Exploring the Role of LGBTQ Issues in the Classrooms of California Schools

Abstract

The harassment of sexual minority students in school has recently become a topic of interest to researchers interested in issues of school safety. The Preventing School Harassment (PSH) survey, which specifically addresses harassment based on sexual orientation, is an important part of this line of inquiry. The present analysis is based on a free-response question included in the 2008 version of the PSH survey, which addressed students' experiences with the inclusion of sexual minority issues in the classroom. Students' responses were analyzed to identify the major themes in both the content and context of what students learned in school about these issues. Whereas one-quarter of respondents indicated they learned nothing about sexual minority issues in school, the majority of students who learned about these issues reported learning about ideals of acceptance and equality. Respondents reported learning about LGBTQ issues most often outside of the classroom, and most commonly from personal experiences or from members of student clubs. These results provide insight into how students learn about these issues in school, and may inform future research into methods of increasing students' feelings of safety at school.