Multicultural Action Plan

I have incorporated major themes from all five cultural projects into my multicultural action plan. I have also included major themes from our readings and discussions this semester. My list is the result of a deeper understanding and empathy for some of the issues that students face every day they come to school. Many of these issues are larger than school itself, but we must deal with them in some capacity as teachers. My hope is that my actions will influence students to challenge the status quo and create positive societal change.

1. I will create and maintain a safe space in my classroom.

2. I will never underestimate the abilities of my students.

3. I will not assume that all students have a home and/or basic necessities.

4. I will be colorblind in regard to my students’ abilities and capacity to learn.

5. I will not be colorblind in my teaching.

6. I will consider the effects of deep culture on the world views of my students.

7. I will not assume that all students have a caring and supportive family.

8. I will acknowledge that I cannot change student behavior until they are ready.

9. I will understand that some students struggle, but not for lack of effort.

10. I will get to know my students better so I can improve my teaching.

multicultural action plan

Creating an open classroom may seem idealistic to some people, but I believe it is the path towards creating better students and citizens. Many people go about their daily lives in ignorance about other cultures while trying to deal with their own issues. I understand this, but in the schools it is not an excuse. I will be teaching students from all different backgrounds and I aim to make their backgrounds become valuable tools in the classroom. Student’s personal cultural experiences will be integral parts of the learning experience as I will help students understand that each person’s life experiences change and shape their way of thinking. I will accept students of all cultural backgrounds in my class and I will create an atmosphere of respect and empathy to all. I hope to get students to break down barriers of communication that exist for many people including adults. Having open conversations about controversial issues will help my students open up new avenues of thinking in their developing minds.

1. I will have students participate in journal writing sessions not only about the curriculum, but about what is going on with them.
2. Students will be introduced to communication exercises where they will have to hone their listening skills.
3. Students will understand that there are no stupid questions and that not everyone is able to make connections on the same level.
4. I will share personal experiences where I have dealt with culture clash and how I responded to those situations. Being honest with students is a hard thing for teachers, but I feel that showing my human side will allow students to realize that I care.
5. I will post various posters and quotes around the room promoting acceptance and hard work for all students.
6. I will make an attempt to connect each lesson to something that students can relate to, history can be extremely boring to students who have no way to connect to the material.
7. A major component of Social Studies should be the ability to ask good questions and I will help develop my student’s abilities to ask quality questions.
8. I will confront issues with my classes when they occur. I am not going to sugar-coat things for my students; they are still developing, but will be adults as soon as they exit high school.
9. I will make it known to my students that no one is perfect and everyone has flaws and issues that are valid and are not easy to deal with.
10. I will make myself known as an ally to students of all cultural backgrounds and sexual identities.

Watch What You Teach: A First Year Teacher Refuses to Play It Safe

Our cultural presentation on LGBTQ students was influenced by this article by Nicole Sieben and Laraine Wallowitz. Early on, they discuss how, “Remaining ‘neutral’—or silent—in the face of discrimination always condones the behavior of the oppressor.” Our video of the teacher who ignores a student’s homophobic slurs exemplifies this point well. I think often times students make inappropriate comments that catch teachers off guard. Not knowing how to react or trying to avoid conflict often results in silence. Our “Name it, Claim it, and Stop it” strategy gives teachers a relatively easy and discrete way to solve the problem.
The authors mention challenging the status quo and discuss how “principle comes before paycheck.” I think this is one of the best arguments in favor of teacher tenure. Teachers have the unique power, outside of the media and peers, to shape the face of a generation. This power comes at the cost of a smaller paycheck and increases as a teacher gains seniority. I agree with many of the statements about students and their willingness and ability to act maturely, but I think the authors have missed an important point. First, as a beginning or probationary teacher it is risky to go too far out on a limb without the support of other staff members. For the authors, their risk taking paid off because the unit was a success. Imagine, for a moment, that the unit met student resistance and parent protest. Instead of writing an article about the merits of risk taking as a new teacher, they would be looking for new jobs.
As much as we value our principles, it would be foolish and reckless to hold them above our jobs and our families unless money is truly not an issue (in which case, I would say go for it!) That’s not to say that we shouldn’t take any risks in our first couple of years—with careful planning and consideration, some of these gambles can pay off. Queer pedagogy is more accepted today than, say, ten years ago and I think the authors made smart choices in their planning. The teaching profession is full of politics, and while tenured teachers still need to make responsible decisions, they have more freedom to carry out their agendas. Of course, if a beginning teacher’s content causes trouble, maybe he or she isn’t at the right school anyway.

