Transforming Our Schools
A Population at Risk
Claremont Graduate University
June 22, 2007
Judy Chiasson, PhD
A Population at Risk
Judy Chiasson, Ph.D.
Office of Human Relations, Diversity and Equity
213-241-5626
Judy.Chiasson@lausd.net
Diversity Question
What does Diversity mean in
Los Angeles?
LA County Census
Am Ind, Alsk Nat
(1.1%)
Asian (13%)
Afr Amer (9.7%)
PI Hawaiian (0.3%)
Hispanic (46.5%)
White (29%)
Biracial (1.7%)
LAUSD has 704,417 students
Am Ind, Alsk Nat
(0.3%)
Asian (3.8%)
Afr Amer (11.2%)
Filipino (2.2%))
Hispanic (73.3%)
Pac Isldr (0.3)
White (8.9%)
California Protected Categories
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Sex
Sexual orientation
Gender identity
Ethnic group identification
Race
Color
National origin
Religion
Mental or physical disability
Bullying Checklist
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1. Unwanted conduct
2. Behavior that targets one of the
protected categories
3. Severe and pervasive
4. Objectively offensive
5. Denies access to educational
program
Who feels most unwelcome at school?
Of all populations on
our campus, sexual
minorities are at the
highest risk for a
plethora of stressrelated behaviors.
Sexual Minorities
Lesbian
Gay
Bisexual
Transgender
Queer
Questioning
Intersex
Same Gender Loving
On the Down Low
No label
How many are there?
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6% of students identify as gay, lesbian,
bisexual or transgender
16% of students have gay, lesbian, or
transgender family members
How many are there?
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2.1 million people in LA County are or
have LGBTQ family members (10 million
x 21%)
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10,000 California children are being
raised by gay and lesbian parents (US
Census)
The Invisible Population
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Sexual orientation is invisible.
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What is the cost of invisibility?
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It’s high, it’s bad….
How bad is it?
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80% of LGBT youth have experienced
verbal abuse
44% have been threatened with
physical violence
At school
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97% youth report hearing anti-gay
comments from their peers “frequently”
53% report hearing anti-gay comments
made by teachers
The average student hears an anti-gay
comment 25.5 times per day or every 8
minutes
Guidance counselors
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Two-thirds of guidance counselors
harbor negative feelings toward gay
and lesbian people.
Less than 20% of guidance counselors
have received any training on serving
gay and lesbian students.
Teachers
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77% of prospective teachers would not
encourage a class discussion on
homosexuality.
85% oppose integrating gay/lesbian
themes into their existing curricula.
Teachers
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80% of prospective teachers report negative
attitudes toward gay and lesbian people.
66% of prospective teachers can be classified
as “high-grade homophobes.”
52% of prospective teachers report that they
would feel uncomfortable working with an
openly lesbian or gay colleague.
School violence
School shooters
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All school shooters were males who had
been mercilessly and routinely teased
and bullied.
Their violence was retaliatory against
teasing that was homophobic in nature
(fag, queer, sissy).
Michael S. Kimmel & Matthew Mahler. Adolescent masculinity, homophobia, and violence:
Random school shootings, 1982-2001. The American Behavior Scientist; June 2003, 46.10
Growing up
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LGBT adults report having heard
significantly higher frequencies of antigay comments while growing up as do
heterosexuals.
Who is saying these things?
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Parents
Relatives
Religious leaders
Political leaders
Peers
Teachers
Actors
Musicians
Comedians
In our communities
2005 Hate Crimes in LA County
Black (34%)
LGBT (23%)
Jewish (12%)
Latino (10%)
White (4%)
Muslim (2%)
Prime targets
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GLBT persons are most likely to be the
targets of hate crimes (1:3.8)
African American are 2nd most likely to
be the targets of hate crimes (1:3.5)
Suicide
33% of GLB high school students reported
attempting suicide in the previous year,
compared to 8% of heterosexual youth.
LGBTQ persons are nearly four times more
likely than non-LGBT persons to attempt
suicide.
Gay Youth of Color
Sean Ethan Owen
1981-2004
Gay Youth of Color
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Up to 46% of
GLBTQ youth of
color experience
physical violence
related to sexual
orientation.
