My Teacher is a Lesbian

“‘My Teacher is a Lesbian’ Coming Out at School” by Jody Sokolower

Rethinking Schools Volume 24, Number 2 (Winter 2010-2011) pg. 30-33.

Topic: A middle school teacher in the Bay area struggles with how/when it is appropriate to come out to her students and the politics of it all.

Summary: A lesbian teacher in the Bay area shares her story about how she has chosen to come out to her middle school students over the years of teaching. She shares stories about questions students have asked, backlash she has received from administration (and surprisingly – lack of backlash from parents), and the “unexpected benefits” of the entire process.

Intended audience: Teachers (Straight and LGBTQ), Administrators

Key Points:

• Coming out is difficult/controversial even in the Bay area.
• Being honest with your students can create a more dynamic classroom community where other issues can be discussed openly and respectfully.
• This is something that will be encountered no matter what district/school you are teaching in and it is important for schools to be a safe place for students and teachers. That being said, students and teachers should not share more than they are comfortable sharing.

Relevance: I thought this article was a good lead up to the conference we are going to tomorrow and it is relevant to me personally as well as to our upcoming cultural identity assignment for Learning Communities. I really liked the section about the “Identity Poster” to further explore the idea of my own cultural identity.