LGBTQ Resources

The LGBTQ+ Roundtable serves to foster an inclusive and welcoming environment to ensure that all LGBTQ+ community members can thrive in the Alameda Unified School District (AUSD). 

This will be achieved through: 

Curriculum and Policy 

• Advising the district on LGBTQ+ -oriented curriculum and policy

Student, Staff, and Family Support

• Collaborating with student and community organizations to expand inclusion for youth and families
• Supporting and developing parent and student groups (GSAs, parent support groups)
• Fostering collaboration and consistency amongst GSAs
• Connecting LGBTQ+ students with staff and peers through mentorship opportunities

Events

• Building connections, raising awareness, and spreading positivity through community events 

1. Provide resources to the school district to ensure the success of LGBTQ-oriented curricula.
2. Collaborate with community-based (e.g., business, civic, faith) organizations committed to inclusive, safe spaces for youth and families. 
3. Develop parent/community groups for support and advocacy of the LGBTQ community.
4. Coordinate pro bono legal support to help AUSD ensure and safeguard legal rights for LGBTQ youth and families. 
5. Connect LGBTQ youth and families in the community and schools with appropriate community-based support resources.

Responsibilities
Members of the LGBTQ+ Roundtable will demonstrate:

• Commitment to attendance 
• Engagement, focus, and enthusiasm
• Respectful discourse and collaboration

Roles
May be year-long or rotating

• Secretary - Takes notes during membership meetings (to be stored and organized in shared folder)
• Facilitator- Ensures focus and equity of voice during meetings, keeps time accountability, distributes resources for group review (sharing documents in meeting chat, etc.

 Application for LGBTQ Round Table

While all Round Table members play a role in all group objectives, subcommittees allow for smaller groups to focus on an objective they are most interested in. 

Curriculum and Policy

• Working with district representatives to advise on policy, curriculum, and related issues

Events

• Planning and coordinating community-wide events

Student and Family Support

• Addressing student and family-centered needs through resources and collaboration with community organizations

 Subcommittee Leaders will facilitate and coordinate subcommittee meetings.

The Round Table will be led by the joint authority of a chair and student chair. The co-chairs will serve for the length of an academic year (August to June).  It is recommended that chairs be able to commit for the entire term.

Chair Responsibilities 

• Agenda creation: developing and assigning agenda items
• Communication: sharing meeting agenda, action items, and other announcements, coordinating membership meeting reminders and invitations
• Representation and leadership: relaying member input to district representatives, overseeing subcommittees, hosting virtual meetings

Selection Criteria

• Chairs should be selected from within Roundtable members (with the exception of chairs expressly recruited from outside the organization), with preference for subcommittee leaders or most experienced members. 
• Whenever possible, the co-chairs will consist of one adult and one high school student who is actively involved in their school’s GSA. If a student is not identified by the final meeting of the year, the student co-chair can be nominated in the fall. 

Election Process

• During the final meeting of the term, the floor will be opened for nomination. 
• Members will be free to nominate others for the position, guided by the criteria above. Nominees who accept their nomination stand as candidates. 
• When nominations are complete, a closed ballot system should be used to elect the chair (in a digital meeting, this can take the form of a private chat message to the chair). If only one candidate stands after the nomination process, they become chair by acclimation with no vote necessary. 

1. Organize community-based events to educate about the history and presence of LGBTQ people and families in our schools and city.
2. Facilitate Harvey Milk Day planning to foster community awareness and understanding.
3. Assist with AB 9 and SB 48 implementation to promote safe schools.
4. Coordinate diversity awareness activities/events in all AUSD schools.
5. Support students, staff, and families who are LGBTQ and allies of the LGBTQ community. 

Since 2021, AUSD has been providing a structured curriculum on gender and sexuality to all students in grades K-5. That curriculum is mandated by California law and designed to:

• Help students understand that our communities and world at large includes different types of families and people of different sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions
• Invites children to challenge myths and stereotypes related to gender and gender roles 
• Teach young children that all people are worthy of respect, compassion, and inclusion
• Provide opportunities for students to see their own families and identities reflected in literature and class discussions

The curriculum includes age-appropriate books and teacher-led class discussions of the themes and characters in the books. The discussions provide a way to introduce students to basic vocabulary about identity, gender and sexuality, as well as lessons about the importance of inclusion and respect. These lessons are aligned with the work our schools do on building safe and healthy schools and social-emotional learning, such as our PBIS and Toolbox programs.