Multicultural Action Plan

What I enjoy about teaching Spanish is that there are many unique cultures inside the language. In order to understand the Spanish language, you have to understand the cultures behind it. Also, I believe that every student has potential to try their best, and I will be available to every student to reach their full potential.


Ten ways to fulfill my philosophy:

1. Students will be learning about the different cultures of Spain and Latin America throughout their time in Spanish.
2. While learning about these cultures, the students will be making comparisons to their own culture as well as connections to their lives.
3. Students will learn about the Latin American culture in various ways such as music and a variety of projects.
4. In order for every student to reach full potential, I have to be able to understand their learning style.
5. At the beginning of the school year, I will issue each student a questionnaire that asks about their interests and learning styles.
6. Students will be mixed together during group work so no one is segregated or feels left out.
7. In small groups, students will be learning to work together through community building activities such as scavenger hunts and other activities to get to know each other.
8. Students will also be able to work out their differences by answering a questionnaire about the advantages and disadvantages of group work, and they will be able to figure out their own strengths and weaknesses working in groups.
9. Students will be learning about conflict resolution by doing activities such as the I-message, which teaches students how to express their feelings in a calm and positive manner.
10. The most important thing is that I need to be the role model and be available to ALL students when they need help, create a safe learning environment, and accept EVERY student for who they are.

Lesson Reflection

On Tuesday, April 28, Mike, Craig, Erik, and I performed our lesson about LGBT
students. The objective of the lesson was to educate future teachers about the LGBTQ
community and their learning environment, and to create an action plan to make their
classroom a safe environment for ALL students. There were areas of our lesson that
flowed well, and there were parts that were a little flawed.
First off, our Into presentation was a bit controversial. I noticed that when we
were shouting out the terms at each other, a couple people felt offended, and some of the
people did not understand what some of the terms meant. For the future, a good Into
would be even telling some of the stories that we heard at Positive Images, so people can
have more of an open-mind about what these people are going through.
I feel that the Through and Beyond helped teachers be more aware of the
treatment of LGBTQ students, and what we need to do to stop the harassment. The
discussion was very powerful, and we had some really brilliant questions and comments
from our fellow student teachers. I think they were shocked by some of the statistics
shared and some of the questions that were discussed in the small groups. Our message
came across much better on this day.
The Beyond was thought through well. The Pledge to Act is something teachers
can hold onto for the rest of their careers, and it will remind them what kind of classroom
they need to have. I even signed the contract and it will be kept with all of my teaching
materials.
There were some classroom management strategies that I feel were flawed. First
off, we did experience technical difficulties with the computer and Smartboard. Thanks
to our teacher, Susan, we were rescued with the projector. Still, for the future, we need to
have an alternative in case we experience difficulties again. Also, we need to manage our
time a little bit better next time. Some of the discussions went a little too long. We
should have shortened questions and comments a little bit so we were not tight on time.
Other than these flaws, everything else flowed better.
This project helped me figure out what kind of teacher I want to be in the future.
I want to be someone who is accepting of EVERYONE who walks into my classroom. I
want students to feel like they are safe in my class and hopefully they will be able to
come talk to me about anything. Like I said before, there will be absolutely NO
harassment of any kind in my classroom!

Response to the Common Reading

My group read an article from the English Journal called “Watch What You

Teach.” This is about a first- year English teacher who actually integrates queer theory

into her lessons. Personally, I feel like she took a huge risk in bringing this as a major

topic in teaching, however, there were parts that I found useful to any student.

