGBT students. This number does not include students with LGBT family members or friends. • A teacher that has classes of 30 students could have up to 3 LGBT students in each class. • A SAFE coordinator or counselor with a case load of 1,000 could have up to100 LGBT students

7. History • How were OCPS Best Practices Developed? • IT’S A PROCESS!

8. Questions Do We as OCPS Educators Know: • …how to keep all studentssafe in a system that is fraught with anti-LGBT language and viewpoints? • …what OCPS students’ legal rights are and how we may or may not violate these rights when dealing with LGBT youth? • …that the actions or inactions we personally take regarding LGBT youth are not discriminatory?

9. Who’s “Coming Out?” • Average Age of “Coming Out” Family Acceptance Project (FAP): LGB 12-13 Self-Identify: 10 Gender: 2-3 Out: 16 • Media • CELEBRITIES • SONGS- I Kissed a Girl … and I liked it. (Katy Perry) The earlier age of identification is leaving many schools not knowing what to do when working with LGBT youth.

10. Best Practices for Educators working with LGBT Youth in the School Setting

11. 1. Students want to start GSA (Gay, Straight Alliance) Club on School Campus. • Allow by following same guidelines as any other club on campus. • Common Practice: Student initiated. Must have willing sponsor to start club.

12. NOTES • It shall be unlawful for any public secondary school which receives Federal financial assistance and which has a limited open forum to deny equal access or a fair opportunity to, or discriminate against, any students who wish to conduct a meeting within that limited open forum on the basis of the religious, political, philosophical, or other content of the speech at such meetings.

13. GSAs in Orange County 2006-2007 = 4 2007-2008 = 8 2008-2009 = 5 2009-2010 = 8

14. 2. Schools Observing or Participating in the National Day of Silence • Administrative approval for school-wide participation. Should follow same procedure as other school-wide events such as “Mix it up Day.” • Note: Students may choose to organize themselves and participate on this day with or without administrative approval. Best Practices is for administrative planning to assure all students are safe and that all staff are informed of this possibility. Adult tolerance/diversity education and a commitment to keep participating students safe on campus to be a part of this planning.

15. Notes • Day of Silence is a national event calling attention to anti-gay bullying and harassment in schools where students refuse to speak outside the classroom setting for a full day. • No single way to participate.

16. Notes: Day of Silence 2009 Sponsors’ Suggestions: • Have all your ducks in a row for talking to the principal! • Know your facts and be prepared to defend why the day is important. Introduce teachers and administrators to the purpose of the event before the DOS. • If participation is small have students stay together in the hallways. • Make sure there is a Safe place on campus if participants can go if they feel threatened.

17. Alternative: Power of Pink Pre-Pink Week-     PSAs will be shown to advertise the Power of Pink, as well as PSAs from the “Think Before You Speak” campaign.  An article will be posted in the school newsletter.  Posters will be put up around the school to advertise the Power of Pink and all related events. Teachers will be encouraged to incorporate the theme into their activities and/or to decorate their rooms with pink.  SAFE Ambassadors will make pink tie-die shirts to wear during Pink Week. Monday-  Peace Day-   Students and staff are asked to spend the day focusing on how they can promote peace within their lives, their schools, their families, and the world.  Peace signs can be worn to show  support for creating a positive and non-violent school climate.  Pink pins with messages of peace will be available for purchase (proceeds to benefit Relay for Life). Tuesday-  I Will Day….- Students and staff are asked to set goals and to make a pledge to use the power of pink in their own lives.  A video will be shown with examples of  pledges (ex. “I Will stand up for others and will not be a bystander.”). Wednesday-  New Friend Day-  All students and staff will be encouraged to make a new friend at school and to sit with someone new at lunch.    Thursday-   K indness-Grams-  Students may write notes of kindness on pink cards which will be sold in the morning and during all lunches.  SAFE Ambassadors will deliver the Kindness-Grams at the end of last period. Friday-   PINK Shirt Day!- All students will wear pink shirts to school to celebrate the Power of Pink!

18. 3. Students (and/or adults) are being bullied/harassed based on their perceived sexual orientation or gender identity. • Set and display clear rules and consequences at the beginning of the year. • Specify that targeting based on either “actual” or “perceived sexual orientation” or “gender identity” is prohibited and considered bullying/harassment. • Investigate all allegations of bullying/harassment.

19. Best Practices for Bullying cont. • Make it safe for students: • Assure students of confidentiality. Do not “out” students to parents or other adults/students. Many LGBT students do not report bullying/harassment because they fear adults on campus will “out” them to others. • Protect all employees from harassment and discrimination. • Allow “LGBT safe” adults to display SAFE SPACE STICKERS on classroom door or in classroom.

