Safe Spaces
By Gerri August
“Classrooms lay the
foundations for an inclusive and safer society; a just community where common
interests and individual differences coexist. To the extent that teachers,
schools, administrators, and college professors create an atmosphere in which
differences are not only tolerated, but accepted, explored, and embraced,
students will be more likely to develop perspectives that result in respectful
behaviors.” (pg. 83)
This
quote talks about the impact the classroom and the teacher have on a student’s
perspectives and respectful behaviors. A teacher has the ability to explore and
embrace the differences in others, negative or positive. It is important for
teachers to grasp the opportunity put in front of them and try to make the
changes possible. The rest of the text provides different ways to help a
teacher incorporate other types of perspectives into the classroom environment.
“In an episode entitled “Sugartime!”
Buster’s adventures take him to Vermont, where he meets, David, Emma, and
James, and their two moms, a blended family that teachers Buster the art of
maple sugaring.” (pg 86 )
When reading this quote I was
more upset then taken back by the end result of the program being taken off the
air. I grew up in Vermont and have always been very aware that it is one of the
more unpopular, unheard of states. Reading that out of all the states that the
show decided to select Vermont to represent the state that same sex parents,
really left me with an unsettling feeling and I think creates just another issue.
I strongly believe that selecting such a small unheard of, unpopular state will
make children associate that same sex couples and parents to only be in the
smaller states or states like ‘those’. I strongly believe that if the show
should have done another episode with another same sex couple in California
learning how to make raisins or something along those lines in a bigger state
it would have a better effect. Though in the end the idea of even showing a
same sex couple in a children’s cartoon was strongly rejected and unexpected by
parents, I still believe that it is important and that the media is a great
place to start.
“Good intentions are not enough;
trying to see all students as the same is not enough. Being a fair-minded
individual is not enough. We argue that educators must publicly commit to
creating classroom climates of inclusivity and respect with the pledged
cooperation of all students. Only then can we create classrooms that are safe
for LGBT youth.” (pg 99)
This
quote talks about how it isn’t enough to just have good intentions, see all the
students equally, and to be a fair-minded individual. Teachers need to be more
comfortable using the words, gay, lesbian, transgender, and bisexual to help
students be more comfortable with the words. Publically creating a classroom
that doesn’t exclude any member or participant of a different gender, race,
class, sexuality, or disability is the start of creating a safe LGTB classroom.
It is important that the exclusion of others amongst students is enforced and
that students are required to cooperate in not excluding anyone. After the students are capable of not
excluding others, only then is the classroom environment a comfortable and safe
setting for LGBT students. Though as a teacher you may want to change the way
your student’s minds and hearts think and feel, but it is not possible to do it
all. A teacher can create a classroom
environment that is accepting and safe for LGTB youth through the curriculum
used and the communication inside the classroom.
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