First off, this teacher took a major risk in teaching this theory as a first-year

teacher. If any teacher did that around this area, they probably would have had

complaints from the parents, much less have lost their job. I was shocked when she said

that there were no parental complaints and that they were supportive of her curriculum

because students were taking parts of the lesson home and discussing it with their parents.

The quote, “Every student comes to school with a backpack full of books,

emotions, and opinions,” is very powerful. She also says, “It is our responsibility as

educators to help students unpack their backpacks; organize contents within them, and

then decide what texts, feelings and thoughts are important to carry with them inside and

outside of school.” What she means is that students get to decide what feelings they want

to show to their peers and teachers. Nicole had an exercise that connected with this quote.

Students were to write down two things they did not want anyone to know about them.

What I liked about this lesson is that it does not have to refer to only the LGBTQ

community. Every student in that class were able to connect, but also they were able to

empathize with this particular group.

Nicole also states that “students look to their teachers as models for how to be in

the world.” I do have to agree with this statement. Students do look up to their teachers

as role models. This means that we need to accept everyone, no matter what their sexual

orientation is because if students see their teachers making inappropriate comments about

another student, they will think that it is acceptable, when we all know it is unacceptable.

Although some of the lessons were risky, this teacher helped the students open

their eyes and learn not just to tolerate the LGBTQ community, but to accept them for

who they are. Just like Nicole said, she helped them “think outside the box.” The

students became more involved within their school, such as joining the school’s Diversity

Club and Gay Straight Alliance. She also showed other teachers how to create a safe

environment in the classroom and broke many stereotypes in the school.

Positive Images Notes from Presentation and Pledge to Act

What is Positive Images?

• A support group for the gay, lesbian and transgender community that meets every Thursday at Santa Rosa High School.
• 1st Thursday-"Check In"- Members get the opportunity to talk about what is going on in their lives, and this is a chance to give and receive feedback.
• 2nd Thursday is another check in meeting and this is when parents are allowed to come too.
• 3rd Thursday is Guest Night- Parents and friends can listen to a guest speaker address a topic relevant to the community.
• 4th Thursday is Chops Night-Open and social meeting at the Chop's Teen club in SR where there is an activity planned.
• Other services they have are peer counseling which are one on one meetings with a trained youth counselor and other members.
• They also have a community center opened Monday through Friday from 1-5 where youth can drop in and visit, check out the library, and gender exploration closet.

Field Trip Highlights:

• Listened to a panel presentation.
• Consisted of different people who are gay, lesbian, and transgender.
• They talked about their experiences with parents and their learning environment.
• Many of them were bullied by their peers and the teachers and administrators did not do much to stop the harassment.
• Also gave us some tips about what we can do as teachers to prevent the harassment.

My Reaction:

• I felt that this presentation helped me understand what these people went through and it will help me create a safe classroom.
• There will be absolutely NO harassment of any kind in my classroom!

The Pledge to Act:

By reading and signing this pledge to act, and be an ally for LGBTQ students we as teachers have decided to make a change. We will no longer accept views of Homophobia, Transphobia, and Heterosexism that deny equal rights and safe schools to all students. Change can happen if we do what is right.

My Individual Lesson Plan-Through and Beyond

Class: EDSS 442- Teaching in Multicultural Settings

Subject: LGBTQ students

Objectives: To educate future teachers about the LGBTQ community and their learning environment, and to create an action plan to make their classroom a safe environment for all students.

Materials: Positive Images brochures, field trip notes, and the Pledge to Act handout.

Through:

• Introduce our topic
• Talk about our field trip to Positive Images
• I will talk to teachers about the organization's background, programs, and resources, as well as our field trip experience.
• I will also address my reaction about the field trip.

