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March 29, 2009 at 7:05 pm in reply to: Are there any gay elementary school teachers out there? #8108
Brian Silveira
MemberI agree that what happens in the bedroom has no place in a classroom. But if you have the support of your director, you can make a profound impact on the children and families you serve by being an out role model. Children are naturally curious about relationships and early childhood is the perfect place to include gay and lesbian relationships in your curriculum as children are not yet fettered with homophobia. The children in my class see a picture of me and my partner on our family tree. When one the the children ask me if I am going to marry a female teacher in the school, another child will often pipe up with, “No, Brian is married to Jay.” I love the simple and genuine questions having an out gay teacher provokes.
November 16, 2008 at 10:58 am in reply to: Are there any gay elementary school teachers out there? #8112MemberHi Matt,
I am an out, male preschool teacher in San Francisco.I have the privilege to give workshops through out the country on creating safe and welcoming schools for LGBT teachers, parents and children. There is no doubt in my mind that LGBT teachers encounter discrimination in the field. Yet closeted or not, LGBT teachers are everywhere, making a difference in the field. We continue to work in the field because the calling to serve children and families is greater than the cost. We bring a unique commitment to the field and as a result, the field is changing to accomodate us. Policy leaders like the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) now use language inclusive of LGBT staff and families in their ethical codes and policy. Local and national workshops are being conducted in schools and at conferences that are helping teachers understand our joys and challenges as LGBT educators.
We live in a homophobic society. When a proposition came before the voters to eliminate gay marriage in California, it passed. We now have a state constitution that discriminates against a group of people. The ads for this campaign focused on the fact that we would be forced to teach about homosexualiy in schools and read books featuring lesbian and gay parents in schools.
There are a few schools that welcome LGBT staff and value the role we play in the lives of children, but many and most are still either struggling with how to be more welcoming or they are holding on to homophobic values.
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