Dallas ISD agrees to make schools safer for gay students

by Bradley Bowen of North Texas Liberal

A new agreement between the district and Lambda Legal provides outline for training and access to LGBT materials for students.

Dallas schools will be safer for gay students, teachers and parents, says a new agreement between the Dallas Independent School District and Lambda Legal.

As part of the new non-discrimination policy, DISD will:

* Include training on LGBT issues as part of the regular diversity trainings for staff.

* Allow LGBT groups such as Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (GLSEN), or Parents and Friends of Lesbian and Gays (PFLAG) to provide in-service trainings for teachers.

* Use LGBT-friendly forms such as permission slips. The forms will refer to “Parent 1” and “Parent 2” instead of or in addition to “Father” and “Mother.”

* Provide and make visible LGBT-friendly materials in libraries. Books, posters and other materials with LGBT themes and topics will no longer be held behind school library counters and individuals will no longer have to ask to view these materials.

* Allow access to websites of LGBT organizations that are currently blocked, such as that of the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN), and Youth First Texas.

* Make Lambda Legal materials on the rights of LGBTQ youth available at all middle and high school Counseling Offices.

We commend DISD for this new, progressive policy that will create a safer and more comfortable learning environment for all Dallas students. We hope that other North Texas area school districts will follow DISD's example and create similar non-discriminatory policies.

Pegasus News Content partner - North Texas Liberal

Pavel Lishin, verified:

Those new permission slips are totally discriminatory against single-parent families, you guys. Not to mention polyamorous households!

3 years, 8 months ago
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Brett Hoerner, verified:

I've never seen the Q in LGBTQ, was that intentional? And uh, is it what I think it is?

3 years, 8 months ago
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Alex Bentley, staff:

From <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT">Wikipedia</a>: LGBT (or GLBT, depending on what you prefer to use) "may also include additional Qs for queer and/or questioning (sometimes abbreviated with a question mark) (LGBTQ, LGBTQQ, GLBTQ?)."

3 years, 8 months ago
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