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Mental health & wellness, Student and staff mental health and wellness, Student SEL, Student-centered instruction, Student/Teacher Connections, Teaching Conditions
LGBTQ+ students and staff face an increasingly hostile climate.
Educators express concerns following the issuance of executive orders by President Trump, which revoked protections for LGBTQ+ students.
Sample Educator Conversations:
- “A student told me their best friend dropped out of school and is now homeschooled because they are trans and don’t feel safe anymore.”
- “Our principal told us today that the only flags allowed in classrooms are American flags. Obviously, this is a way to prohibit LGBTQ+ flags without specifically targeting them.”
- “A gender-affirming care ban just passed. Now, I can be held liable if I use a student’s preferred name.”
Educators are deeply worried about the impact on students and the threats to teachers.
- “I see the harm of anti-LGBTQ rhetoric on queer and trans students. Just like the civil rights movement of the ’60s, you cannot censure our existence.”
- “The EO mentions punishing teachers who ‘assist in the social transition of minors.’ What does that entail? If I use a student’s preferred name, will I be jailed?”