Beyond:

• Pledge to Act
• As one of my group members is passing out the pledge, I will read the small paragraph that teachers need to understand in order to make their classroom safe for the LGBTQ community.

lgbtq CUTURAL PRESENTATION rATIONALE

EDSS 442 LGBTQ CULTURAL PRESENTATION RATIONALE
CRAIG M BLACK

The rationale for our presentation was, in my opinion, to help our fellow teachers understand, recognize and stand up for the rights of their students to be safe at school.
These rights are for all students, not just the LGBTQ group that we covered. What prompted me to research this group and this topic was the fact that as a child I was brutalized, and beat up for being smart, quiet and possibly effeminate. I am not gay but I lived their struggle and no child should have to live or learn in fear.
My goals for the lesson were the same as my group: Awareness of injustice and statistics that support the reality of what these kids face, the ability to support, Recognize and create Safe spaces where students can feel sanctuary from the cold world of the high school halls, And have some skills in regards to dealing with intolerance and homophobia
In their own classrooms and schools.
Our into was a bit strong and possibly offensive to some but I feel we got the point across. I was responsible for the outcome of our vocal bashing session. I do defend what I was attempting to do, which was to expose the sheer volume of deviant slurs aimed at gay and transgendered people. A sense of awareness of just how far it can go gives teachers some guidelines of what to look for and be aware of in their schools.
I also feel that I was successful in addressing the goals of acceptance vs tolerance and how we as new teachers will be at the front lines of creating diverse and safe environments for learning. In retrospect, probably more editing of the terms used. Maybe more focus on what we were looking to communicate to our fellow teachers in regards to how LGBTQ students navigate the "scary" parts of a school.
Our through was much more about becoming teachers who are aware that these conditions do exist . Also how we can make our classes’ safe havens that teach trust and awareness of diversity and it's benefits to all students, teachers, faculty, and community that help make up a school.
Our Through and Beyond was a powerful mix of statistics, poignant video imagery and vital discussion. We prompted these activities with class discussion and small focused group work including a strong jigsaw. It is a shame that we had so many issues with the technology, but Erik had worked many hours to create a flawless PowerPoint to support the whole segment. SSU needs to repair that Smartboard.
By ending the presentation with a pledge to act we asked our colleagues to ask themselves” Am I committed to diversity and creating a safe school?”
I feel that our interactive blog has become a treasure trove of connections, facts, current events and information which will be a great resource for anyone who reads it and follows the many links.
I am very proud of my group and feel we worked as a team to create a great presentation for all, INTO, THROUGH AND BEYOND.
I know that I will be an ally to any and all students who need me, not just LGBTQ. My room will be a safe haven where all types of people can feel comfortable and equal in my eyes, and my presence.
I’m glad I was able to be a part of such meaningful work, Change can happen if people are engaged.

MULTICULTURAL ACTION PLAN -CMB

EDSS 442 MULTICULTURAL ACTION PLAN
SUSAN HIRSCH LGBTQ- CRAIG M BLACK


Craig M Black –Philosophical statement:
My approach to multicultural education is that I want to create an environment where diversity is celebrated not segregated. Students will know from my actions and attitudes that I care about them and I value individuality. Because I am an Art teacher it is my responsibility to expose my students to works of Art from many cultures, ethnicities, geographic locations, religions, historical times and movements, past and present.

10 ways to apply the above philosophy:
!.) Incorporate many visual examples of Art from a very diverse pool of sources that represent many cultures. Art History began with cavemen.
2) Use vocabulary terms that are important and clear to describe goals and objectives. Clarify terms and definitions with class.
3) Assignments are challenging, interesting, and appropriate for all students in the class. Encourage risk taking, trying something new.
4) Write out assignments on white board, have students copy into Journals and /or planners. Read through with class, and then confirm understanding
5) Provide hands on visual demonstrations that show students step by step how to complete the project. Make expectations clear and concise.
6) Allow students to evaluate their own work, in writing, based on many areas of honest self-assessment. Encourage self awareness and rewards of accomplishment.
7) Gather for group critiques where the students show and discuss their work while the class provides positive feedback, suggestions and Ideas.
8) Base my expectations as a teacher on what I know or understand about each student’s needs and skills. Set attainable goals for success. Ask questions and respect the student’s answers.
9) Give positive and constructive criticism to all students both as a class and individually. Make considerate suggestions to encourage improvement for all students. Avoid making judgments about good and bad.
10) Practice what I preach, be a good example to all students. Be fair and considerate of each student’s feelings and try to accept that everybody can have a bad day. “The Sun will come out tomorrow”

