Considering LGBTQ Students & Academic Development
I chose to concentrate on a research article I read for my
group’s mock presentation on career development for LGBTQ students. I was especially drawn to this article on educational and psychological inequities between LGBTQ students and
straight students, as I want to understand the unique needs of this population
of students and learn about inequities that I am sure many LGBTQ students face
on a daily basis in their schools. Moreover,
the article finished with advice for schools on addressing these struggles that
LGBTQ students endure, so I learned a considerable deal from the reading and am
more ready to dive into my group project as a result.
The authors Robinson & Espelage (2011) contend that many
LGBTQ students face depressing challenges daily at their middle and high
schools. In their study, they found that LGBTQ students feel significantly
lower levels of school belongingness
(whether they believe that they belong at their school, that graduating is
important, or that there are adults in their school that they feel they
can talk to). These lower levels of
belongingness seem to directly contribute to higher levels of truancy in the
LGBTQ student population. In fact,
missing school days seems to take a dramatic leap with LGBTQ-identified
students around the middle school years.
LGBTQ youth are also disproportionately the victims of bullying
and often do not feel safe in their school environment. Sadly, the researchers
found that, in a climate survey, nearly 2/3 (or 63%) of LGBTQ students reported
hearing homophobic remarks from school staff; on top of this, teachers appear
to intervene less frequently when homophobic remarks are made compared to when
racist or sexist remarks are made (Robinson & Espelage, 2011, p. 327).
All of these factors—lower levels of school belongingness,
higher levels of truancy, higher chances of being the victims of bullying, and
lack of feeling supported in their school environment—are likely to hurt LGBTQ
students’ academic performance and future career options. Fortunately the
researchers offer some advice for schools on improving the outlook for its LGBTQ
students. Robinson & Espelage
contend that early intervention is critical.
LGBTQ students often identify as early as middle school and experience
isolation, bullying and lack of belongingness as a result. This is when truancy and dips in school performance
become most evident, yet this is an opportunity for teachers, school counselors
and caring school staff to intervene and act in a supportive and sensitive manner. Ideally, intervention would happen years before these events. The authors argue that incorporating discussions about sexual
orientation and LGBTQ identity is critical in all bullying education programs (as early as elementary school) and may contribute to more positive outcomes for LGBTQ youth. Not only do such programs educate the LGBTQ
students themselves, but they also educate the straight students and school
staff who may be quite ignorant to the realities that LGBTQ students face.
I felt fortunate to have jumpstarted my project with this
article. While I have been interested in
and supportive of the local LGBTQ community, I have to admit I had not fully
considered the everyday realities of LGBTQ middle or high school students,
particularly in schools where they don’t feel they belong. While Robinson & Espelage are quick to
note that certainly not all LGBTQ students suffer these inequities, just
knowing that there are many kids out there enduring this type of injustice made
me want to be all the more mindful of their challenges and all the more helpful
to them in my future work.
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