Board of Ed: Safe Schools for LGBTQ

Johnston starts by remembering former Associate Commissioner John Bynoe whom he credits with some of this

what I assume was on a prior Wellesley school building

Backup on this is here

Presenting: Associate Commissioner of Student and Family Support Rachelle Engler Bennett,
Associate Commissioner of the Center for Instructional Support Erin Hashimoto-Martell,
Commission Executive Director Shaplaie Brooks
Safe Schools Program for LGBTQ Students Director, Jason Wheeler
Plus the superintendent of the Randolph Public Schools and a Boston Public Schools student

during 2021-22 year, 83.1% of LGBTQ+ students faced harassment or assault
Four strategies we know to be successful:

• supportive educators
• LGBTQ+ inclusive curriculum
• inclusive and supportive policies
• Supportive clubs

support through professional development and training
on-demand technical assistance: "are much more complicated" than they were several years ago
student leadership initiatives

schools are facing significant challenges

Hashitmoto-Martell: fostering a cultural of respect in schools
citation of examples across standards in guiding principles
reviewing materials for inclusions of those with diverse identities, backgrounds, and perspectives

Thea R Stovell, superintendent of the Randolph Public Schools
student who came out as trans recently for whom school was the only safe place
Was working with school committee to create a gender identify policy (nooo...this doesn't need a policy; gender identity is included in antidiscrimination policy, and Committees deliberating a procedure around who someone is is yikes)

Committee was concerned about notification of parents
PD on "Queer in the classroom"
finding in our schools not seeing hostility; vitriol is coming from the community
people offended about curriculum, gender neutral bathrooms
some teachers are nervous about it
request more specific guidelines from DESE around gender identity and process
A lot of searching for content: not just LGBTQ, BIPOC as well
"anything that this Board can do to push policy that makes it clearer" on process would be appreciated

Rowyn: sit here before you as a Black and queer student
"I am Black and I am gay"
Know that I cannot come out to some family members
GSA won't entirely understand your experience as Black and queer; Black Student Union won't fully appreciate your experience as being Black and queer
didn't see anyone who looked like them at GSA
"in spaces meant to be inclusive, people shouldn't have to bring a chair to a table that should already have a space for me"

Wheeler: growing limitations on resources, both LGTBQ as well as race

Stewart asks how they go to schools: Wheeler says they are invited into schools
districts leaders, teachers go to principals or superintendents; families may reach out 

Moriarty: scope and reach of training
Wheeler: preassessment sent to schools ahead of training
Moriarty: seems like demand has exploded
"as a result of the disruption in schooling" (WHAT?) and student disregulation
Wheeler: schools are doing "incredible work"
heightened level of community concern being brought forward that I don't know that our schools are always ready to respond
could use greater capacity: train trainers