If I can follow this list I will be the best Educator I can be!

response to our common reading

As a group, we chose a reading from "the English Journal" 2009, an article by Nicole Sieben and Laraine Wallowitz entitled; "Watch What You Teach": A First Year Teacher refuses to play it Safe..
What I felt was the most interesting about this article was the fact that as a new teacher,Nicole felt that her students could not only handle but rationalize very strong subject matter. This is part of the issue with teaching adolescents: How much can they handle? How far can we as educators go without crossing that thin line of what is appropriate materials for this age group?
I don't think she could have gotten away with what she did in Petaluma. Maybe because it was New York the media saturation level there is so intense that teens are assumed to be more adult.
Again it boils down to what amount of sexual openness and reality will the students and parents tolerate before they want that teacher's head on a platter?I liked the statement that: "Every student comes to school with a backpack full of books,emotions and opinions. It is our responsibility as educators to help students unpack their backpacks."
I don't know about you but I would assume that most students don't want a teacher within 10 feet of their backpack , so this is an interesting dichotomy of meaning and symbolism.
The three questions she, Nicole poses to these high school students provoked thought but most seemed to react based on existing conditions and laws:
"We value diversity in America" we're getting there...
"We value sexual diversity in America" In very few areas in big cities I would assume
" We provide options for sexual diversity in America"Not many and not without a fight
"Is your sexual orientation something you will keep secret in your choice profession?'
As a lighter note the authors include the "Heterosexual questionnaire"
I'm not sure if Petaluma is ready for queer theory , but starting from a point of allies and safe space is definately a good beginning.
CMB

Lesson Plan Rationale

In creating a lesson on LGBTQ students, we have to ask ourselves: What is it like to be LGBTQ and what additional challenges do these students face? What can we do as teachers to help LGBTQ students rise above these challenges? How do we address homophobia at school and in our classrooms?

We live within the confines of a rigid, heterosexual hegemony. This fact alone causes LGBTQ individuals to experience negative pressure on their self concept and self esteem. The outcomes are sad, but familiar: homelessness, drug abuse, poor scholastic achievement. Sound familiar? LGBTQ-related issues are interconnected with the issues described by the other cultural group presentations. One of my personal goals for our lesson was making these connections explicit so that other groups might feel a greater responsibility to create safe spaces in their classrooms. Safe spaces benefit not only LGBTQ students, but others who are perceived to be LGBTQ, and really everyone in general.

Once we are all aware of the challenges facing LGBTQ students, and can identify hateful, homophobic or transphobic behavior we are ready for the next step: taking action. We may know what inappropriate behaviors look like, but taking the necessary actions or reactions can be difficult. We want to make suggestions for reacting to homophobic or transphobic behaviors, while realizing that there is often no right answer or perfect solution. Having our fellow peers sign “The Pledge to Act” and printing out a “Safe Zone” pink stop sign are small steps that we hope will have a huge impact on ALL students.

Common Reading: "Watch What You Teach": A First-Year Teacher Refuses to Play It Safe

Dealing with sexuality issues in the classroom setting can seem controversial and daunting all in the same breath. Confronting these issues is often put off by teachers in fear of offending someone or dealing with issues in the wrong way. Nicole Sieben and Laraine Wallowitz discuss these issues in their article that we chose to read for our cultural project about LGBTQ. Nicole chose to teach about homosexuality in her first year of teaching, but approached it in a very professional way. After reading this article it has given me some ideas about how to deal with these issues when I get my own class.
Although Nicole was cautioned to play it safe during her first year of teaching she went for it and confronted sexuality issues head on. She gives a lot of credit to the students and I wonder how seriously they all took her class. I feel like a lot of high school students would have trouble grasping serious issues like homosexuality and sexual discrimination. It sounds like that Nicole was successful in her efforts to educate students about respecting all people. The main point when dealing with issues of homosexuality is learning about acceptance and that homosexuals are people who deserve equal rights.
Dealing with sexuality in the high school classroom is intimidating and confusing in many ways. How do we approach these topics in a sensible way without offending anyone and being sensitive to all students? Mostly I have more questions after reading this article, but the authors make some very good points and give good suggestions on how to deal with these issues in the classroom.

