LGBTQ-inclusive curricula: why supportive curricula matter

There is growing attention to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning (LGBTQ) issues in schools, including efforts to address such issues through the curriculum. This study examines whether students' perceptions of personal safety and school climate safety are stronger when c...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Sex Education: Sexuality, Society and Learning Society and Learning, 2015-11, Vol.15 (6), p.580-596
Main Authors: Snapp, Shannon D., McGuire, Jenifer K., Sinclair, Katarina O., Gabrion, Karlee, Russell, Stephen T.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Bullying
California
Correlation
Curricula
Curriculum
Educational Environment
Educational Policy
Educational Practices
Gays & lesbians
Health Education
High School Students
Homosexuality
Inclusion
Individual Differences
LGBTQ
LGBTQ People
Middle School Students
Prevention
Psychometrics
school climate
School Safety
Secondary school students
Sexuality
Social Support Groups
Structural Equation Models
Student Attitudes
Student Experience
Student Surveys
USA
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Summary:There is growing attention to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning (LGBTQ) issues in schools, including efforts to address such issues through the curriculum. This study examines whether students' perceptions of personal safety and school climate safety are stronger when curricula that include LGBTQ people are present and supportive. LGBTQ and straight middle and high school students from California (1232 students from 154 schools) participated in the 2008 Preventing School Harassment survey. They reported their experience of LGBTQ-inclusive curriculum, its level of supportiveness and perceptions of safety. Multilevel methods allowed for an examination of differences between individuals in the same school while controlling for differences between schools. LGBTQ-inclusive curricula were associated with higher reports of safety at the individual and school levels, and lower levels of bullying at the school level. The amount of support also mattered: supportive curricula were related to feeling safer and awareness of bullying at the individual and school levels. The implications of school- versus student-level results for educational policy and practices are discussed.
ISSN:1468-1811
1472-0825
DOI:10.1080/14681811.2015.1042573