What Teachers Need to Know to Do Right by Queer Students

Sabia Prescott wrote an op-ed for EdWeek on OER and queer-inclusive curriculum. She highlighted the need for LGBTQ representation in instructional materials.

When prompted to think about lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer students, most people typically think about bathroom laws and bullying rates. In reality, these students’ needs and challenges go far beyond basic safety. We know students must be able to see themselves represented in the curriculum and respected in the classroom to be fully engaged and validated in school. One of the most salient ways to offer this type of support is through LGBTQ-inclusive instructional materials and teacher professional learning. In response to a once-total dearth of inclusive resources, many organizations have created useful and necessary resources for teachers and students.

Coupled with moves in some states to advance curriculum standards, these efforts have been successful by many measures. There are far more instructional materials, educator resources, and inclusive children’s books available to schools than there were even 10 years ago. Furthermore, California and New Jersey have passed laws to implement LGBTQ-inclusive curricula, while Utah and Arizona have repealed anti-LGBT education laws that forbid schools from “promoting homosexuality.”