Annotated Citation List

GLSEN.ORG
This was a big one for our group. We got a whole bunch of materials off the GLSEN website. They provide resources for educators to help create safe spaces in their classroom. We used a plan for our through and beyond from the GLSEN site. There is a lot of valuable information on the whole site including how to create a safe space, so we decided to cite the whole site.

Youtube.com
We included two videos from Youtube into the Through part of the lesson plan. We also used a Youtube video during the INTO. There are a lot of valuable things out there on Youtube, although you have to look carefully to make sure the message is correct. Craig and Michael found the two videos for the Through and they both send a strong message. We are trying to be realists for this project and we are confronting the issues with the rawest perspective we could find.

Positive Images
The field trip to Positive Images was eye-opening and very informative. The director, Jim, handed each of use multiple resources to look at. We have pamphlets, flyers, and informational statistics that we will be showing to the class during our presentation. Each of these pieces of information helps create a fuller understanding of the LGBTQ experience although it would be impossible to know what it is like unless you live it.

Common Reading: Sieben, Nicole and Laraine Wallowitz, “’Watch What You Teach’: A First-Year Teacher Refuses to Play It Safe.” English Journal, National Council of Teachers of English, Vol. 98 No. 4, March 2009, pg. 44-49.
This reading comes from the English Journal that Professor Hirsch so kindly gave us to look at. The article discusses the choices of a first-year teacher who chooses to not play it safe and tackle the issues head on. It is really a great article to check out for beginning teachers.

Individual Lesson Plan Rationale

This project was a lot of fun and it was very interesting to learn about the LGBTQ cultural group. I have learned a lot and know a lot more about LGBTQ teens situations in the schools. Craig, Michael, and I collaborated on the focus for the lesson plan. We wanted to let our classmates know what they can do when they get their own class. Our lesson provides multiple opportunities for interaction with other classmates to gain perspective on other’s viewpoints.

Because the issues facing LGBTQ teens are largely ignored in society, we wanted to make the issues known and figure out how to get teachers involved. Because the nature of this issue is sensitive, I realize that each classmate may have a different viewpoint on the issues regarding LGBTQ teens. The fact is that it is not a choice and some kids are like this. The basic underlying issue here is civil rights and LGBTQ teens deserve the same rights as a heterosexual student.

During our presentation we will present some information, but the majority of the time should be spent talking with other classmates and figuring out how you feel individually. It will also provide opportunities for class members to voice their concerns or opinions on the proper course of action when trying to serve the LGBTQ student population. I hope that the majority of my classmates will take something from our presentation and use it when they get their own classroom. There is no place for hate in the schools and we as teachers can be proactive in stopping hate before it starts.

Terminology

architect.lgbtcampus.org/leadership_retreats/terminology08ucr/download

Lesson Plan

STEP ONE: TOPIC/STANDARDS ARTICULATED

• LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transexual, and Queer)
• Providing future teachers with a interactive foundation in which they can create a safe space for all students in their classroom.

STEP TWO: GOALS & OBJECTIVES

• Teachers will understand the injustices felt by LGBTQ teens in the school setting.
• Teachers will know what a safe space is and how to create one in their classroom.
• Teachers will know how to deal with/react to harassment in the classroom/school.
• Theme: How to create a safe space?

STEP THREE: MATERIALS

• Paper, Smartboard, Whiteboard, Pens, Pencils, Powerpoint, Videos from Youtube.com, students with an open mind…

STEP FOUR: PROCEDURES & STRATEGIES

INTO: Gay Bashing Activity

• Make everyone feel really uncomfortable, check.
• Students thinking about prior experiences with gay bashing

THROUGH:

• Intro group, review the blog and objectives (5 min)
• Megan talks about field trip(2min)
• Video-Youtube-Racism and Gay Bashing (5 min) (Craig) (Start at 3:12 end at 6:09)
• Hand Out Two Sheets of Statistics- Positive Images and GLSEN (Craig)

