Chicago Schools Prep Teachers to Handle Gay Issues in Classroom

The Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) today praised Chicago Public Schools for expanding training opportunities on discussing gay-related issues in the classroom. Chicago Public Schools has joined forces with the City of Chicago Commission on Human Relations Advisory Council on Gay and Lesbian Issues to make copies of It’s Elementary: Talking About Gay Issues in School widely available throughout the district. The film will be used for staff development and training. GLSEN-Chicago played an instrumental role in securing private funding to make these tapes available.

“Those of us who value the principles of diversity and respect in the classroom should applaud this unprecedented initiative,” said GLSEN Executive Director Kevin Jennings. “Chicago Public Schools has established itself as a frontrunner by ensuring its teachers have the tools they need to make classrooms safe and welcoming for all students, regardless of sexual orientation.”

Jennings notes that the need for teachers to receive such training is massive. GLSEN’s recent Back-to-School Report found that 76% of the nation’s largest school districts provide no training for staff on issues facing gay youth. In the absence of such training, Jennings says, teachers often have no idea how to counter the pervasive anti-gay bias that exists in school communities. “When average high school students hear anti-gay epithets 25 times a day, and when gay youth are nearly five times as likely as non-gay youth to skip school because they feel unsafe, we know our teachers aren’t responding adequately to anti-gay bias,” said Jennings. “It’s Elementary begins to give teachers the language and tools they need to do this important job.”

Deborah Chasnoff, the Academy Award-winning director of It’s Elementary, said she hopes other districts will follow Chicago’s lead. “As I’ve traveled around the country with the film, I’ve repeatedly heard from teachers who recognize the need to address the issue but don’t know how to begin the discussion. It’s Elementary will help to bridge that gap,” she said.

The Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) is the largest national organization dedicated to ending anti-gay bias in America’s schools. Established nationally in 1994, GLSEN now has over 80 chapters. For more information, visit www.glsen.org