Tommy, interviewed by O'Conor (1995), said, "Our parents hate us, our teachers hate us, straight kids hate us, adults [gay, lesbian and heterosexual] hate us. O'Conor went on to state that many times, as a result of this hate, gay and lesbian students feel as if they have no place to go and that there is no the room in the world for them to exist.
What can be done? How can we as educators and administrators help this "invisible" minority become visible and feel validated without experiencing the hatred and the violence so many gay and lesbian students have to face day in and day out?

Education (in many forms), for administrators, teachers, guidance counselors, and students is the key. The Colorado branch of GLSEN (Gay and Lesbian Student Education Network) states:

No student who is isolated, harassed or threatened can possible concentrate of the lesson at hand. The only way to eliminate a 'hostile environment' is through understanding, which comes through education...Every school's mandate to teach includes the obligation to provide a safe learning environment for everyone (GLSEN, 2000c)

1.  Educators examining their feelings and attitudes on homosexuality and homosexual people. Those educators with positive attitudes on these subjects need to educate others to replace myths with accurate information so educators can discuss homosexuality in the classroom with in positive light.
2.  School curriculum needs to work on undoing "hidden heterosexism."
3.  Creating a safe environment. Schools need to add "sexual orientation" to their non-discrimination policies and schools need to make it clear that neither physical violence nor harassment will be tolerated.
4.   Schools need to provide support for students. This recommendation will require counselors to be specifically trained to help gay and lesbian students and creating Gay/Straight Alliances or some sort of diversity group.

Classroom Discussions: Creating a Safe Environment

"Words hurled at non-traditional boys [or anyone else who does not fit conventional male/female gender roles] are 'gay,' faggot,' and 'queer'" (Rofes, 1995). In fact, many students when challenged by teachers on using the word 'gay' as an epithet insist it has nothing to do with homosexuality (Rofes, 1995).

Many times students say, "That is so queer," or "He is such a fag," or "That is sooooooo gay." Few teachers will stop all conversation and have a class discussion about this (the same way they would if someone said something racist, religiously intolerant, sexist, or degrading about those how are not as "smart" or physically able). Occasionally,  the students do not realize why what they have said is inconsiderate. The terms "gay," "fag," "faggot," or "queer" are so engraved in their vocabulary. But, far too often, a student will use a homophobic slur and mean for it to hurt another.

When a class is asked why it is inappropriate to use homophobic slurs, occasionally get a "wise" student who will say, "But Ms (or Mr.) So-and-So doesn't mind if we say that!" or if they have meant to cause harm they will say, "But gay means happy," "Queer means strange," or "But a faggot is a bundle of sticks." Teachers need explain to them, that yes, that is what those terms originally meant, but now they have taken on a new and hurtful meaning, and then explain why and how these terms got their meaning. When educated, students are always shocked. They then need to be allowed to ask questions and have a class discussion about the information they have just learned. Discussion topics many times include what causes someone to be gay or bisexual? What does the pink triangle or rainbow flag stand for? How many people are gay? How does someone know if they are gay? What is it like to be gay? Why don't gay people have the right to marry?

Such classroom discussions help heterosexual students understand homosexuality and that the discussions help those students who may be glbt or questioning their sexuality. Lipkin (1995) states that bringing the topic of gay issues into class discussions can help glbt and struggling students. Researchers of homosexual identity have shown that there is a developmental state in which questioning people consider what they know about gayness to see if it fits with who they are (Cass, 1984; Throiden, 1988; Coleman, 1988; Herdt, 1989 as cited in Lipkin, 1995). Lipkin goes on to discuss that if these students only have a limited picture/understanding of gay life is, the questioning/struggling adolescence may have trouble processing/accepting their gay identity.
 

Teachers Roles in Classroom Discussions: Providing Role Models

Teachers who do discuss homosexuality in the classroom need to be prepared for the responses, questions, and reactions (both positive and negative) their students may have. Questions students may have include:

Is homosexuality a choice?
Do people who are gay have to hide their sexual orientation?
Why do they have to "flaunt" it?
How do people know they are gay?
If it is genetic, why aren't the parents gay?
Can gays and lesbians have kids?
Why don't gays and lesbians have the right to marry?
Why can't gays and lesbians serve in the military?
Do gays and lesbians wish they were straight?
What does it feel like to be gay? (Besner and Spungin, 1995)
 

Teachers also need to be prepared to answer question about their own sexuality (Besner and Spungin, 1995; Lipkin, 1995). It is common for students to think their teacher is gay or lesbian because she or he works homosexuality in the curriculum - especially if the teacher is known to be "single" (Lipkin, 1995). If a teacher is asked if he or she is homosexual, a teacher can respond by asking if being gay or lesbian affects a person's ability to be a good teacher (Besner and Spungin, 1995). If the teacher does identify him/herself as gay or lesbian, students can then have the opportunity to have a role model. But, the teacher should have support in the school to undertake this disclosure - as coming out and revealing one's sexuality can have powerful repercussions (Lipkin, 1995).
 