-Half of class gets one sheet, half the other, split them into groups (3-4 per…6 groups)

-Read statistics and highlight important stats (5 min)

-Report out on important or shocking statistics, short discussion (5min)

• Jigsaw paragraphs in groups report out with spokesperson(10 min)
• Mike will split up paragraphs
• Questions Group Activity (approx. 20 min maybe less)—intro w/ second Youtube(Mike)

1. How would you address students concerns about LGBTQ people holding certain jobs or positions?

2. How would you react to students making anti-LGBTQ jokes?

3. What about staff members making anti-LGBTQ jokes?

4. As a teacher, how would you address student fears of LGBTQ people influencing others to become homosexual?

5. How would you respond to a student being bullied or harassed about their sexual orientation?

6. What would do if a student came to you and said “I think I’m gay,” would you suggest that they see a therapist? What if they said, “I think I’m transgender.”

BEYOND:

• Hand out Pledge to Act(Safe Zone Pledge)—Megan reads “THE PLEDGE TO ACT”
• Powerpoint-Name it, Claim It, and Stop it—Erik
• Direct Classmates to the blog for Safe Zone sticker…
• Citations—GLSEN, Positive Images, Youtube.com

STEP FIVE: ASSESSMENT

• For future teachers, its up to you how you use this information in your classroom, we can only make suggestions, but you must do what you feel is right as well as what you are comfortable with.

STEP SIX: ADDRESSING CONTENT LANGUAGE &ACADEMIC LITERACY/LANGUAGE

• We will post links online to vocabulary sheets for various terms regarding the LGBTQ community and their allies.

Questions, Comments, Concerns…

URGE your Congressman to pass this Legislation

Dear Educators,

I write to you on this Monday morning to bring you an important message from GLSEN. Please take the time to read this important message and take action. Urge congress to support the Hate Crimes Legislation to help protect LGBT students.

-Justin

URGE CONGRESS TO SUPPORT THE Hate Crimes Legislation

Action Needed: Monday through Wednesday!

The Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act (H.R. 1913) expands the coverage of existing hate crime laws to include not only victims of crime based on race, color, religion, and national origin, but also bias-motivated crimes based on the victim's actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or disability. H.R. 1913 also provides for federal involvement in prosecuting hate crimes in states where current law or local actions are inadequate.

At GLSEN, we know that students are not immune from these kinds of hateful attacks. A recent study documented that at some point three percent of all students nationwide have experienced physical assault because of their gender, three percent because of their sexual orientation, three percent because of their gender expression, and three percent because of their disability - the four categories that LLEHCPA would add to existing hate crimes law. Research shows that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) students may be at even greater risk. In a 2007 survey of self-identified LGBT students, 9.2% percent reported being physically assaulted during the past academic year because of their gender, 22.1% because of their sexual orientation, 14.2% because of their gender expression, and 4.5% because of their disability.

Hate crimes cut across all of our communities and H.R. 1913 is needed to ensure that all people have the right to be safe and free from physical harm and intimidation.

Call your representative toll-free at 866-346-4611, Monday-Wednesday, April 27-April 29. You will need to tell the operator the name of your Representative. You can click here and enter in your zip code to find the name of your Member. Once you are connected with your Representative’s office, tell the staffer who answers the phone that you live in the Representative’s district and explain that you would like to urge the Representative to support H.R. 1913 to fight hate crimes and provide safety and security for all people.

The GLSEN Safe Space kit

http://www.glsen.org/binary-data/GLSEN_ATTACHMENTS/file/000/000/294-3.PDF
40 pages of great stuff to help you be a safe space creator at your school

New act before congress!!!

To read about the Safe Schools Improvement Act, go to:http://www.opencongress.org/bill/110-h3132/text

How heterosexual are you?

http://monster-island.org/tinashumor/humor/quest.html

gay bashing video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LBwFVhlH_E

What's up in Michigan???

