Georgia PTA joins National PTA's October Every Child in Focus campaign in the celebration of LGBTQ History Month. Using the PTA National Standard for Family-School Partnerships, we will explore ways PTAs can welcome and support the families of LGBTQ children and/or parents in the school community.
Negative attitudes toward lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students puts them at an increased risk for violence and bullying. Negative attitudes also impact a student's ability to learn at school.
How is Georgia measuring up to welcome and support the families of LGBTQ children and/or parents?
According to the GLSEN report on school climate here are the findings from Georgia students/families that completed the survey.
- Students heard anti-LGBT language from school staff.
- 27% regularly heard staff make negative remarks about someone's gender expression
- 19% regularly heard school staff make homophobic remarks.
- The majority experienced verbal harassment (e.g., called names or threatened) 8 in 10 based on their sexual orientation and more than 5 in 10 based on the way they ex- pressed their gender
- Students also reported high levels of other forms of harassment at school
- 89% felt deliberately excluded or "left out" by peers
- 80% had mean rumors or lies told about them
- 58% were sexually harassed
- 49% experienced electronic harassment or "cyberbullying"
- 45% had property (e.g., car, clothing, or books) deliberately damaged and/or stolen.
How can Georgia Schools improve the climate of schools children and/or parents who identify as LGBTQ? By following PTA's National Standards for Family-School Partnerships.
In addition, Georgia school leaders, education policymakers, and other individuals who are obligated to provide safe learning environments for all students should:
- Adhere to their schools anti-bullying/harassment policies;
- Provide professional development for school staff on LGBTQ student/parent issues; and
- Provide access to LGBTQ-inclusive curricular resources.
At this year's National PTA Convention in Orlando, history was made as the delegates approved the resolution on the recognition of lesbian, gay, bisexual transgender and queer /questioning individuals as a protected class. See link below for Resolution.