Providing Teachers, Staff, and Administration with Education and Training

Teachers should be required to interrupt/stop homophobia - if only for the fact that it violates school rules. But, if schools are going to require teachers to interrupt homophobia and if administrations attempt to bring change about without properly training their faculty and staff, there is a great risk of failure. The first step in preparing teachers to talk about homosexuality with their students requires teachers to look at their own feelings about homosexuality and their perceptions of homosexual people (Lipkin, 1995). For a teacher to be more comfortable with homosexuality, they should be educated so myths are replaced with accurate information (Sears, 1987). Teachers need to know how to effectively stop homophobic slurs and harassment from occurring in their classrooms. They must be trained and educated on how to respond to students’ questions and discomfort with the subject (Sears, 1987; Lipkin, 1995).
 

Curriculum - Starting in Elementary School and Continuing Through High School

Because our schools have social and intellectual objectives, we, as educators, can justify teaching and learning about homosexuality on "pragmatic as well as scholarly grounds" (Lipkin, 1995). Teachers have to include gay and lesbian issues throughout the curriculum, not just in health classes. In fact, sexuality should be discussed in elementary schools, because elementary schools are places where young people develop their identity and learn how to respect people who are different and similar to him/herself. Schools touch nearly every child; so, with the amount of information (both correct and incorrect) coming from the media and peer groups about gender, gender roles and gender relations and sexuality, elementary educators need to prevent children from forming misconceptions and phobias (Bickmore, 1999).
This education needs to continue into high school. Adolescents find the topic of sexuality in general engaging (Lipkin, 1995)- why not take advantage of that interest to replace myths with facts? Why not help heterosexual students to understand homosexuality and to know that there are many famous gay and lesbian people and to help homosexual students find role models?

One of the most logical areas to discuss homosexuality is in health class. Health textbooks are beginning to show more and more gays and lesbians in photos and are discussing gays and lesbians in the text. However, gays and lesbians are still "isolated and ghettoized," and health textbooks give the stereotype that gay and lesbian people are white, young, and physically abled (Whately, 1991). Gays and lesbians are "isolated and ghettoized" because homosexuality is generally done in the context of HIV curricula. Putting the discussions of homosexuality under the heading of "health" and "disease prevention" carries a strong message, even if the health teacher is gay friendly and the curriculum is correct and not filled with myths (Lipkin, 1995).

Homosexuality and homosexual people need to be discussed outside of the health classroom. English, language arts, psychology, social studies, art, music, journalism, foreign language are just a few of the places in which this topic can be covered. Contributions that gays and lesbians have made to the particular subject should be included whenever appropriate. Discussing gays and lesbian history can help students to learn to question and challenge images presented to them (Besner and Spungin, 1995). The "routine unsensationalized inclusion of homosexual possibilities" in curriculum would have an extraordinary positive effect (Lipkin, 1995).

Another aspect of school curriculum that needs improvement is increasing the number of books in libraries that present accurate and positive view of homosexuality. And, the materials that are available need to be catalogued for easy access - as it is now, many books are not easy to identify by present forms of categorizing (Bailey and Phariss, 1996).
 

Diversity Clubs and Gay/Straight Alliances

Students are beginning to form Gay/Straight Alliances (GSAs) all across the United States.  In many instances, students have to fight for the right to start alliance groups and in numerous instances have had to file suits in court. These peer support and acceptance groups are key in helping students feel like they "belong" in school. Gay/Straight Alliances welcome students and faculty, regardless of their sexual orientation, to explore and understand issues of sexual identity. The formation of the groups may require faculty and counselors to become specifically trained to meet the needs of gay and lesbian youth (Bailey and Phariss, 1996).

There are many web sites that can help students and educators create gay/straight alliances including:

http://www.alloneheart.com/html/education.html
http://racerelations.about.com/newsissues/racerelations/library/howto/htdiversityclub.htm and
http://www.gsanetwork.org/

Boston Latin School (BLS), in Boston, Massachusetts has a GSA. Its members encourage creating a safe environment within the school and establishing a support system. BLS GSA helps to create awareness and acceptance of gays and lesbians within the school community. Those students in GSA believe that the formation of their group helps to relieve a lot of stress, but if the general school community knows a student belongs to GSA, there can be harassment, hostility and probing questions. Many students outside the GSA seem to assume that a GSA is gay and ignore that the "S" in GSA stands for "straight" (Tabolt, 2000).
 

A Look at Project 10: A Support Group that Works

Project 10, started in the Los Angeles High School system (see Part One: Gay and Lesbian Students in the School) focuses on education, reducing verbal and physical abuse of gays and lesbians in the school, suicide prevention, the dissemination of accurate AIDS information, improve self-esteem and provide affirmation. Project 10 consists of workshops to educate teachers, counselors, and other school employees. Support groups are set up on each LAUSD (Los Angeles Unified School District) campus for those students who are gay, lesbian, bisexual or questioning to provide affirmation and help improve self-esteem (Uribe, 1995).

Project 10 has had much success. Testimonials indicate that the support groups offered by Project 10 are valuable and empowering to gay and lesbian students. Increased attendance, improved academic performance, and improved relations with immediate family members have measured success (Uribe, 1995). More of these types of programs need to be started in schools not only across the United States, but across the world as well.