7/28/2019 Controversy in Classrooms

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Controversy in ClassroomsTackling Hot-Button Issues with Students 

Homophobic Bullying 

ScottSummersTE804InquiryProject

March22,2013

ContextandQuestionIbecameinterestedinthistopicbecausetoomanystudentsthink

that“gay”isanacceptablewordtodescribesomethingtheydislike

ordisagreewith.WhenIwasastudent,Iwasjustasguiltyasthe

kidsinmyclassroom.Iusedtodescribeassignmentsas“gay”andI

usedtheword“faggot”onadailybasis.AsIgotolderIstartedto

realizethattheseloadedwordsmarginalizedpeopleIconsidered

friends,students,andcolleagues.Asaneducator,Ifeelitismy

responsibilitytomakemystudentsmoreawareofthepowerof

languageandhowifaffectsthosewhosurroundthem.Myquestionswere:

v HowcanImakestudentsmoreinformedcitizensthattreathumanswithdignityandrespect?

v WhatstrategiescanIemploytodeterhomophobicbullying?

QuickFactson

HomophobicBullyingin

Schools

OfLGBTstudentssurveyed

intheUnitedStates:v 86.2%reportedverbal

assaultatschool

v 44.1%reportedphysical

harassmentatschool

v 25.1%reported

physicalassaultat

school

v 80%saidtheirteacher

never,orrarely

interrupted

homophobicremarks

FindingsHerearesomecommonwaysschoolsdealwithLGBTissues:

1. Avoidance:Theeasiestwaytodealwithanissueistoignoreit.

Alargenumberofschoolsnationwidedonotevenconsider

homophobiaanissueinschoolordonotacknowledgetheissue

2. Condemnation:LGBTindividualsareseenassinfulorimmoral

inbothpublicandprivateschools3. Marginalization:ConsideringLGBTissuesasunimportantand

lettingthemfalltothewayside

4. Separation:Disconnectinghomophobiaasaformof

discriminationfromrelatedissuessuchassexismorracism

5. Compartmentalization:Resourcesarenotutilizedtodevelop

understanding.HomophobiaandLGBTissuesarelefttoonedisciplinethatoftenhaslimitedresources

6. A-historicalversushistoricalapproach:FocusingonLGBTissuesinthepresentdayandneglectingthelonghistoryof

humanrightsviolationsacrosstheglobe

7. LocalversusGlobal:Viewingtheissueaseitherlocalorglobal,butnotboth

8. Whole-schoolapproach:Utilizationofafterschoolactivities,

research,Gay-StraightAlliances,anti-bullyingcampaigns,guest

speakers,andschoolrulestoprotectLGBTstudentsandcreate

acultureofacceptance,nottolerance.Thesestrategiesrequire

resources,butmayhaveaprofoundimpact

Source:VanDriel,Barry,andMichelleKahn."Homophobia."TeachingControversialIssuesintheClassroom:KeyIssuesandDebates.Ed.PaulaCowanandHenryMaitles.London:Continuum,2012.

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StrategiesforDeterringHomophobicBullying

HerearesomestrategiesforaddressingLGBTissues:

v Surveystudentstogaugetheirattitudes,knowledge,andmisconceptionsusingnon-threateningquestions(e.g.Inyour

opinion,isthereasocialgroupwhichexperiencesmorediscriminationthanothersocialgroups?).Thesequestionscan

serveasaspringboardfordiscussion,especiallyforthoseteacherswhoarereluctanttobegintheconversationthemselves.

v AssignabookwithacharacterthatidentifiesasLGBTandgaugereactions.

v Discusscurrenteventsandsocialissues,highlightingequal

rightsandprogressmadebytheLGBTcommunity.v Becomeawareofpreviousattemptsinschool(whether

successfulornot)toaddressLGBTissues.Approachother

teachersatschoolwithideastofurthersuccessfulprogramsor

improveunsuccessfulones.

v Takeacross-disciplineapproach,workingwithotherteacherstoanalyzehumanrightsdocumentsanddiscusshumanrights

violationsbothhistoricandpresentday.

v Havestudentspracticedebating,firstwithnon-controversialissues,thenmovetocontroversialissuesoncetheformatis

understood.Questionsshouldbeframedinawaythatwould

notpromoteintolerance.Forexample,asamplequestioncould

be"Doyouagreewiththisstatementthatthebestwaytotackle

homophobiaistohaveazero-tolerancepolicyoninsultinglanguage?"Thegoalistohavestudentsgeneratesolutions

ratherthancontinuetoignoretheproblem.

v Allowstudentstoresearchandpresentfindingsonlaws,

organizations,andmediaregardingLGBTissues.Thisresearch

mayempowerstudentstomakemoreinformeddecisionsaboutwhattheybelieveandhowtheyshouldbehave.

ObservationsFromMy

OwnClassroom

Thisexperiencewas

beneficialtomebecauseI

learnedhowtomoreeffectivelystartaconversationwithmy

studentsabouthomophobic

bullying.Atfirst,Iwasuncomfortable“makingan

issue”ofwhatmystudentssaid.IfIheardastudentusea

homophobicslur,Iwould

ignoreit.Iquicklyrealizedthat

allowingthisbehaviorto

continuewasdetrimentaltomy

LGBTstudents,myown

instruction,andourclassroom

asacommunityofhumanbeings.

Whileresearchingmy

inquiry,Ibecamemorelikelytochallengestudents’useof

homophobicslurs,oftenasking

them“whatdoyoumeanby

that?”orsaying“there’snothing

wrongwithbeingwhoyouare.”Studentresponsestomy

questionsandstatementswere

atfirstrudeanddismissive,butIremainedconsistentinmy

interventions.

Overthecourseoftime,I

noticedstudentswereless

likelytousehomophobicslurs

inclass;theyknewIwouldnot

toleratehatespeechinclass.My

hopeisthattheywilleventually

realizetheconsequencesand

implicationsoflanguageuse,as

Ididnotsolongago.Iwantmystudentstotreateachother

withdignityandrespect,butmostimportantly,Iwant

studentstoseeoneanotherasfellowhumans.