What You Can Do (Without Getting Fired)
Adapted from the Gay, Lesbian, Straight Educators Network
- Use Gender-Neutral Language
- Don’t Assume Heterosexuality
- Make GLBT-Friendly Literature Available
- Discuss Current Events that Involve GLBT People
- Familiarize Yourself with Resources for GLBT Youth in Your Area
A Principal’s Story
Rural principals are community leaders. The prominence of rural school leaders in the greater community creates additional challenges in their support of GLBT young people. Many school leaders fear that the endorsement of a lesbian couple attending prom, a gay-friendly health education curiculum, or an inclusive, non-discriminatory policy would lead to their termination or, at the very least, a huge headache. Nonetheless, rural principals are not immune to serving the needs of gay young people. one committed Iowa principal discovered this to be the case when a popular male athlete chose to come out of the closet under his watch. He shares his story at the School Administrators of Iowa website at http://www.sai-iowa.org/adminGLBTResearch.