These children’s books are currently part of the collection utilized in the gender and sexuality lessons: 

• A Family is a Family
• Pink is for Boys
• Big Bob, Little Bob
• Worm Loves Worm
• Introducing Teddy
• Grandad's Camper
• Door by Door: How Sarah McBride Became America's First Openly Transgender Senator 
• Stella Brings the Family
• When Aidan Became a Brother
• Glenn Burke, Game Changer: The Man Who Invented the High Five
• Pride: The Story of Harvey Milk and the Rainbow Flag
• If You're a Kid Like Gavin: The True Story of a Young Trans Activist
• Ho'onani: Hula Warrior
• In Our Mother's House

Will I be notified when the lessons are taught?

No. Caregivers will not be notified. It is not possible for caregivers to be notified each time gender and/or sexual orientation is brought up in class. Lessons may come up unexpectedly, such as when a student asks a question about current events, discrimination, bullying, relationships, shares a story about their family or identity, or when a teacher intervenes when a homophobic or transphobic comment is made. 

Why are lessons about gender and sexual orientation being taught in elementary school?

First, we are teaching children about respect, empathy and acceptance of all people. To reflect the realities of our diverse communities, schools must be safe spaces where students encounter and interact with people who are different from them. This diversity promotes empathy, understanding, and prepares students for our globalized world. To provide a fair and appropriate public education, it is imperative that schools are safe, inclusive, and affirming for all children, regardless of their background, identity, or characteristics. 

Second, it’s a legal requirement. The California Healthy Youth Act requires that instruction must be inclusive of LGBTQ students and affirmatively recognize that people have different sexual orientations and, when discussing or providing examples of relationships and couples, must be inclusive of same-sex relationships. Instruction shall affirmatively recognize that people have different sexual orientations and, when discussing or providing examples of relationships and couples, must be inclusive of same-sex relationships. Instruction must also teach students about gender, gender expression, gender identity, and explore the harm of negative gender stereotypes. This means that schools must teach about all sexual orientations and what being LGBTQ means.

Does the law address the needs of LGBTQ students in the classroom?

California’s results on the 2017 Youth Risk Behavior Survey operated by the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show students who identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual are twice as likely to be bullied as their peers who identify as heterosexual. Additionally, students who identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual are three times more likely to seriously consider suicide than their peers who identify as heterosexual.

The framework for The California Healthy Youth Act provides guidance to teachers in using inclusive classroom language to make all students feel safe and comfortable at school. The framework helps teachers provide safe and healthy learning environments free from bullying and harassment. It also addresses dispelling myths, breaking down stereotypes, and linking students to resources can help prevent bullying, self-harm, feelings of hopelessness, and serious considerations of suicide.

Why are teachers required to read these books in elementary school? Aren’t the students too young?

Students are never too young to learn about people and families in their community and/or have their identity positively reflected in the curriculum. We live in a world where people of all sexual orientations, gender identities and gender expressions exist. These lessons are an opportunity for students to learn about members of their community and to see their own families and identities reflected in the literature and class discussions.

Schools are expected to be a safe learning environment that is welcoming for all people. Reading these books and having these discussions about different groups of people help schools meet this important objective. In addition, it is important for students with LGBTQ family members to see their family represented in discussions and literature. 

Students are already learning about gender, society’s gender roles and expectations. They learn these lessons through advertisements, movies, literature and by observing the world around them. These books provide an opportunity to expand their understanding of what they are already exposed to. 

Elementary students frequently already know their gender identity and sexuality, even if they don’t yet know the exact vocabulary. Some experts suggest people as young as two years old start to have a sense of their gender identity and a sense of their sexual orientation around ten years old. Ignoring certain identities in school may threaten student safety and reinforce feelings of isolation that may lead to depression, anxiety or other concerns.

Will you be talking about sex? 

The lessons and discussion aren’t about sex. They’re about respect, safety, kindness and empathy. 

Why is it important for elementary school children to know about different kinds of families and people? 

Schools are complex social environments that play a central role in shaping the future of our society. They are not just places of learning but also microcosms of our broader community, reflecting the rich tapestry of diversity that exists in our societies. To provide a fair and appropriate public education, it is imperative that schools are safe, inclusive, and affirming for all children, regardless of their background, identity, or characteristics.

Inclusive learning environments provide a better quality education for all children and are instrumental in changing biases. Schools provide the context for a child’s first relationship with the world outside their families. They enable the development of valuable and transformative social relationships and interactions. Respect and understanding grow when students of diverse abilities and backgrounds play, socialize, and learn together.