20. Notes OCPS Bullying and Harassment Policy • 2(e) “Bullying,” “Cyberbullying”, “Harassment,” and “Discrimination” (hereinafter referred to as bullying, as defined in Section B, for the purpose of this Policy) also encompass, but are not limited to, unwanted harm towards a student or employee in regard to their real or perceived: sex, race, color, religion, national origin, age, disability (physical, mental, or educational), marital status, socio-economic background, ancestry, ethnicity, gender, gender identity or expression, linguistic preference, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or social/family background or being viewed as different in its education programs or admissions to education programs and therefore prohibits bullying of any student or school district employee by any board member, district employee, consultant, contractor, agent, visitor, volunteer, student, or other person in the school or outside the school at school-sponsored events, on school buses, and at training facilities or training programs sponsored by the District.

21. 4. Teachers or students are using phrases such as “That’s so gay” (to mean “That’s so stupid”) or other terms that demean/oppress LGBT population. • Prohibit phrases by all personnel and students at school. • Educate. • Create & deliver campaign to minimize use of phrases such as “That’s so gay!” Videos and resources may be found at thinkB4YouSpeak.com

22. Notes (Handout): Are You a Part of the Problem or Part of the Solution? What does being a part of the problem look/sound like? • You personally use phrases such as “That’s so gay,” “He’s/She’s so gay” or “Whoa … you’re so gay!!” • You don’t say anything or ignore phrases such as “That’s so gay,” “He’s/She’s so gay” or “Whoa … you’re so gay!!” when you hear them at your school. • You see no harm in using phrases such as “That’s so gay,” “He’s/She’s so gay” or “Whoa … you’re so gay!!” and believe it is just “kids being kids” or a part of our language. • You speak out or work against efforts made by other students or adults aimed to stop bullying/harassment of this type on your campus. 

23. Notes: Are You a Part of the Problem or Part of the Solution? What does being a part of the solution look/sound like? • You address the unacceptability of phrases such as “That’s so gay,” “He’s/She’s so gay” or “Whoa … you’re so gay!!” before you hear them in your class/school. • You address the unacceptability of phrases such as “That’s so gay,” “He’s/She’s so gay” or “Whoa … you’re so gay!!” when you hear them in your school: • We do not use put downs in this school.  If you use that phrase (“You’re so gay,” “He/She’s so gay”) again, you can be written up for harassment/bullying.  Stop. • That phrase is unacceptable.  • Please don’t say that. • Find another phrase to use other than “That’s so gay” in this school.  • To another adult using this language:  I am uncomfortable with the way you use the word “gay.”  I ask that you not use it in that way in my presence.  • You support efforts made by other students or adults aimed to stop bullying/harassment of this type on your campus. 

24. 5. School wants to create “safe space” adults so LGBT youth have a place to talk about their concerns. • SAFE SPACE STICKERS. www.glsen.org. (SEE OCPS HANDOUT) • Designate a safe LGBT Support Person on campus. • “LGBT-safe” indicators such as “rainbows,” “inverted triangles,” LGBT-friendly books, policies highlighting safety for LGBT youth (sexual orientation and/or gender identity). • GSA club and/or support group on school campus.

25. Notes: OCPS Schools with LGBT Support MANY Schools with LGBT Support Stickers Designated LGBT Support Person: *Alternative Education Centers *Evans HS Howard MS Odyssey MS Maitland MS Walker MS Arbor Ridge MS Conway MS Union Park MS *Lakeview MS *Ocoee MS

26. 6. Possible psycho-educational support group to talk about life skills for LGBT youth. • Allow as you would any other Life Skills or psycho-educational support group with a focused population (minorities, boys, girls, etc).

27. Notes • Parental permission is often required to attend psycho-educational support groups. Students are also often times pulled from particular classes to attend psycho-educational support groups. Just as you would not identify students attending a COSA group as COSA students, it is not best practice to disclose a life skills group as LGBT group, but instead as a “Life Skills Group.”

28. 7. LGBT students are “coming out,” talking about being LGBT, or wearing clothing indicating they are LGBT • Allow unless it is disruptive to the learning environment. • Allow clothing, t-shirts, etc. to be worn as you do any other person/group on school campus.

29. 8. Gay students are showing public displays of affection. • Treat as any other couple. Are heterosexual youth showing public displays of affection?

30. 9. Students want to attend prom with Same-Sex Date • Allow students to attend prom with their choice of a date.

