To honor LGBTQ+ History month (October 1-31), AUSD’s LGBTQ Round Table developed “Let’s Say LGBTQ” tips for teachers across the district.

The tips included vocabulary words, a reminder for elementary teachers to read books that include themes of gender, inclusion, and allyship, and suggested classroom discussions and resources for teaching about LGBTQ+ history and creating safe classrooms.

 “We want to ensure that LGBTQ+ students across the district get to see themselves represented in classroom curriculum,” the student representatives on the Round Table explained.

We’d also like to highlight the work of several teens this month, including:

Student members of the LGBTQ+ Round Table responded to a letter to the Alameda Sun that had included opposition to the idea of transgender youth.  “(The) letter is a reminder of all of the unwarranted hatred that trans youth face,” the two students wrote in their own letter to the editors. “Although our existence is unfortunately politicized, we are just youth: all we ask for is the freedom to learn and socialize like any other young person. It should not be our job to defend our right to self-determination to anyone.”

o   Read the teens’ full letter

Gender Sexuality Alliance clubs from Wood Middle School and Encinal Jr. & Sr. High School staffed a table at the first Alameda Pride event last weekend in Chochenyo Park. The students raised more than $200 for the Trevor Project by selling rings and bookmarks they had made. They also answered questions about the value of these clubs on campus and impressed many by being the only fully student-run table at the event!

“This is an excellent example of AUSD diversity, equity, and inclusion at work,” says Lauri Costigan, who advises the GSA at Wood Middle School. “I am very proud of our students for volunteering their time and energy to such a wonderful and successful community event.”