Proposed Mass Information Campaign About the Attitudes of the Academic Community in Gay/Lesbian Teachers

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

The Department of Education sets its own criteria for public school teacher certification, effectively outlining the knowledge, skills, and attributes required for the teacher to stand in front of a class. These requirements are in place because it is largely through the efforts of classroom teachers that the goals of education are met or thwarted. A teacher's ability to convey knowledge, to teach skills, to challenge, and to inspire students should determine who should teach our children. Unfortunately, the nation's lesbian, gay bisexual, and transgendered (LGBT) teachers are often judged by different standards than those that apply to other teachers. In staffing decisions, the consistent use of quality teaching practices, the ability to inspire students, and the tenacity to believe in students and to help them achieve more than they thought possible too often take a back seat to concerns about the private sexuality of the teacher.

METHODS

The study focuses at the present situation (what is). The purpose is to find new truth. The truth may have a different form such as increased quantity of knowledge, a new generalization or new " ̃law,' an increased insight into the factors which are operating, the discovery of new causal relationship, a moreproblem to be solved, and many others. Furthermore, this paper will use descriptive comparative method with two variables (not manipulated) and establish a formal procedure to compare and conclude that one is better than the other.

RESULTS

Considering the varied characteristics of the respondents of the study, differences in attitude and the acceptance of the school community towards gay/lesbian teachers can be only partially explained by the respondents' profile in terms of age, gender assignment at birth, current gender identity, sexual orientation, and political ideology. The current study had student-respondents who are mostly female of the age range of 13 years old and above. The assessment of the Teacher-Respondents about their attitudes, beliefs, and practices towards gay/lesbian teachers resulted in a positive assessment. As to the significant difference in the assessment of the Teacher-respondents about their attitudes, beliefs, and practices towards Gay/Lesbian Teachers when they are grouped according to age, gender, current gender identity, sexual orientation and political ideology, results showed there is no significant difference.

DISCUSSIONS

Even though the study resulted to positive assessment and showed that there is no significant difference, schools are recommended to provide educational resources to students, teachers, staff and even parents to familiarize, orient and inform them about Gay and Lesbian people. And also, Sensitivity training maybe done so as to lessen discrimination and improve Attitudes, Beliefs, and Practices on Gay/Lesbian people in schools and Seminars on Gender equality/sensitivity maybe held for all school stakeholders involved.