LGBTQ Students Face Unfair School Discipline

Of course, knowledge is power.  This is true even when the information with which we are provided is negative in nature.  Did you know that historically, LGBTQ students have been the victims of unfair discipline in schools? It’s true. Sadly, discrimination is everywhere and when those in a position of power discriminate, our children suffer the consequences.

Safe Space

School is supposed to be our kids’ “safe space”. Learning is vital and the basis for a successful future. Unfortunately, not all of our kids are learning in a welcoming and safe environment. In fact, as a whole, LGBTQ students are disciplined more often than their cisgender classmates.

The combination of this and bullying often results in these students skipping school. Being there is just too painful. When absenteeism becomes an issue, graduation rates fall - many LGBTQ students simply drop out of school. The discrimination and harassment they experience become too much to handle. 

Programs

While educational and anti-bullying programs are designed to help protect our kids, sometimes they do the exact opposite. Many students have reported being disciplined specifically because of their identity.

Over the years, much has been done to help combat this. Policies and laws have been enacted to protect LGBTQ students.  Of course, schools have begun to review disciplinary actions for LGBTQ students-they are looking to understand the underlying causes of their behavior. For example, repeated bullying could lead to a student acting out. If the school administration understands this, they can identify the root problem, address and discipline the initial inappropriate behavior and work with the bullied student to develop better responses and stay in school.

LGBTQ Included

The curriculum in many areas across the country has been broadened to include LGBTQ issues and people. Alternative education programs are more broadly available - sometimes a traditional classroom simply isn’t the right environment for a specific student. 

As parents of LGBTQ children, we must keep our eyes open to the atmosphere in our schools.  Asking questions and addressing issues proactively can help our children learn in a safe and welcoming environment - something they absolutely deserve.