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Over 48% of GLBTQ
youth of color were
verbally harassed in
school regarding
sexual orientation
and race/ ethnicity.
Gay Youth of Color
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Violence against gay youth of color is
more likely to be perpetrated by family
members.
61% report being victims of violence by
family members.
40% report being victimized by peers or
strangers.
Our challenge
Understand, empathize and be compassionate
about something that may be outside of our
own experience.
Intergenerational Prejudice
Adolescents’ biases correlate with those of their
parents, in this order:
 Gays and lesbians
 Sexism
 HIV/AIDS
 Weight
 Race
Ryan, M., Fishbein, H., Ritchey, P. N, 2004. Intergenerational transmission of prejudice, sex role stereotyping,
and intolerance. Adolescence, V. 39, N. 155, pp. 407–426.
Challenges to Ending Discrimination
Homo
uality
Desexualize homoSEXuality
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Sexual orientation is a feeling
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Sexual behavior is an act
Desexualize homoSEXuality
Teenage lesbians are
twice as likely to
become pregnant
and are four times
as likely to have
multiple
pregnancies.
We know that …
We have a legal and moral obligation to
protect our children.
Legal Considerations
California Safety and Violence Protection
Act of 2000 (AB537)
1.
Added sexual orientation and gender
identity as protected classes.
2.
Specified deliberate indifference.
3.
Removed the corporate shield.
Legal precedents
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Bob Jones University, Supreme Court, 1983
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Tinker v. DesMoines, 1969
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Nabozny v. Podlensy, 1996
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Theno v. Tonganoxie School District, 2004
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Ramirez v. LAUSD, 2004
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Nguon v. Wolf, Garden Grove School District, 2005
Student rights
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Public display of affection
Right to privacy
Freedom of expression
Protection from discrimination
So what do we do
about it?
Do our job
It is our job to make the campus safe for
the students, not the students’ job to
make the campus safe for us.
Replace labels with faces

LGBT is not a
sandwich
Advocate for them
Protect them
Treasure them
Accept them
Teach them
Prejudice tolerated
is intolerance
encouraged
Judy Chiasson, Ph.D.
Program Coordinator
Office of Human Relations, Diversity and Equity
213-241-5626
Judy.Chiasson@lausd.net
Citations
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Carter K. “Gay Slurs Abound,” in The Des Moines Register, March 7, 1997, p. 1.
Garafalo, R., Wolf, C., Kessel, S., Palfrey, J. & DuRant, R (1998). The association between health risk behaviors and sexual
orientation among a school-based sample of adolescents. Pediatrics, 101, 895-902.
GLSEN.Just the facts on gay, lesbian and bisexual youth in schools
GLSEN/Detroit, Bruised Bodies, Bruised Spirits: An Assessment of the Current Climate of Safety for Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual
Youth in Southeastern Michigan Schools, pp. 31-33.
Hetrick E., and Martin A. D. “Developmental Issues and Their Resolution for Gay and Lesbian Adolescents” in Journal of
Homosexuality, 1987.
http://www.doe.mass.edu/hssss/yrbs99/glb_rslts.html
http://www.lausd.k12.ca.us/lausd/offices/eec/project10.htm
Human Rights Watch. (2001). Hatred in the hallways: Violence and discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and
transgender students in U.S. schools. New York: Human Rights Watch.
Journal Consulting Clinical Psychology, 1994, 62:261-69.
Kosciw JG, Cullen MK. The School-Related Experiences of Our Nation's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Youth: The
GLSEN 2001 National School Climate Survey. New York: GLSEN, 2001.
Los Angeles County Human Relations Hate Crimes 2005: http://lahumanrelations.org/publications/index.htm
PFLAG National Schools Assessment, January 2005
Pittman KJ et al. Making sexuality education and prevention programs relevant for African American youth. J Sch Health 1992;
62:339-44.
SIECEUS, 2001, Volume 29, #4
Saewyc, E., Bearinger, L., Blum, R., Resnick. M. (1999). Sexual intercourse, abuse and pregnancy among adolescent women:
Does sexual orientation make a difference? Family Planning Perspectives, Vol. 31, No. 3, p. 127-131.