Creating an Inclusive School Climate for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Students

In a study completed in 2009, only 88 out of 400 school districts surveyed showed support for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) students (Rienzo, Button, Sheu, & Li, 2006). Some of this may be due to a lack of support by society, family, and friends, or a lack of advocacy in school for support services for the LGBT population. There are many ways in which a school can contribute to supporting LGBT youth. These ways include, but are not limited to, education about sexual orientation for students, faculty, parents, school board members, and the community, support groups for LGBT students, gay-straight student alliances, counseling services for LGBT youth, policies that enforce strict anti-LGBT language and behavior, and policies that prohibit discrimination against LGBT in hiring and promotion of faculty (Rienzo et al., 2006). Support in the schools for all students, especially sexual minority youth, is imperative. Without it, students’ personal, social, and academic lives may suffer