As we move through LGBTQ+ History month, we are committed to learning more about those who have contributed to the progress that has been made in the fight for equality. We do this while also acknowledging the many challenges that still exist and at the same time recommitting ourselves to continuously improving our community toward the full realization of inclusion and respect for all.  

 

Many schools, historically, have not produced positive experiences and supportive environments for LGBTQ+ students and families. Many were - and in lots of places still are - hotbeds of bullying and ridicule, and of labeling and name calling and worse.

 

Many communities have shown indifference or disdain toward the inherent and sometimes amplified challenges of young people coming out or embracing or exploring their identities, subjecting young folks to environments that have historically and unreasonably questioned or condemned them simply for becoming themselves.

   

I think we are better than that and can do even better moving forward.

 

Our LGBTQ+ students should always know that we love them, that we hold their futures as vital, and that we will stand with them and support them always.  

 

To the families of our LGBTQ+ students, we recognize the love and support you show your children, and how vital that love is to them navigating their futures with confidence. As educators we hope to enhance and expand that support in our schools.  

 

"Equality means more than passing laws,” wrote pioneering LGBTQ+ activist Barbara Gittings. “The struggle is really won in the hearts and minds of the community, where it really counts." 

 

To respect the history and activism of the LGBTQ+ community for me means to both honor that history through learning and to continue insisting on a present and a future that prioritizes care, respect, and inclusion for all.