It’s a school year like no other, so here’s my updated annual collection of back-to-school resources for LGBTQ parents, parents of LGBTQ children, and educators! I hope it remains useful, regardless of the age of your children and whether they are learning in-person, virtually, or both.
Award-winning author Phil Bildner was set to do a virtual visit with a group of fourth graders this month, when the school’s parents’ association suddenly informed him that he couldn’t talk about his latest book—a middle-grade novel about a boy coming out as gay. They then canceled his event. Bildner’s response, in which he chooses not to publicly name the school, reminds us that there are many factors to consider in keeping LGBTQ youth safe—especially in a time of pandemic.
Welcoming Schools, a project of the HRC Foundation, is now offering “Welcoming Schools Wednesdays”—a book and lesson plan for parents to use at home, based on the themes of “embracing all families, being an ally and respecting differences inclusive of LGBTQ identities.”
Family Equality has launched The Neighborhood: A Virtual Hub for LGBTQ+ Families to support all of us during these strange days of the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s full of activities for kids of all ages, parents, and prospective parents!
A South Carolina law banning any discussion of same-sex relationships in public school health classes (except in the context of sexually transmitted diseases) is unconstitutional, a federal court said yesterday.
Looking for LGBTQ-inclusive videos for kids on sexuality, gender, and different types of families? AMAZE has you covered—and they’ve recently added some great new ones.
Family-tree assignments given to elementary school children don’t always make room for all families. And biology classes may use language and concepts that ignore the full range of genders and relationships found in nature. Here are some ideas for more inclusive alternatives.
It’s GLSEN’s annual No Name-Calling Week, a time dedicated to ending name-calling and bullying in schools. We parents, of course, can also have an impact on stopping such behaviors and supporting those who have been the subject of them. Here some LGBTQ-inclusive picture books that involve name calling and that may be useful for parents of young children to read and discuss with our kids.
Just before Thanksgiving, when a fifth-grade boy in Utah shared in class that he was thankful he was going to be adopted by his two dads, the substitute teacher went on a 10-minute tirade against “homosexuality.” She has now been fired.
Personal stories, political news, entertainment tidbits, and more that I haven’t covered elsewhere! A buffet for your reading pleasure!
