K-12 School Leaders and Administrators:
Redesigning the Organization
Developing Collaborative School Culture, Designing Structures that Encourage Collaboration, and Creating Productive Community Partnerships
“School leaders have a tremendous amount of power over the culture and climate of their districts and schools. If schools are to become truly inclusive, leaders must examine and take appropriate action to improve the policy landscape for the protection and care of LGBTQ individuals at the school, district, state, and federal levels. However, policies are not enough.” (Hernandez & Fraynd, 2014, p. 121)
Challenge Heteronormativity and Heteronormative Structures
Too many of us make assumptions about our students' sexuality identity. Edutopia presents six ways to help all students feel safe, respected, and welcome.
Heteronormativity in Schools (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.edutopia.org/blog/heteronormativity-in-schools-jason-flom
Disrupt heteronormativity by being inclusive in the formal and hidden curriculum of the school. GSLEN's curriculum guide offers best practices, planning tips, connections to standards, and guided reflection.
LGBTQ-Inclusive Curriculum Guide for Educators (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.glsen.org/educate/resources/creating-lgbt-inclusive-lessons
Increasing Student Voice and Agency
Create Opportunities for Students to Speak and Be Heard
School leaders often have very different perceptions of school experiences and climate for LGBTQ+ individuals than the students themselves, and make decisions based on their own perceptions rather than actively including student voice in their determinations about direction, policies, trainings, and other school initiatives.
School leaders "continue to underestimate the regularity of this type of bullying and harassment targeting students who identify as, or are perceived to be, LGBTQ" (Hernadez & Fraynd, 2014, p. 117) (See Table 1).
This disconnect between school leaders' perception of school climate and the lived experiences of students demonstrates the need to change organizational structures away from a top-down system toward one that is based more on input from members of the community that schools are meant to serve. This misperception of how pervasive anti-LGBTQ+ behaviors are in schools have direct policy implications (Hernadez & Fraynd, 2014, p. 117) (see table 2).
One important way to make sure schools are safe and positive spaces for LGBTQ+ youth is to pass policies that are designed specifically to support them. GLSEN has a number of model policies that can be adapted to support students who are LGBTQ+ by addressing bullying, access to gendered spaces, and other supports.
In order to fully serve and support all students, including LGBTQ+ students, school leaders must be committed to providing space and time for students to be heard, and must decide that students' reports of their experiences are more valid than their assumptions about or perceptions of students' experiences.
Tables created from data in Hernandez & Fraynd, 2014, p. 117
Empower Students through GSAs
One way to facilitate student participation in creating a positive learning environment for LGBTQ+ youth is to start a GSA, which stands for Gay Straight Alliance or Gender-Sexuality Alliance. A GSA can both provide support on the individual student level and be an agent for change in the school community.
This Advisor Handbook, created by the National Association of GSA Networks, provides practical advice on how and why to start a GSA. It includes a "Troubleshooting" section that shares ideas about how to respond to common complaints or arguments heard by those trying to start such organizations in their schools. The GSA Network has a variety of resources that would be helpful for administrators, advisors, and students as they work to create and sustain a GSA in their school.
A GSA that is well publicized, consistently staffed, and supported by school leaders can be instrumental in improving school climate for all students, especially those who identify as LGBTQ+.
Creating Accountability
Engage in an Equity Audit
Table 3
Adapted from Buehler et. al, 2011
One way to help school leaders, teachers, and other staff stay accountable to equity goals is to conduct an equity audit. Building a positive, safe learning environment for LGBTQ+ youth will take consistent work, reflection, and adjustment. Equity audits that specifically include questions about supporting LGBTQ+ students not only helps school staff reflect on and improve their practices, but it ensures that the conversation about supporting LGBTQ+ students is ongoing even after policies are passed or GSAs are created.
Hernandez and Fraynd (2014) suggest several questions for pre-service teachers to use when conducting an equity audit in schools as part of their teacher preparation program (see image). These questions, and the equity audit materials available on the Mid-Atlantic Equity Consortium's website, provide some ideas on how to start building an equity audit practice for your school.
References
Buehler, A., Littlefield, S., Marsocci, K., Michael, T., Oshinsky, K., Solis, D., & Wadden, L. (2011). GSA advisor handbook. Retrieved from https://gsanetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/GSA_Advisor_Handbook-web.pdf .
Hernandez, F. & Fraynd, D. J. (2014). Leadership’s Role in Inclusive LGBTQ-Supportive Schools. Theory into Practice, 53(2), 115–122. https://doi-org.proxy2.library.illinois.edu/10.1080/00405841.2014.885811
Resources. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://maec.org/res/tools/.