31. Notes • Fricke v. Lynch 491 F.Supp.381 (D. RI 1980) First case to establish that LGBT students have a 1st Amend Right to take a same-sex date to the prom.

32. 10. Youth want to wear clothing or the uniform to a school event that corresponds with the gender opposite their given gender (a girl wants to wear pants or a tuxedo, a boy wants to wear a dress). • Allow students to wear clothing that corresponds to their gender expression or desire. • Must follow dress code.

33. Notes: Constance McMillen • On March 23, 2010, the U.S. Court for the Northern District of Mississippi ruled that Itawamba County School District violated McMillen’s First Amendment rights when it prohibited her from wearing the clothing of her choice and bringing the date of her choice to the event, reports the ACLU of Mississippi.

34. 11. Not knowing whether to tell parents about a student being LGBT. (Unsupportive LGBT families/parents) • Do not disclose the student’s sexual orientation, gender non-conformity to anyone--including the student’s parents-- unless the student consents. • If the student consents, support the student while he/she discloses own identity to parent.

35. Notes • “Outing” a student to others is against the constitutional right to privacy. • Consequences: LGBT youth who are open about their identity may face extreme abuse and rejection from families and peers. Many are forced to leave their home communities and survive on the streets. To do this to a young person can have tragic consequences, such as when police officers in 1997 told a young man in Pennsylvania that they were going to tell his family he was gay. He committed suicide rather than face what he feared would be rejection from his family. His mother sued, and a federal appeals court has held that threatening to disclose private information violated the teenager’s Constitutional right to privacy. This applies to schools.

36. 12. Parents call because they do not want their children involved with a school that has a GSA, allows the Day of Silence, or has LGBT students in it, etc. • Talk to parents • Understand their concern (What I understand about what you are saying is … ) • Validate concern • AND Share duty of school (to make sure ALL students have a safe learning environment & this is intent of activity/club)

38. Notes Principles of Professional Conduct for the Education Profession in Florida (3) Obligation to the student requires that the individual: Shall make reasonable effort to protect the student from conditions harmful to learning and/or to the student’s mental and/ or physical health and/or safety. (b) Shall not unreasonably restrain a student from independent action in pursuit of learning. (c) Shall not unreasonably deny a student access to diverse points of view. (d) Shall not intentionally suppress or distort subject matter relevant to a student’s academic program. (e) Shall not intentionally expose a student to unnecessary embarrassment or disparagement. (f) Shall not intentionally violate or deny a student’s legal rights. (g) Shall not harass or discriminate against any student on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national or ethnic origin, political beliefs, marital status, handicapping condition, sexual orientation, or social and family background and shall make reasonable effort to assure that each student is protected from harassment or discrimination.

39. 13. Handling bathroom use by transgender students • Unisex single stall bathroom for any student • Note: Use of a unisex single stall restroom should always be a matter of choice for a student.

40. Notes • In a transgender focus group, the Gay Straight Alliance Network found that the lack of safe bathrooms is the biggest problem that gender non-conforming students face.

41. 14. “Inappropriate” Dress (transgender dressing according to gender identity, not anatomical gender) • Allow gender identity dress as long as they dress within dress code guidelines.

42. 15. PE locker room accessibility for transgender youth • Accommodations may include: • (A) use of a private areawithin the public area (a bathroom stall with a door, an area separated by a curtain, a PE instructor’s office in the locker room), • (B) a separate changing schedule in the private area (either utilizing the locker room before or after the other students), (C) use of a nearby private area (a nearby restroom, a nurse’s office), • (D) access to the locker room corresponding to the student’s sex assigned at birth, or • (E) satisfaction of PE requirement by independent study outside of gym class (either before or after school or at a local recreational facility).

43. 16. What pronoun or name do we use in conversation when referring to a transgender student or a parent that is transgender? • Ask the person their pronoun preference. --Generally, trans population prefers identifies with pronoun matching gender being outwardly presented. • Follow any school policy of using shortened names or nick-names when referring to youth by another name.

44. 17. What pronoun/name do we use on documentation when working with transgender youth? • The pronoun and/or name that matches legal identity. • Follow any school policy of using shortened names or nick-names when referring to youth by another name.

45. Questions to Contemplate • Where is your district/school in support of LGBT youth? • What other LGBT concerns need addressing in your district/school?

46. QUESTIONS& Needs addressed

47. CONTACT INFORMATION AMY ELLIS Hope4Amy2@aol.com 407.435.0959 www.supportlgbtyouth.com LGBT Trainings • LGBT Awareness Training • The “Coming Out” Process • How to work with opposing adults • Best Practices for Educators working with LGBT youth