Preventing School Violence Aimed at Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Youths (From Violence in American Schools: A Practical Guide for Counselors, P 285-303, 2000, Daya Singh Sandhu and Cheryl Blalock Aspy, eds. -- See NCJ-185486)

• NCJ Number: 185503
• Author(s): Mark Pope
• Date Published: 2000
• Length: 19 pages
• Sale Source: American Counseling Assoc
• Publication Format: Book (Softbound)
• Publication Type: Collected Work
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

The relationship is clear between derogatory language and violence directed against gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) students by their peers and adults in the school setting and self-harmful behavior such as attempted suicide, suicidal ideation, running away, bad grades, and truancy.

Abstract

Further, GLBT students are more likely to come to school counselors than to any other school worker, and the momentum is clearly turning toward the protection of GLBT teenagers in schools. In particular, the Massachusetts Governor's Commission on Lesbian and Gay Youth issued a report in 1993 that provides a blueprint for ending school violence against GLBT youth. Recommendations of this report include school policies that protect gay and lesbian students, training for teachers in suicide and violence prevention, school-based support groups for both gay and straight students, a curriculum that includes gay and lesbian issues, and information in school libraries for gay and lesbian adolescents. The author examines the extent of violence against GLBT youth and notes such effects as delayed psychosexual identity development and suicide. Ways of preventing violence against GLBT youth are identified that involve parents, school workers, separation or culture change, deliberate psycho-affective education, and a focus on valuing differences. 55 references