ICCONIC ClassroomsOur Mission:
We want to create a space where ALL students are treated with respect and can feel protected and secure within their identities as LGBTQ+ youth, survivors, undocumented youth, and Black and Indigenous youth. We are creating a criteria of research-based best practices for inclusion that teachers can adopt in their classrooms. |
Resources:
LGBTQ+ Youth
|
survivors of sexual harassment & assault
|
Undocumented youth
|
black & Indigenous youth
|
The Criteria: (To be updated)
- Proudly and visibly identify as a safe space
- Have an active and running GSA (Gender and Sexuality Alliance, Gay Straight Alliance, or other LGBTQ+ club)
- Have all teachers trained in “Creating Safe School Environment for LGBTQ+ Youth" by OUTMemphis
- Have all teachers, administrators, and staff be trained in working with LGBTQ+ students and implicit bias
- Normalize giving preferred pronouns by including them on staff and student name tags and email signatures
- Always include pronouns in introductions, with both students and staff
- If there is a school directory, remove any dead names (possibly legal names, which students no longer use) of transgender students from the directory. Only use them for legal purposes, not publicly.
- Equipping school leadership and staff on legal policies regarding student vs. parent choice (name by which student is referred, pronouns by which student is addressed, confidentiality classes)
- Make gender neutral restrooms available for students and staff
- Ensure anti-bullying and anti-harassment policies explicitly protect LGBTQ+ students and staff
- Have policies and procedures in place that ensure claims of gender and sexuality discrimination are properly investigated and taken seriously
- Hold faculty and staff accountable for insensitive behavior
- Have literature or a point person concerning the mediation of gender and sexuality discrimination
- Create an LGBTQ+ history course or include LGBTQ+ history in the traditional curriculum
- Ensure sex education is LGBTQ+ inclusive
- Gives students the opportunity to learn more broadly about LGBTQ+ life and history
- Change homecoming and prom “king and queen” to “royalty”
- Teachers may not organize students for working groups by gender
- Any spousal benefits for staff must explicitly include same sex couples
- Any gender question on all surveys and forms should have a blank and “prefer not to answer” option
- Dress codes should be gender neutral, with all people adhering to the same rules
- Recognize and promote LGBTQ+ holidays
- Provide a designated safe space for queer students with a point person concerning the mediation of gender and sexuality discrimination