To reflect the realities of our diverse communities, schools must be safe spaces where students encounter and interact with people who are different from them. This diversity promotes empathy, understanding, and prepares students for our globalized world. Affirming and inclusive environments teach them about the principles of equity, justice, and human rights. They can learn the true meaning of being an ally. It also helps them understand the value of diversity and inclusion in society and equips them to be active, empathetic, and socially responsible citizens.

Are there books about gender and sexuality that I can read with my child at home? 

Yes. There is a wide variety of quality literature available at all reading levels which feature a diverse array of children and families. 

How do I respond if my child asks me a question about gender and sexuality that I don’t know the answer to? 

You don’t have to know the answer to every question. If a student asks a question that you don’t know the answer to, it is okay to say, “I’m not sure how to answer that. I will look into it and get back to you.” Make sure you follow up with the answer once you have done your research. 

How will teachers intervene if students laugh or say something homophobic or transphobic during a lesson?

Teachers will remind students that in your classroom and at school everyone deserves to be respected and welcomed. A response may sound like: “We don’t make fun of or insult any group of people, we treat everyone with respect.” If offensive comments and behavior continues, it may be necessary to have a private conversation with the student making the comments as well as teach additional lessons to help the students understand that everyone deserves to be treated with kindness. If needed, the teacher will reach out to an administrator for additional support. It may be necessary to reach out to a guardian to problem solve ways to help the student understand the weight of their words and/or actions.

Each school district is required by law to adopt a policy that prohibits discrimination, harassment, intimidation, and bullying that applies to all acts related to school activity or school attendance occurring within a school.

Under Seth's Law, the policy must specifically prohibit discrimination, harassment, intimidation, and bullying based on these actual or perceived characteristics: disability, gender, gender identity, gender expression, nationality, race or ethnicity, religion, and sexual orientation. Discrimination, harassment, intimidation or bullying directed at someone associated with a person or group with one or more of the listed actual or perceived characteristics is also prohibited. 

Are there certain steps a teacher will take prior to reading these books if there is a transgender or gender non-binary student in the class?

Students have a right to privacy and confidentiality regarding their identities. No student is responsible for educating the class about their identity, experiences and/or family dynamic. Some children choose to tell their stories which may be a valuable part of learning, but no child should be considered the expert or pressured to tell their story. Ultimately the teacher is responsible for the content of these lessons.

Depending on the age and needs of the student, it might be helpful for the teacher to let them know which book they will be reading in class and when it will be read. The student should not be expected to share their story if they don’t want to, but they should be given space to if they would like to. Individual students should take the lead in what part of their personal story they would like to share. 

Are there certain steps teachers will take prior to the lessons about sexual orientation if they have a student with LGBTQ family members in the class?

Students have a right to privacy and confidentiality regarding their identities. No student is responsible for educating the class about their identity, experiences and/or family dynamic. Some children choose to tell their stories which may be a valuable part of learning, but no child should be considered the expert or pressured to tell their story. Ultimately the teacher is responsible for the content of these lessons.

Depending on the age and needs of the student, it might be helpful to let them know which book you will be reading in class and when you will be reading it. The student should not be expected to share their story if they don’t want to, but they should be given space to if they would like to. Individual students should take the lead in what part of their personal story they would like to share. 

What if our family’s beliefs don’t align with the lessons?

In Alameda Unified School District,we teach students from numerous cultural, racial, economic, linguistic and religious backgrounds. Some of our families have immigrated from across the world, while others have lived in Alamada for decades. In a public school, students and families may hold widely varying, even opposing, beliefs. Although not everyone shares the same beliefs, most families agree it is important to teach students respect, safety, kindness, collaboration and empathy.

In 2015, students and adults on the LGBTQ roundtable designed a poster that features a rainbow-colored shield with the words "Everyone Belongs Here" against a backdrop of statements such as, "All Faiths," "All Gender Identities," "All LGBTQ," "All Nationalities," "All Families," "All Abilities," and "All Ethnicities." Those posters were provided to every classroom in the district, along with definitions of the various protected classes listed.

Over the following months, a number of local agencies and non-profit organizations endorsed the poster, including Alameda's City Council, the Alameda Chamber of Commerce, Alameda Family Services, the Alameda Education Foundation, the AUSD PTA Council, and the Alameda Education Foundation. Over the following years, "Everyone Belongs Here" became an informal motto not only for AUSD but for the community as a whole.

• Download a printable "Everyone Belongs Here" poster
• Read Alameda Magazine's article about the "Everyone Belongs Here" campaign