Challenges for Educators: Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Families (Sears, 1994)

 What is curriculum?

  • Inclusive, mindful, and representative of the lives of students and their families. 

What are schools for?

  • Being inclusive of all learners. Educators that are knowledgeable about the family lives of students can integrate the knowledge into their classroom while remaining respectful and confidential.  
  • To reduce homophobic and heterosexual beliefs.

What assumptions are made about the needs of learners?

  • Twenty-five of our states have allowed assumptions, attitudes, and myths to affect their decisions for gays and lesbians to adopt or foster children.
  • If a students comes from lesbian, gay, and bisexual families they may too be gay/lesbian/bisexual. 
  • Children of lesbian/gay/bisexual families have low self esteem. However, it has been shown that their self-esteem is that of divorced parents. First a child goes through denial and pain and a year later more acceptance. The difference is that those of divorce seem to have more support.   
  • Integration of lesbian/gay/bisexual discussions and curriculum is too radical for educators.

What metaphors for teachers or learners are used?

  • I did not notice metaphors but did notice the recommendations for educators given on pages 152- 153 of the article. 

What implicit or explicit learning theories prevail?

  • If we are to truly serve all students then we must be aware and intentional about the realities and challenges that parents and students in lesbian, gay and bisexual families encounter.
  • Some struggle with how a lesbian can be a fit mother of a gay man a fit father.  These assumptions are of social nature, not biological. 
  • Fears, homophobia, and heterosexism are pervasive and tolerated in our society and may be magnified in our public schools. 
  • Children of lesbian/gay/bisexual families use three means of social control to deal with their parents sexuality: boundary control (control of parents behaviors), control of their own behavior in relation to their gay parent's behavior (nondisclosure), and control of how other connect or have contact with the gay parent(s)(disclosure). 
  • Most studies of children from gay, lesbian or bisexual families are white. There is little research on black families. 
  • Being a minority in a minority presents difficulties for both students and their parents. Educators need to be aware of the pressures and stressors that such students and their families encounter.
  • Lesbian/gay/bisexual children or their families that are of color come out differently than those of the white race since they have more social and cultural contexts in which they are a part of.  

What cultures of curriculum are observed?

  • Few students will understand the diversity among the families of their peers...this probably goes for teachers too.
  • Deleting various family dynamics from school curriculum does not delete them from our everyday lives.
  • The "judge" decides....his/her knowledge is of most worth. "In deciding whether to award custody or even visiting  privileges to a homosexual parent or to allow a lesbian or gay couple to adopt a child judges often base their decisions on other unsubstantiated judicial fears such as "turning" the child into a homosexual, molesting the child,  stigmatization of the child, and AIDS (Hitchens1, 979/80P; ayne,1 977/78; Polikoff, 1987; Rivera,1 987)."
  • Reading about, exposure, and discussions with gay/lesbian/bisexual families tends to make disclosure to children easier end ultimately enhanced the relationship. 
  • Hidden curriculums foster conformity or passivity, while restricting learning about differences and acceptance of diverse people and families.
  • Making the lives and contributions of lesbian/gay/bisexuals open to exploration is not prohibited and can actually be omitted from curriculums.  "in the curriculum closet"

Are the explicit beliefs and purposes of education consistent with the culture of the classroom/school?

  • Students can benefit from honest discussions, antiharassment guidelines, contributions of lesbian/gay/bisexuals and counseling and peer-support services.
  • Some curriculums have been developed. 
  • Five states have developed antidiscrimination statures. Wisconsin has included guidelines for media resources for reflecting diversity and under representative groups. 
  • ASCD, NEA and other organizations have developed policies, programs and statements for inclusion and acceptance. Such programs have positive benefit for students and families of lesbian, gay/bisexual make up as well as for homophobic and heterosexist educators and stakeholders.


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