Research Shows Alarming Rates of LGBT Student Victimization in Michigan

Media Contact: Daryl Presgraves 646-388-6577 dpresgraves@glsen.org Apr 10, 2009

Thousands of Michigan Students to Participate in Day of Silence on April 17

NEW YORK, April 9, 2009 � Michigan schools are unsafe places for LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) youth, according to a new GLSEN research brief released as Michigan students prepare for the 13th annual National Day of Silence on April 17.

Inside Michigan Schools: The Experiences of LGBT Students, a report based on findings from 217 Michigan students who participated in the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network�s 2007 National School Climate Survey, shows that Michigan LGBT students face extreme levels of harassment and assault, skip school at alarming rates because of feeling unsafe and perform poorer in school when they are more frequently harassed.

Nearly nine out of 10 Michigan LGBT students experienced verbal harassment in the past year because of their sexual orientation, almost a half said they had been physically harassed and a fifth said they had been physically assaulted.

�As Michigan students prepare for the National Day of Silence to bring attention to anti-LGBT bullying and harassment, we learn just how pervasive the problem is in Michigan schools,� GLSEN Executive Director Eliza Byard said. �Despite several opportunities to pass a comprehensive anti-bullying law, Michigan has lagged behind other states in taking the simple and effective steps to begin addressing anti-LGBT bullying and harassment. Michigan and all its schools need to commit to making sure that schools are safe for all students.�

A comprehensive anti-bullying law that included a list of categories often targeted for bullying � such as race, religion, sexual orientation and gender identity/expression � died last year in the Senate Education Committee, despite having passed the House. A similar bill has been introduced in the Senate this year.

Enumerating categories is particularly important in protecting LGBT students from bullying. The 2007 National School Climate Survey found that having a general policy is about as effective for protecting LGBT students as having no policy at all.

"GLSEN has done a great service for all who care about the safety of our kids in school. While no student should be bullied, it is clear from their research that LGBT students are desperately in need of better school policies and practices for their basic safety needs,� Michigan Equality Co-Director Julie Nemecek said. �Michigan Equality encourages the representatives and senators of Michigan to read the research brief and act accordingly to bring clear and unambiguous protection to these very vulnerable children. No child should have to overcome constant harassment and bullying to get an education."

That sentiment is the spirit behind the Day of Silence, an annual student-led event across the country during which students take some form of a constitutionally protected vow of silence. Students from more than 329 Michigan middle and high schools registered as participants in 2008 out of more than 7,500 across the country.

The full Michigan research brief can be found at THIS LINK.

Major Findings

97% of Michigan LGBT students regularly (sometimes, often or frequently) heard the word gay used in a negative way in school, such as �that�s so gay.� 97% LGBT students regularly heard homophobic remarks, such as �faggot� or �dyke,� from other students in school.

87% of LGBT students were verbally harassed, 45% were physically harassed and 21% were physically assaulted in the past year because of their sexual orientation.

More than two-thirds (68%) of LGBT students were verbally harassed, 31% were physically harassed and 13% were physically assaulted because of their gender expression.

66% of LGBT students who were harassed or assaulted in school never reported it to school staff. Only 29% of students who did report incidents said that reporting resulted in effective intervention by school staff.

34% of LGBT students had skipped class at least once in the past month because they felt unsafe, and 32% had missed at least one entire day of school for this reason. Students who were more frequently verbally harassed because of their sexual orientation were more than twice as likely to miss days of school because they felt unsafe than students who were less frequently harassed (45% to 22%).

The grade point average of LGBT students who were more frequently physically harassed because of their sexual orientation was a half grade lower than of students who were less frequently harassed (2.3 vs. 2.9).

Michigan is one of 43 states that does not explicitly protect students from bullying and harassment on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity/expression. Only 18% of LGBT students reported that their school had this type of comprehensive anti-bullying policy.

About the National School Climate Survey
The National School Climate Survey is a biennial report examining the experiences of LGBT middle and high school students in U.S. schools. The report, which was first released in 1999 and is the only national survey of its kind, documents the anti-LGBT bias and behaviors that make schools unsafe for many of these youth. The full 2007 sample consisted of a 6,209 LGBT secondary school students, from all 50 states and the District of Columbia, between the ages of 13 and 21.