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2 Lesson Two: Provide anti-bullying training emphasizing GLBT issues While a number of school districts offer some professional development in GLBT is- sues, teachers in the San Juan Unified School District in Carmichael, outside of Sacramen- to, have been at it for 10 years already. As part of its social justice commitment, the San Juan Teachers Association (SJTA) offers a three- day, 18-hour training titled “Gay, Lesbian, Bi- sexual, Transgender and Questioning Issues.” The training consists of films, discussions, journaling, an overview of the law AB 537, and hearing from a panel of GLBT students. Through the discussions and self-examina- tion that takes place, teachers report they are able to more deeply understand issues that confront GLBT students. “We [SJTA] have been the driving force behind this training,” says SJTA President Steve Duditch. “But we also have a great part- nership with the district. We are now devel- oping programs together. No one wants to be out of compliance with the law and face a lawsuit.” Like many educators, Duditch believes the training is about more than legal compli- ance; it’s about tolerance, acceptance, respect, and creating a positive learning environment. “I want my class to be a safe space for ev- eryone,” says Elaina Zarka, who recently began her teaching career at Sylvan Middle School. “I want my students to be comfortable and engaged, as opposed to being afraid to come to school.” Although she had previously talked to her students about bullying, Zarka hadn’t ap- proached GLBT issues with them until she took the training. “I decided to change gears one day, so I led a discussion about GLBT bullying. I was able to reiterate that it’s not about sex or sexu- ality, it’s about respect,” she says, noting that the students appreciated having the class- room discussion. Lessons learned in the training translate into some very practical skills as well, espe- cially in an area that has demon- strated against gay rights. As a culminating exercise, for example, participants sat across from each other posing and answering questions they had generated, including: “Are you going to teach gay issues?” “Why do we have to share the locker with a gay guy?” and “Do you promote the homo- sexual agenda in class?” The teachers then switch places and at tempt answering other sensit ive questions. “We want them to practice in a casual The answer that many of the teachers come back to is that ultimately, they are obli- gated to follow California law, and under AB 537, students (and teachers) in a public school cannot be discriminated against based on sexual orientation or gender identity. “The bottom line is that we are here to ed- ucate our students, and we can’t do that if they feel unsafe or unwanted in our class- rooms,” Velasco says. 3 presence of supportive staff Lesson Three: Develop the Although middle schools Steve Duditch are often thought of as ground zero for name-calling and bul- lying, it’s not the case every- where. Eleanor Evans, a social studies teacher at Millennial Middle School, a science, tech- nology, engineering and math- ematics magnet school in the San Diego Unified School Dis- trict, shares that she hasn’t heard a slur since she started school this year — while it had been rampant when she taught high school last year. “Last year, I heard words every single day. atmosphere so that they will feel com- fortable when they encounter these ques- tions from students and parents,” explains Vicky Velasco, a middle school teacher who is leading the exercise. LEFT: Vicky Velasco and Bill Simmons of the San Juan Teach- ers Association lead an exercise in which teachers practice re- sponding to ques- tions that may come up from parents and students. The exer- cise is just part of a three-day training in GLBT issues that the association sponsors for members. 12 California Educator | MARCH 2011 It was shocking,” she says. “This year, I haven’t heard a racial slur or GLBT name-calling. It’s almost an unreal world, but I think it’s be- cause of the administration working with the staff. It’s a staff-driven school, and we make the decisions. Our school is extremely di- verse, and we teach respect for each other from the first day.” Evans is the San Diego Education Asso- ciation representative to the district’s Safe Schools Task Force, which is working to de- velop a comprehensive policy on harassment as well as a district-wide program. “I think educators are taking this more seriously. There’s more awareness,” Evans says. “Educators, whether it’s the bus driver or classroom teacher, must be aware and attentive. They know what’s right and what’s wrong. When they hear something, they need to stop it.” To be sure, educators in the San Diego school district are taking their responsibility