Inclusion in the Classroom

     "Safe Spaces" was a writing piece that really raised some issues that people don't think about on a daily basis. LGBT students face a problem that most other students don't even see. The lack of relativity in curriculum must make them feel like what they are is wrong. In a time period (K-12) where children are trying to find out who they are any type of negative reinforcement can cause issues for the child in question. There are some alarming numbers concerning teenager suicide with many of them having to do with the fact they were bullied because of their sexual orientation.
       Thinking back to the our first writing piece concerning privilege. While it may not be known to people who don't put emphasis on it (remember people with privilege unaware of that position) but heterosexuality is a position of privilege. Everything about heterosexuality is what is seen as normal. A "family" is constantly seen as a mother, father, and children. Even single parents are mentioned as part of the norm but the issue lies strictly on that of same sex parents. The author mentions that same sex parenting isn't mentioned in elementary school, and thinking back to my schooling I don't remember really hearing about it until high school. This has to be a terrible feeling for children of same sex parenting. Think about being a child in elementary school and having teachers and classmates constantly telling you that it is "unusual" or even "wrong" to not have a mother and a father. Children are impressionable, especially the age in question, so this constant negative reinforcement may make them begin to resent their living situation and even themselves.
        The call to action is all about trying to integrate same sex parenting into the norm of curriculum. A kindergarten teacher in the article put three scenarios up for interpretation, with only one of them being what would be called a "normal" family. The emphasis wasn't put on what each family consisted of but how the families cared for each other. The idea isn't to point out the differences of each family, but to teach that every family is normal not just heterosexual ones.
       Students have to stop feeling like they are different for the wrong reasons. Things like sexual orientation have to be introduced at a younger age in order for children to learn that it is ok and normal to feel or be the way they want. The reason why children make fun of each other would be because they are afraid of what is different. If gay or lesbian isn't a term or concept they understand they will immediately think it is wrong due to that fear of the unknown. The easiest thing to combat this would be to teach them what it is and why there is nothing wrong with it.