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UFT Testimony

Testimony regarding bullying, harassment and discrimination in NYC schools and protecting LGBTQ and other vulnerable students

UFT Testimony

Testimony of UFT Vice President for Career and Technical Education Sterling Roberson before the New York City Council Committee on Education

Good afternoon, and thank you for the opportunity to testify here today on behalf of the United Federation of Teachers. My name is Sterling Roberson, and I am the UFT’s Vice President for Career and Technical Education High Schools.

Our society has experienced a major cultural shift in recent years when it comes to awareness of gender-identity and gender-equality issues and, in many ways, our schools are a focal point for those changes. More students are identifying as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, or queer than ever before, and many of these students are coming out younger than ever before. By doing so, they often face additional challenges that threaten their safety, health, and well-being. Something that seems as simple as a student dress code or the bathroom that a student is allowed to use is revealed to be more complicated when a student’s gender or sexual identity doesn’t match societal expectations.

Educators — and counselors in particular — work hard to ensure that all students are treated equally, fairly, and respectfully in our schools, and have an opportunity to participate equally and safely in all school-related activities and programs. We also make great efforts to ensure that students are protected from discrimination based on real or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.

There can be no doubt that progress has been made to reduce bullying and harassment in our schools, making them safer and more affirming places for our students. Curriculums and classroom discussions now focus on building respect, inclusiveness, and understanding among students. Students now have access to LGBTQ-friendly organizations and clubs, many of them student-led. Outside organizations such as the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network are also regularly providing a wealth of supports and materials to schools.

At Staten Island’s New Dorp High School, two teachers and a paraprofessional have organized a Gay-Straight Alliance organization that brings together LGBTQI+ and straight students to support each other, provide a safe place to socialize and create a platform to fight for racial, gender, LGBTQ, and economic justice. The school also collaborates with the Pride Center of Staten Island to bring services and social opportunities into the school, including an annual LGBTQ prom.

At the Earth School, an elementary school in the East Village, teachers bring the learning into 4th and 5th grade classrooms, where students study different rights movements — including LGBQT rights — through an inquiry-based approach. Students work in groups to research and examine the history, major events, and key figures in the different movements, and then connect what they’ve learned to overarching themes of solidarity and consciousness-raising. They present their understandings through a group project, one that entails education, outreach and empowerment, as well as an individual project on a specific area of their choosing.

And at Harvey Milk High School, the country’s very first public high school dedicated to gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, or questioning students, it’s the students who are leading by example. Each month, a group of students and educators travel to middle schools, high schools, and colleges across the city to present their unique LGBTQ+ Diversity Panel to other students. They share their inspirational stories to packed auditoriums, relating their experiences on how they identify, how they came out to their friends and family, and how they’ve worked through being bullied. It’s all part of a larger mission of raising gender awareness and educating other students and teachers about identity.

Harvey Milk has also built a special relationship with Brooke Guinan, a trans FDNY firefighter who addressed the school’s graduating class last year. In the months leading up to commencement, Guinan made it her mission to get to know the students by leading voluntary discussion groups  over lunch, sharing experiences with students who are still finding their own identities.

But despite efforts like these, schools are in many ways still scrambling to keep up with the times. Even the most understanding of educators can find themselves feeling unsure about how to best support their LGBTQ students. At the UFT, we have responded to that need by providing training for union members and staff, to deepen their understanding of LGBTQ issues.

Our work has included training thousands of UFT members in the “Dignity For All Students Act”, or DASA, which includes training around the specific needs of transgender and gender-nonconforming students. Educators who have participated use the trainings to explore everything from how to be a visible and vocal ally to the correct choice of pronouns to use when addressing a transgender student.

What’s more, our Positive Learning Collaborative program provides teachers and staff with intensive training to help students deal with feelings of frustration, anger, rejection, and depression. And our BRAVE anti-bullying program includes a student/parent hotline, parent workshops, and conferences, all with the expressed goal of responding to and preventing bullying, including how to talk to children about bullying and how to support affected children.

Still, there remains much work to be done. Students who identify as LGBTQ continue to face bullying and harassment, both physically and verbally. Black gay males and LGBTQ students with disabilities often find themselves at an even greater risk. It’s also worth noting that the toxic national dialogue around topics like gay marriage and bathroom usage has only exacerbated these problems.

When students struggle with bullying and harassment, it leaves them more vulnerable to feelings of isolation and depression, fights, substance abuse, truancy, and dropping out. Sadly, the risk of suicide among the LGBTQ population is also much higher than other students.

As educators, parents, advocates and elected officials, we all share the collective responsibility of creating safe and welcoming schools where students can be free to learn and grow, regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation. Every one of us has a role to play in creating an inclusive school climate.

That work begins with building awareness and understanding, not just among students, but also among our colleagues and within ourselves. We have to divorce ourselves from the politics surrounding these issues, and instead focus exclusively on supporting our students. That begins with regular and intensive training. That work also may mean forming a building committee to evaluate some of your school’s policies and operations. Dress policies or prom regulations might have to be changed. A restroom may have to be designated as gender-neutral. Areas of the school where bullying occurs may need additional supervision or cameras. Anti-bullying policies may need explicit guidance on safeguarding LGBTQ students. A school might want to rework its medical forms so that students can communicate their gender identity in a way that’s comfortable to them. Surveys can also gauge the tone of the school and provide ideas on how to improve the effectiveness of the school’s programs and services. Some schools even create internal structures that can respond to bullying incidents in real time.

A resolution passed this summer by the American Federation of Teachers, our national union, outlined a comprehensive guidance for schools on how to begin providing safe and welcoming learning environments for LGBTQ youth. Among its recommendations:

  • Implement anti-bullying policies explicitly protecting LGBTQ students;
  • Offer professional development opportunities on issues affecting LGBTQ students;
  • Support extracurricular clubs such as Gay-Straight Alliances;
  • Develop meaningful family engagement and support for families of LGBTQ students;
  • Integrate respect for human rights, including LGBTQ rights, across the curriculum;
  • Provide developmentally appropriate resources on LGBTQ issues (e.g., in libraries, faculty resources);
  • Collect and review data to identify disparities and barriers for LGBTQ students;
  • Designate a building-level staff person who is conversant in issues relating to sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression; and
  • Adopt specific policies for ensuring transgender students are treated in a manner consistent with their gender identity, including:
  • Using chosen name and pronouns;
  • Changing name and gender in school records;
  • Ensuring student privacy and confidentiality in disclosing private student information;
  • Providing access to facilities and programs according to the student’s gender identity;
  • Implementing gender-neutral dress codes; and
  • Reviewing all gender-based activities.

These are just some of the many common sense steps that policymakers can take to make schools safer and more accommodating for all students. None of these strategies are offered in isolation; each initiative should be part of a larger, comprehensive approach to improve the quality of life for everyone within our school buildings.

We must all pull together to combat harassment and discrimination head on. Only by working together can we combat these issues and bring about change. We are grateful that the Council and this committee have chosen to focus on this topic, and we look forward to working with you in the months ahead.

Related Topics: BRAVE